Multimedia technology in teaching English

1 Theoretical aspects of using an interactive whiteboard in educational process

1.1 Features and Benefits of the Interactive Whiteboard

An interactive whiteboard is a large interactive screen in the form of a white magnetic whiteboard. An interactive whiteboard can be represented as a stand-alone computer with a large touch screen, or as a device connected to a laptop that combines a projector and a touch panel [1]. Interactive whiteboards are used in classrooms, meeting rooms, classrooms, distance learning rooms, and other rooms.

The first interactive whiteboards were designed for use in offices. They were created by Xerox PARC in the 1990s. These boards were used for small group meetings and round tables. In 1991, Smart Technologies created an interactive whiteboard using projection technology [2] .

By 2008, global sales of interactive whiteboards were expected to reach $ 1 billion. Futuresource Consulting in their marketing research predicted that by 2011 interactive whiteboards will appear in every seventh class in the world. In 2004, interactive whiteboards were in 26% of the classrooms in Britain's primary school. A survey conducted by VESTA in 2007 showed that there are interactive whiteboards in 98% of secondary and 100% of primary schools.

General principles of operation and use

An interactive whiteboard can be represented as a stand-alone computer with a large touch screen, or as a device connected to a laptop [3].

The interactive whiteboard driver that is installed on the computer connected to it usually works as a human interaction device, such as a computer mouse. The projector connects to a VGA, HDMI, or other computer video output to output images from the desktop to the surface of the interactive whiteboard.

The user then calibrates the interactive whiteboard by aligning the projected image with the touch surface, indicating several control points. After that, the interactive whiteboard can be used to launch programs, press buttons and open the menu, as is usually done with the mouse. If you want to enter text, you can use the on-screen keyboard or, use handwriting r ecognition if the whiteboard software has such a function. This eliminates the need to access a computer keyboard when such tasks appear.

Thus, the interactive whiteboard allows you to replace both the mouse and keyboard. The user can conduct a presentation or lesson using an interactive whiteboard as the only input device [4].

In addition, special software has been developed for most interactive whiteboards that provides tools for expanding interoperability. Usually it includes the possibilities of paper flipcharts, pens and markers, and even virtual roulettes, transporters, compasses, and other tools that can be useful during classes.

Ways to use interactive whiteboards:

• Launching software that is installed on a personal computer (PC) connected to the board, such as a web browser or other software used in the classroom.

• Capture and save notes written on an interactive whiteboard connected to a PC

• Capture notes written on a tablet connected to an interactive whiteboard. This device allows the presenter to fully control the material displayed on the board, regardless of its location in the classroom.

• Control a computer from an interactive whiteboard using clicks and drag and drop, create notes explaining an open computer program or presentation.

• Use of handwriting recognition software (Optical character recognition, OCR).

• Using the voting system, the speaker can conduct a survey or give the audience an opportunity to vote, and then put the feedback received on the board

Most boards sold worldwide use one of four sensory technologies. It is infrared, resistive, electromagnetic and ultrasonic.

How an infrared whiteboard works

The infrared interactive whiteboard is a large touch surface that connects to a computer and projector. The board is usually mounted on a wall or mobile stand. The movement of a finger, pen, or other pointer in the image interferes with the passage of infrared light above the surface of the board and is detected by the sensor. When you click on the surface of the board, the software calculates the location of the marker or stylus [6]. Infrared boards can be made of any materials.

Resistive Interactive Whiteboard Principles

An ordinary stylus can be used to work with a resistive interactive whiteboard. In this case, the material from which the surface of the board is made is important. In most resistive systems, the membrane, stretched on the surface of the board, bends under pressure to come into contact with the conductive substrate. Then the location of the touch point is calculated according to the readings of the sensors and recorded as a mouse click. We repeat that such boards do not require special feathers. This gives manufacturers of resistive systems the ability to declare that such boards are simple and intuitive to use. However, this depends more on the design of the board than on the technology used in it.

Principles of operation of an electromagnetic interactive whiteboard

Magnetic pens are used to work with an electromagnetic interactive whiteboard. It is an array of wires embedded under the touch surface that interact with the coil at the tip of the stylus to determine the coordinates of its location. The pen itself is usually passive, that is, it does not contain batteries or other power sources; it changes the electrical signals created by the board [8]. For example, if you bring the pen close to the surface of the board, then it can respond to this by moving the mouse pointer. The infrared interactive whiteboards discussed earlier do not allow you to register the movement of the mouse pointer, they only capture clicks. When the pen touches the surface, a switch is activated in it, which is perceived by the board as a button press. A second switch from the opposite end and additional buttons can be integrated into the stylus. Their purpose is determined by the software manufacturer. Like the extended version of the graphic tablet used by professional digital artists and designers, the electromagnetic interactive whiteboard accurately imitates the actions of the mouse, and will work correctly even if the user relies on it with his hand, and also allows you to recognize several touches at the same time.

Principles of operation of a portable ultrasound interactive whiteboard with an infrared pen

This technology uses infrared light and ultrasonic positioning. The technology works like thunder and lightning, calculating the distance from the time difference between the speed of light and sound. Infrared interactive whiteboards are also available in portable format. After installing the system in a new location and connecting to a computer, a simple re-calibration of the projected image with an electronic pen is required. The device scans a rectangular area. As a rule, more than one such area is embedded in the board, which allows several users to work in different parts of the board at the same time.

A portable whiteboard with an infrared pen works on various surfaces - on an existing marker board or flat wall. Such a device can even turn an ordinary chalk board into an interactive surface [11]. The USB signal receiver does not require a battery, so the device can be installed on the ceiling if a stationary solution is required. Made from lightweight materials, these interactive whiteboards are easy to transport.

