The only place that I have gotten to use a Smart board is in our IDT class. However, I think that they would be very useful in the classroom. I feel like I would use it for the students to use while doing math problems. Or even just writing the ideas up on the board.

I never was even introduced to a SMART board until last semester. I wish I had more experience with them, but think they are a great idea to use in a classroom!

I believe that SMART boards are very beneficial in classrooms. When I was in high school, my senior year, we had smart boards in all of my classes(though not every teacher did have them, I just got lucky I guess??). One thing that I noticed in my classes after we received them, is that many more students paid attention, and wanted to participate.
Some of the things that I may do with the smart board is have students brainstorm with them. They can be split up into groups and then they can come and write their ideas down about a specific topic. We can also play educational games on them. One other thing that I think would be really fun, and also get kids involved when studying for a test, is making a jeopardy board and playing for a review. It would make it fun, and keep kids awake and wanting to participate!

I think I would use the Story Board all the time in my lessons to get the children active. It is something new and different that is more interesting than a regular black board. But most of all, I would use it as a study tool because you can play games on it. The children will be more interested in studying by playing games than just by memorizing words on a piece of paper.

I think the smartboard is such a great new innovative teaching tool! I had never seen one before I came to WIU which is strange because Marisa said that they had them in Elementary Schools around Macomb. I like the idea of the smartboard because it allows the children to actively participate in classroom instruction, although there may need to be a lesson where students are taught how to use it as with any technology. It's just another way we can incorporate technology into the lives of our students, and in an easy way. Smartboards do not demand big learning comittements or complicated use, it's just another version of the chalkboard. If I had a smartboard in my classroom I beleive I would use it a lot with my students. It's easy for the small children to use as well because they can practice their writing on it in a fun way! Technologies are always a big hit with children, I think it gives them power and makes learning more fun because they are in control of what they do and most of them are self-sufficently run!

We had a SMART board in my high school, but we were not allowed to use it. The teachers claimed that it was too expensive and fragile for students to use. If I had a SMART board in my classroom, I would try to get students actively involved. I would first use it for presentations. Once students became used to using the SMART board, I would use it as a normal chalkboard. With the environmental preservation craze going on right now, I believe that this would be a very effective way for students to complete assignments. Instead of each student taking notes on paper, the teacher can email the students the file that was created when they drew on the SMART board. Also, the SMART board could be turned of when not in use, in order to preserve energy. I think that there are many other uses of a SMART board, but this is one that I find effective.

The first time that I used a SMART board was last year when I took an education class at my community college. It reminded me of a huge Palm Pilot. They are a very nice invention, but I feel that they tend to wear and tear a little too soon for the money that is paid for them. The SMART board that we had was not very old and already the touch portion of the screen was going out. I think that they are amazing and would make a teacher's life a lot easier, but at the same time, there are some kinks that need to be worked out of them; like anything with technology. If these boards are used I would say that they need to be used with older children because they will not get destroyed as easily.