Do Whiteboards Make a Difference? New Study Thinks So

Can interactive whiteboards increase student engagement and keep teachers? A new study released by Promethean indicates the answer is yes. Henrico County Schools (Virginia) participated in a Fall 2007 study to decide if Promethean’s Activboards have a positive impact on the teaching/learning process. The study included both the interactive whiteboard and Activote student-response pads. Study details can be found on the site, but in a nutshell, the study found that:
1.      Students were more engaged in classes with teachers using Activboards when compared to their match classes.
2.      Teachers in classrooms with Activboards asked students questions more frequently than their match classroom. They also were able to simultaneously monitor the learning of all students in the classroom more frequently than their match teacher.
3.      Teachers with Activboards incorporated 21st century skills in the area of communication, problem solving, and collaboration more often than their match teachers.
4.      Students in classrooms with Activboards had a slightly higher pass rate on the Standards of Learning tests than their match class.