One Teacher's Journal is Another's Blueprint

Now that I have done the due diligence and examined what the creators of SMART Boards and IWBs believe that they offer to improve education, it is now time to look at my sources regarding the role of IWBs in the classroom. The first source I came across centers on teacher keeping ongoing journal of experiences she has using the IWB in her class. I choose this article for two key reasons: the 1^st is that this teacher teaches history at the same grade level I look to do so and 2^nd this article will hopefully give me some insight into how her class changed (positively or negatively) with her using the IWB.

So as I read through the first few pages of this article, I begin to hope that the journal kept by Elizabeth Mohon (http://www.huntcliff.co.uk/) will provide a much needed insight to how the role of IWBs are in classroom. All and all, the article, to me, almost works like a blueprint about using an IWB in the classroom because it is highlighted with the tentative first steps taken by Elizabeth and the progress made as she gets more accustomed with the IWB. This process is something that will be a focus of mine in my research paper. When a teacher is first given a new tool to use to educate, it takes time for the teacher and students to get used to how the teaching will begin to change. During this time of accustomed to the tool, learning can take a wrong turn or the class can fall behind. It is my hope that this research paper will better prepare me for this period and allow a smooth transition so that no learning time will get lost and the class experience will benefit from the IWB from the first day of class.