5 Reasons Why Teachers Hate Interactive Whiteboards and How to Avoid Them

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Teachers have mixed feelings about interactive whiteboards in their classrooms. Many teachers just hate them. But there are many advantages to interactive whiteboards, and there is value in using them in the modern classroom. Like any new technology, there are challenges to adoption and how to overcome them. So once you check out 5 reasons teachers dislike interactive whiteboard, make sure to check out 3 simple ways to integrate the technology into a classroom the right way.

Learn more below about why teachers hate interactive whiteboards – and how to overcome these challenges.

It is hard to miss in recent visits to educational technology trade shows the number of brands offering different interactive whiteboard models, sizes, and functionalities. At first glance, it seems these devices are becoming the gold-standard in educational technology for schools worldwide.  With a quick search on YouTube, one finds a plethora of videos comparing different brands, specs, and software packages. With such vast amounts of information on the technological aspect, but nothing on the teacher’s perspective, one wonders, how do teachers feel about digital whiteboards? Are teachers embracing the new addition to their classrooms with open arms, or are digital whiteboards just a showpiece for schools to parade in front of parents and administrators?

Where the Interactive Whiteboard Popularity Came From

The popularization of interactive whiteboards devices is credited to the drop in prices. 10 years ago, a large touch screen cost around $20,000 to $30,000.  Today, a 65-inch screen is about $3,000. However, academics still question the utility and practicality of these devices in schools.

ViewSonic has over 30 years of working with teachers to create technologies they want to use. They have shared some of their experiences with us and we have summarized below the 5 major reasons why teachers dislike interactive displays. We have also offered some suggestions on what schools and administrators can do to help with the adaptation of digital whiteboards in the classrooms.

5 major Factors Why Teachers Dislike Interactive Displays

1. Interactive Whiteboards Are Too Complicated to Use During Lessons

We often over-complicate simple things. Teachers usually are just looking to replace their chalkboards or whiteboards. Nowadays in a highly competitive market, companies are rushing out digital displays filled with widgets, software, and utilities. This may seem very nifty at first but bring little value in the teaching environment.  Essentially, brands pack these devices with everything and forget to think from the teacher’s perspective.  The more software and applications the device comes with, the more complicated they become, and harder they are to learn. In a classroom environment where everything is live and on the spot, there is little room for error during class time. Any delay or interruption in the classroom is detrimental to the quality of learning.

Also, the time needed to learn new programs and software is precious time that the teachers do not have and may require teachers to take personal time off for training. Calling IT for support during lessons destroys the momentum teachers worked so hard to build, thus again diminishing the quality of the learning.

2. Interactive Whiteboards Lack Storage and File Conversion Ability

Unlike drawing on a whiteboard, where no documents are created, interactive whiteboards provide convenience in the ability to save files. Over time certain file types or programs, such as Microsoft PowerPoint for presentations, or MS Word for document writing, have become the standard in classrooms.  This type of democratizing software is not present for digital whiteboards. Every major brand in the sector has its own proprietary file type. The lack of support for multimedia in the supposed standard file type  of .iwb falls short as lessons require videos, animation, and graphs. This presents a major issue when schools change provider and all the old file types are no longer compatible with the new hardware.  This is especially true with files that have flash dependencies and will no longer be supported. (Learn more about Flash here.)

3. Interactive Whiteboards Are Not Agile Enough to Fit Today’s Teaching Pedagogy

Every interactive whiteboard brand claims to deliver dynamic multi-functional capabilities.  However, teachers feel like they are no more than glorified projectors and do not really help enhance the learning experience. An interactive whiteboard’s purpose is to assist the learning process through the usage of multimedia and rich content, the technology is meant to help make the lessons more fun and interactive.

Click here for 6 Ways to Boost Classroom Productivity with Interactive Whiteboards.

Even with the switch to interactive whiteboards, teachers still stand in front of a class and present, the same way one would do in front of a regular chalk/whiteboard. Now, the materials presented are, flashier but this does not really influence how knowledge is exchanged and does little to promote independent discovery and collaborative work. More importantly, because of the lack of agility, a lot of the functions on the interactive whiteboards are never utilized to its’ full potential.

