Whether you are a teacher or a student, you have surely been in front of your classroom’s whiteboard once or twice. As a note-taker during a PBL brainstorming session, when drawing your best diagram to aid your explanation or simply to list the discussion’s main points, the whiteboard is an unavoidable tool. Unfortunately, the use of the whiteboard is often not very innovative. Mind-maps, lists or drawings are the go to sources. But there are way more innovative ways to use this classroom staple! Here are 5 things to consider in you next class to enhance any learning experience.
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1. Switching Roles
Instead of giving all the responsibility to the note-taker, why not switch roles throughout the class? Handing over the marker to a peer can be an easy way to refresh the brainstorming process and introduce a new perspective to a mind-map. It also teaches students to adapt to other people’s learning processes, thereby enhancing collaborative skills.
2. Capture it
Students often leave the classroom taking pictures of the whiteboard, as a reminder of the discussed topics during readings or for an overview when studying for the exam. Readability is an issue though. But, as always, there is an app for that! There are now multiple scanning apps available that will turn your whiteboard pictures into easy to read pdf’s that will make life a bit more organised.
3. Turning the Tables
Instead of turning your back to the discussion when jotting down information on the whiteboard, it can be nice to integrate everyone in the conversation. Dry-erase paint or stickers will turn any surface into a whiteboard, including your classroom tables. Now everyone can gather around and be a part of the discussion and the note-taking process. Collaboration increases and brainstorms become more interactive, resulting in more productive tutorials.
4. Post-it
As a note-taker it can be overwhelming to deal with all the ideas coming from the classroom. By combining a whiteboard mind-map with personally edited post-its from all peers, notes can become more comprehensive. Additionally, everyone now has a chance to be a part of the note-taking process while still having the note-taker in the central position.
5. A Digital Experience
Technology has always had a lot to offer to education, and many classrooms have embraced the smartboard. But, there are easier ways to digitise the whiteboard experience. By turning the projector to the whiteboard instead of the projector screen, you create an interactive environment where visuals can be added to the note-taking process. Explanations will become clearer and a new dimension is given to any presentation
Do you also have innovative ideas to improve the education experience? Don’t forget to share your ideas with EDLAB!
