Television schmelevision – interactive whiteboards are the way (From Watford Observer)

Television schmelevision – interactive whiteboards are the way

9:56am Thursday 3rd December 2009 in Rickmansworth News

Words by Hannah Jones

Technology, where would any of us be without it? Lost, confused and very bored (after all, how rubbish would life be without Facebook?!). But technology has had a large effect on schools as well; it changed the entire face of teaching and I have seen the impact of it on schools like my own.

Back in the day, television was the only technology used in schools, to show the students educational videos about a chosen subject. Now we use DVD’s but TV still has an effect, for instance to promote the job of teaching to the public. But at present it’s all about the whiteboards – gone are the days of chalk and really big pens - now, they’re interactive. Welcome to the future, students.

These whiteboards are an innovation called ‘Active Software’ and are indorsed by both teachers and students as helpful to the learning experience, one year seven student said “the boards and all the computers around school make it more interesting to learn.

Much better than textbooks!” and Miss Rouse, a history teacher at Rickmansworth School, commented that ‘the boards have features that make it easier and more fun to teach. The spotlight feature” she added “allows the class to see sources they would normally have to see in books or sheets in much greater detail – very useful for a subject like History! And plus, they’re more environmentally friendly than having to photocopy 32 sheets per class!”

The new technological advances are also praised by other teachers, Head of Music Tech, Miss Stroud tells us that “it keeps the students up to date with technology and helps them use the skills with computers that their generation has to further their education.”

This seems to be the general gist of everybody at Rickmansworth School – from the drama department who enjoys amazing shows with expert lighting to the Film Studies ability to create and show films to an entire class, everybody thinks that technology has boosted education to new heights.