 4. Interactive Whiteboards Lack Classroom System Integration Processes

When schools purchase digital whiteboards for the wrong reasons, teachers and students suffer.  In some instances, teachers feel the school acquired interactive whiteboards as a public relations tool to promote the school rather than a teaching instrument.  The implication from this mindset is that the school fails to see all the non-tangible processes required to make sure the interactive whiteboards are usable and will fulfill the purpose they were meant to.  The non-tangible aspect includes network speed, IT support staff, size of classrooms, and how the furniture will be arranged to maximize learning efficiency.

Also, the type of Learning Management Systems and user synchronization need to be implemented across the board to make sure teachers can log in, share files, assign homework.  Students and parents need to be able to exchange feedback with teachers on the same platform.  Without truly addressing the issue of system integration, the boards are no more than just expensive projectors, or in the worst case, dark glass.

 5. Interactive Whiteboards Need Extensive Rollout, Professional Development, and Organizational Adoption

When schools have all the infrastructure set up, and the interactive whiteboards are ready to be adopted by the teacher, quite often teachers still fail to use them efficiently and effectively.  This boils down to professional development.

Due to the nature of classrooms, knowing how to use the tools before they are given is of utmost importance for teachers.  Teachers usually prepare their lessons beforehand and thus require that when class is in progress, lessons flow smoothly.  This is challenging if the teachers are not confident in maneuvering around an interactive whiteboard. Schools often are pressured to roll out the new technology without considering the time and practice teachers need to master these devices.

Getting the EdTech Right the First Time with Interactive Whiteboards

Transforming a classroom from traditional chalkboards and whiteboards require expensive investment from schools, both in time and money. With so much at stake, schools need to plan out the infrastructural aspect of the transformation as well as the training and development for teachers to be successful.  More importantly, they need to be able to get early adopters on board and resisters convinced of the value interactive whiteboards can bring into their classrooms.  Lastly, the policy and actions a school administrator take to determine how the school will accept and internalize interactive whiteboards.

Keys to Success for Getting Teachers to Adopt Interactive Whiteboards

With any dramatic change in an organization, preparation, communication, and execution are the keys to success in introducing new technology. As an educational solution provider, ViewSonic believes the following 3 factors are the key to integrating interactive whiteboards in classrooms successfully:

 1. Preparation

The school needs to ask: What is the desired result for the school? And what processes need to be in place to achieve such results? If the goal is for better learning outcomes or higher engagement from students, then the school needs to focus on how to make the teacher’s lesson more engaging, and actively create an environment where teachers have access to all the tools to be successful.  This includes ease of saving and sharing materials, the ability to form teams to collaborate, and have a standardized file format for consistency.  Infrastructure groundwork needs to be discussed as well.  This is where the schools make sure all its IT infrastructure such as cables, Wi-Fi hotspots, and servers are in place before the boards are installed.

2. Communication

Once the plan is in place, the school needs to start a dialogue between teachers, schools, IT, and the hardware/software provider.  This is where the goals are clearly communicated, concession formed, and feedback are received.  IT needs to have a clear plan on how to support the teachers through the transformation.  Most importantly, the brand needs to have direct access to the teachers to understand their needs and how best to achieve their desired outcomes.  Through active communication and discussion with the teachers, the school will find the root cause of any resistance to change and thus start the process of finding solutions.  The school needs to remember communication is time-consuming and also requires outside trainers to coach teachers on how to use the technology effectively.  During training, teachers can get hands-on support and their concerns are validated and addressed.

 3. Execution

Once the plan is done, communication is established, the last part is executing the plan.  While execution is in progress, communication continues to ensure progress.  Hardware and software both need to be configured so teachers can hit the ground running when school starts.  Any delay or interruption creates a negative association with the brand and may have serious consequences for teachers to embrace the technology.  Extensive training and handholding are necessary to make sure adoption and integration are complete.

The Role Interactive Whiteboard Companies Play

As a major brand in the interactive whiteboard space, ViewSonic has an inherited responsibility to the teachers and students alike.  Our systems need to be easily adapted to the teacher’s needs. The learning curve must be minimized to help teachers become proficient.

Developing an efficient communication channel for teachers is also essential to understanding their needs and how we can align with their vision and teaching goals. Only when these steps are accomplished, can we turn that frown upside down.

We invite teachers and school administrators to start a conversation with us to avoid problems with their interactive whiteboards in the future. Together we can go over your needs and come up with a strategy to ensure you have the right education technology for your teachers and students. The benefits of having an interactive whiteboard far out weight the drawbacks we talked about at the beginning of this article. Talk to a ViewSonic Educational Expert today.

This article was contributed by Javier Chen, myViewBoard Growth Lead Manager

Javier Chen
myViewBoard Growth Lead Manager

Javier Chen is the Growth Lead for the myViewBoard Ecosystem at ViewSonic. Currently living in Taipei, Taiwan, Javier has expertise in digital customer acquisition. He is fluent in English, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese.

As seen in many school systems, a lot of schools are starting to switch over to an interactive approach to teaching. One of the ways this has been done is through interactive electronic whiteboards, also known as SMART Boards. A SMART Board is a device that is used to replace the standard white board in your everyday classroom. The SMART Board is a device that interacts hand–in-hand with computer software. Students and teachers can draw on the board or use their hands as a mouse to move or draw objects on the board. At any point in time the teacher can save the work that was completed on the SMART Board, just like you would on a computer, and come back to it when needed. Dr. Mary Ann Bell from teachers.net Gazette stated that SMART Boards offer a wide variety of color and tools to use. Studies have shown that students’ attention span is greater and they are more alert where color is presented and where writing on the board can be customized based on fun features that the software offers. We have seen the shift in classrooms from the traditional whiteboard to these new interactive SMART Boards. There are some advantages and disadvantages to switching over to these new SMART Boards in the classrooms. As we enter a new era in technology it is important as future teachers to consider investing in SMART Boards for your classroom because it really will benefit your students.

What is a SMART Board?

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A SMART Board is an interactive white board that was created in 1991 by David Martin and Nancy Knowlton.  The name "smart board" refers to an interactive white board which requires software and tools in order to work properly. They are specifically called "SMART" because the company SMART technologies named their interactive whiteboards, SMART Board.  The SMART Board is the first interactive white board to provide touch control computer applications over the standard Microsoft applications.  A SMART Board enables the teacher and students in the classroom to save and store any information that they write on it.  This board also allows for students and teachers to search the web and download programs on the SMART Board itself.  Although SMART Boards act as a computer, this interactive whiteboard does not have the traditional keyboard or mouse.  The SMART Board has a tray at the bottom of the screen which holds SMART Board pens.  These trays have sensors in them so the board knows which tool is being used when the object is lifted from the tray.  The SMART Board also has a function where it allows the user to bring up a keyboard on the screen if you need to type. To operate the keyboard you just simply use it as a touch screen function (touching the key intended). Smart boards also provide us with many math tools (dice, graph paper, charts, protractors, rulers, shapes, and etc.) and supplies to use during math lessons.  When you purchase a SMART Board it comes with two 

software programs. These programs are notebook and SMART book tools. These are both valuable software programs, but can be difficult and frustrating to work with if you do not use them correctly. As a teacher using a smart board you are able to create lessons, projects, powerpoints and much more on a computer and transfer this to your smart board to enable student interaction during class. Smart boards are compatible with all Microsoft office software programs.
Today smart boards are not only being seen across the world in classrooms, but smart boards are also being used in college lecture halls, group meetings, and presentations. If you are a smart board user an important website to utilize is Smart Exchange. This is a website created by SMART Technologies where teachers post lessons they have created and used in their classrooms. The lessons posted on the website are available for teachers to download and use in their classroom without giving credit to whomever created it. As a teacher when you create something worth while you should contribute in posting your own lessons for others to utilize as well. If you download a lesson you are able to make changes, only use portions, expand the lesson, or do whatever you want to the lesson to make it most valuable for your own classroom. Click Smart Exchange to visit website.

How It All Got Started?

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Smartboards began being seen in school classrooms in 1991 when schools decided it was time to begin integrating technology into their everyday curriculum. The first smart board was an LCD pannel and a computer running integrated programs. This "smart board" was designed to work as a large display screen. Intel Corporation took an interest in these piece of technology and became a minority investor in the company in the year of 1992. New versions of the smart board are released every year, as our knowledge in technology increases so does the development of smart boards. In the year 1999 the first plasma display smart board was introduced.

Use In A Classroom

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• Digital storytelling/reading books online
• Brainstorming/teacher OR student "think out-louds"
• Note taking on any specific page (allows teachers or students to add to work at any given time)
• Ability to use interactive websites as a whole class
• Teach many editing skills (can bring up any students typed work or photocopied work to edit)
• Can teach many computer skills and give internet navigation directions
• Use highlighting tool to help students study and highlight important information
• Create whole class projects (gives you ability to save and change work and incorporates class participation)
• Insert tables, graphs, charts, and keep records on the interactive board itself
• Gives teachers and students ability to share their work/projects with parents/guardians or others interested
• Incorporates graphics for special education students or ELL students
• Electronic word wall (add to this daily)
• Save lessons to reteach students who were absent or need extra help
• Use built in maps to help teach and learn geography
• Morning meeting messages (you can start your day by having a message on the smart board and having an interactive mailbox where students could go up to the board and write any questions or comments they have for the teacher or any other students for the day or about what they have done/learned in the past). By having a morning meeting message that allows you to save the work you can go back to this message at the end of the day to be sure you have answered all students questions.
• Prepare students for test/exams by playing games on the board
• When the smart board is not being used for anything you can display different types of clocks or timers to keep students on track, (timers for literacy circles) this gives students a visual of the time they have to work in groups with one another.
• Use the smart board as a tool to introduce students, teachers, or other topics (first day of school introductions)
• Smart boards allow students to teach the teachers
• When teaching math lessons or using dice for games you can make the dice interactive, by clicking the die it will automatically roll (when using interactive materials like the dice this can intruige students' motivation to participate and learn)
• The interactive board can be used to take morning attendance, lunch count, and milk count (this way once finished with attendance you can close out of the program and choose to not save changes which would put the page back to how you started, saving a lot of valuable classroom time) (This also involves the children and keeps them busy when they all come in at different times in the morning) (helps build hand eye coordination)
• When doing vocabulary or any similar lessons in the classroom the smart board has a tool called a shade which allows you to cover some of the page only displaying what you want at a certain time (the shade can be moved from top to bottom, bottom to top, left to right, or right to left)
• Smart boards contain a tool called "recognize" this allows the student or teacher to choose the recognize tool on a certain object or writing and the computer will change it to a computer font so it is clear for the entire class to read (this allows student to still do the work and also allows students to recognize their mistakes, if the board is unable to recognize the material they have made a mistake)
• If a student is absent or you want to give students the material you have went over in class for the day the smart board allows you to print everything you have worked on including the notes you have taken your material

Advantages & Disadvantages

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As with any new item that is being introduced, one must consider the advantages and disadvantages before jumping to any conclusions. Many would say that SMART Boards are an excellent resource to have in classrooms because there are so many pros to having them in the classroom. Dr. Mary Ann Bell from teacher.net created a list of advantages of SMART Boards in the classroom that she has gathered based on communicating with other teachers. Here is a list of some of those advantages to having a SMART Board in the classroom, as opposed to having a traditional whiteboard in the classroom.

1. The board is set up to meet the needs of various learning styles in the classroom. Those hands on learners can benefit from the SMART Board by physically going up to the board and marking or moving an object on the board with their hands. Students who are auditory learners can learn best through class discussions that center around the use of the SMART Board in the classroom. Those students who are visual learners are able to see and make sense of what is happening and being created on the board. If they have any questions they are able to verbalize those questions based on what is being displayed on the board.
2. The SMART Boards do not require the teacher to use chalk, dry erase markers, erasers, etc. The only thing the teacher needs to use with the board is the computer markers or the teachers’ hands. No need to replace dry markers or broken chalk.
3. The board works great for whole class discussions and lessons related to science and math. If the class is participating in a science activity and they are collecting data, all the student has to do is collect the data and record it on the SMART Board. Instead of the entire class writing down what everyone in the class collected, the teacher can save the document and print out enough copies for every student in the classroom.
4. Students of all ages love the SMART Board because it is interactive and interlinked with computer software. Students love working on computers, so this is essentially a large interactive computer in the eyes of a student. They can browse websites on the SMART Board along with play online interactive games to get them using their fine and large motor skills.

Listed above were some advantages of having a SMART Board in the classroom, and how it benefits from replacing the traditional whiteboard to something more interactive in the classroom. To get both sides of the story you must look at the good qualities and the bad qualities to any big purchase you are going to be making. Some disadvantages to switching over to SMART Boards instead of the traditional whiteboards are:

1. The cost of smart boards is very expensive, and the set up takes some time. According to smartboards.com from 2010, the typical cost of a SMART Board can cost anywhere between $3,000 and $6,000. With budget cuts hitting schools really hard lately, it would be hard to afford something that expensive in the classroom. Some schools simply can not afford it because it is so expensive.
2. Whereas whiteboards are very self explanatory to know how to use; you just need a dry erase marker and an eraser, SMART Boards often take training classes in order to understand everything it is capable of doing. It takes time to understand how these boards work in the classroom and what they are capable of doing. Since it comes with its own software, you have to familiarize yourself with the software before you can even start using the board to its full potential.
3. With whiteboards the teacher can have multiple students up at the board working on a problem or writing down important information. A SMART Board only allows for one person to write on the board at a time. Since it is essentially a big computer, it can only pick up one signal at a time. If you want multiple students to share their responses to something and write it on the board, you are better off using the traditional whiteboard.
4. In order for the SMART Board to run properly, it needs to have installed the required software. The software is an added expense, so you have to add that on to the total cost of the board. Since it is a computer, at any point in time it could malfunction and stop working, than as the teacher, what do you do? Do you have a backup plan? Whiteboards do not require any software and you never have to worry about it breaking or the software not working.

Training and Professional Development

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Visit SmartTech to find out where to go for training on SMART Boards and to also connect to other SMART Board users. SMART provides a variety of ways for educators to connect and collaborate to make the most of the SMART products.

Here is a list of what is offered:

• SMART Exchange online community: It’s the place to be for teachers who use SMART products and want to share tips and success stories about using interactive technology in your classrooms. You can post your favorite lesson activities and download those created by others. The SMART Exchange has thousands of active members from around the world and is growing daily.
• Content creation seminars: Provide instruction and best practices for creating content with SMART Notebook collaborative learning software. Available for teachers with intermediate skills in SMART Notebook software, these seminars teach you how to create interactive lesson activities based on curriculum standards. You’ll also collaborate with others teaching in your grade and subject area to design and build lessons. Lesson activities created at each seminar are then shared with other teachers through the SMART Exchange.
• Consultation services: The team of consultants are made up of experienced educators who can help you plan a successful technology implementation. Available in a growing number of areas around the world, the consultants will work with you to evaluate and select classroom technology products and help design your implementation strategy. As you roll out your plan, the team ensures that you have the right training and professional development programs for your staff. This also gives teachers tools to effectively incorporate the products and resources in all subject areas and grade levels.

SMART Board Products and Accessories

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• SMART Board interactive whiteboards: Combine the simplicity of a whiteboard with the power of a computer to bring interactivity to virtually any learning environment.
• SMART Board interactive displays: Discover the power of touch interactivity and high-resolution visuals - together. SMART Board interactive displays give you the functionality of SMART Board interactive whiteboards - finger and pen navigation, digital ink and the ability to save your work - combined with the brilliant visuals of flat-panel displays.
• SMART Podium interactive pen displays: Bring any presentation to life with an interactive pen display that allows you to effortlessly interact with digital content and project it on a screen for your students to see.
• SMART Table interactive learning center: Enable several students to gather, work and explore together on the world’s first multitouch, multiuser interactive learning center for early education.
• SMART Response interactive response systems: Obtain quick insight into learning, track student performance and organize assessment results with our interactive response systems.
• SMART Document Camera: Turn your classroom into a spontaneous and dynamic learning environment by displaying real-time images of any static or moving object. You can also capture images or video and transform them into digital content for later use.
• SMART Slate wireless slate: Interact with your digital content from anywhere in the room. Wirelessly control applications, write on your SMART Board interactive whiteboard or interactive display using the slate, and see your work projected onto a screen at the front of the room.
• SMART Audio classroom amplification system: Amplify learning by making sure students can hear every word, no matter where they are sitting. This classroom amplification system distributes sound evenly throughout the room using speakers and wireless microphones.
• SMART Notebook collaborative learning software: Create, deliver and manage interactive lessons with SMART Notebook software, and add SMART Notebook Math Tools to get everything you need to make math lessons more engaging. We also offer SMART Notebook SE (Student Edition), which helps you personalize learning, and SMART Notebook Express, so educators everywhere can open, interact with and share SMART Notebook software files.
• SMART Sync classroom management software[1]: Spend more time teaching and less time supervising in computer-enabled classrooms. Monitor your students’ online activity, broadcast to multiple screens, give students direct support and keep your classes focused on learning.
• SMART Classroom Suite interactive learning software: Transform any computer-enabled classroom into a collaborative, interactive and highly efficient learning environment with these four integrated, easy-to-use SMART software applications.
• SMART Ideas concept-mapping software: Help students visualize and analyze complex ideas by building multilevel interactive maps.
• SMART product accessories: Get more from your SMART Board interactive whiteboards and interactive displays with accessories that will save you time and enhance the flexibility of your SMART products.

SMART Boards are great interactive devices that will benefit any classroom. The SMART Board is used to replace the traditional white board. SMART Boards can be used in the classroom many different ways. For example, the teacher can do digital storytelling/reading of books online, brainstorming with students and teacher during “think out-loud,” note taking, and gives the ability to use interactive websites as a whole class. The SMART Board allows for more interaction from the students and is set up to meet the needs of various learning styles. The teachers do not have to worry about using chalk and getting the chalk dust everywhere and they no longer have to worry about buying dry erase markers when their other markers dry up. There are other products and accessories available to use with a SMART Board, which can tailor the SMART Board to fit all the needs of children in the classroom. There are many advantages to using the SMART Boards in the classrooms, but there are also some disadvantages to take into account. Technology is great, but with any device, you always should be prepared if problems occur. Teachers should have a backup plan for their lessons if the SMART Board were to stop working for whatever reason. The biggest disadvantage is SMART Boards are a lot more costly than a white board, which may be difficult for many schools to afford, especially with the economy the way it is right now. rResearch shows that there are so many benefits for the students if they are introduced to using a smart board. Not only do the teachers enjoy using them, the students enjoy it as well and it helps make learning fun for them.

Archer, B. (2003). In What is a Smartboard?. Retrieved November 29, 2010, from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-smartboard.htm

How to Incorporate Technology Into The Classroom. (2010). In Teachers Network. Retrieved November 30, 2010, from http://www.teachersnetwork.org/ntny/nychelp/technology/smartbrd.htm

SMART. (2010). Featured Products. In SMART Boards: Serving The New York Tri-State Area. Retrieved November 23, 2010, from http://smartboards.com/

Smart Technologies. (2010). All SMART Products. Retrieved November 29, 2010, from http://www.smarttech.com/us/Solutions/All+Products

Smart Technologies. (2010). Content and Community. Retrieved November 29, 2010, from http://smarttech.com/Home%20Page/Resources/Training/Content%20and%20Community

Springgay, J. (2010). What is the History of the Smart Board?. In eHOW. Retrieved December 1, 2010, from http://www.ehow.com/facts_4915092_what-history-smart-board.html

Teacher Net. (2002, January). Teacher Future. In Teacher.Net. Retrieved November 23, 2010, from http://teachers.net/gazette/JAN02/mabell.html