Interactive Projector Principles

The interactive projector uses an integrated camera, so that the projector not only creates an image, but also determines the position of the active infrared pen when it contacts the surface onto which the image is projected. This solution, developed in 2007 and patented in 2010 by the American manufacturer Boxlight, like other infrared whiteboard systems, does not work when there is an opaque obstacle between the pen and the projector receiver in the face of the speaker, and, moreover, does not allow the mouse pointer to be moved which is available in other solutions.

Classroom use

In some classes, whiteboards have replaced traditional whiteboards, flip charts, video / media systems such as DVD players in combination with TVs. Even where traditional whiteboards are used, interactive whiteboards often complement them. In some cases, interactive whiteboards enable users to interact with public announcement sites or leave notes using online graphic tools.

Recording tools allow you to record actions performed on an interactive screen. By connecting a microphone to the computer, you can record your performance, and transmit the recording created in this way to listeners for repeat playback. This feature can significantly change learning approaches.

Recently, interactive boards began to be used for choral reading in the classroom. For example, mimic books allow teachers to project children's books onto the screen and interact with them like with ordinary paper copies.

The Dixons City Academy in the north of England was the first non-collegiate or university learning environment to use interactive whiteboards after the then headmaster John Lewis showed interest in developing technology.

Integration with voting system

Some manufacturers also provide voting systems as part of their interactive whiteboard software. For example, simple hand-held remotes operating via infrared or radio signals make it possible to conduct testing and interviewing students. More sophisticated devices allow you to enter textual and numerical answers and allow you to export student statistics for subsequent analysis.

Combining the capabilities of an interactive whiteboard and a voting system, teachers can not only explain the material, but also receive feedback from students to increase the effectiveness of the educational process or conduct official knowledge slices. For example, a student can solve a problem on an interactive whiteboard by completing a drawing of the problem conditions using mathematical software tools, and then test their knowledge by passing testing using a voting system. For some voting systems, special software is additionally created that contains tasks that comply with state standards, which allows them to organize preparation for final exams.

Study of the impact of interactive whiteboards on the effectiveness of the educational process

Currently, there are several studies on the impact of the use of interactive whiteboards on the effectiveness of student learning, the results of which contradict each other [13].

As part of a study conducted by the London Institute of Education funded by the Department of Education and Skills (DES), the educational and operational effectiveness of the “Interactive Whiteboard Expansion Project for Schools” project, which is part of the London Challenge, was evaluated.

As it turned out, when teaching children 11-14 years old, the use of interactive whiteboards has practically no significant effect on student performance in mathematics and English, and this effect is slightly more noticeable in subjects of the natural science cycle. In the same schools, when teaching children 14-16 years old, it was found that the use of interactive whiteboards has negative consequences for mathematics and science, but positively affects the teaching of English (native) language.

The authors provide several possible reasons for explaining the results, including: a statistical error of the second kind (false-negative response); poor knowledge of teaching methods using an interactive whiteboard, leading to a decrease in student productivity; as well as with a non-representative sample of educational institutions for the implementation of the program, which ultimately led to distortion of the results.

At the same time, there is evidence proving an increase in the effectiveness of training using interactive whiteboards. VESTA (Great Britain) presented the results of a two-year study of the impact of interactive whiteboards on the educational process. This study showed significant success in teaching, especially in the second year, when teachers had already acquired skills in working with interactive technology.

The parameters considered in the study included the duration of exposure to interactive whiteboard technology, the age of students (up to individual birthdays), gender, special needs, the right to free meals in schools, and other socio-economic groups. The implementation of the project and its impact were evaluated by a team from the Manchester Metropolitan University, led by Professor Bridget Somekh. Today it is the largest and longest study to study the impact of interactive whiteboards.

The main conclusion of this large-scale study was that after long-term use by teachers of an interactive whiteboard (by the fall of 2006, at least two years), its application is embedded in their teaching methodology as an auxiliary element to improve interaction with students [15]. The authors of the study argue that the “intermediary function of interactivity” is a robust concept that offers a “theoretical explanation of the relationship between the duration of student learning using interactive whiteboards and their progress in passing national tests year after year, revealed during the MLM analysis.”

The study showed that the interactive whiteboard technology has led to stable improvements in results in all subjects and in all age groups, especially in the second year of use. This indicates that the key factors affecting the educational process are both the fact of introducing the technology and the teacher’s experience of owning it.

Derek Glover and David Miller conducted a study on the pedagogical effects of interactive whiteboards in high school. They found that despite the fact that interactive whiteboards theoretically provide much more features than just a computer, their potential remains unfulfilled if they are used only as a complement to learning. The main objective of the study was to clarify the regularity and ways of using interactive whiteboards in the classroom. To determine if there were any changes in teaching methods or strategies, the researchers conducted a detailed survey.

Benefits

Group interaction. Interactive whiteboards contribute to improving the effectiveness of students' collaboration, group discussions and the involvement of participants in the educational process. Interactive whiteboards are an effective tool for brainstorming: notes made on the whiteboard can be saved for future use.

Criticism

According to an article in The Washington Post dated June 11, 2010:

Many scientists doubt the validity of studies conducted with the support of equipment manufacturers, in which improvements in test results are unreasonably associated with the use of their products. They argue that the most common device of the future, an interactive whiteboard, is essentially a giant interactive computer screen that replaces conventional whiteboards in classrooms across America and forces teachers to conduct classes rather than classes, as was the custom in the 19th century. as opposed to modern learning models that emphasize teamwork in small groups, which many reformers support.

The same article cites Larry Kuban, professor emeritus at Stanford University:

There are hardly any studies that clearly demonstrate that interactive whiteboards improve academic performance.

An article posted on the website of the National Association of Heads of Secondary Schools details the advantages and disadvantages of interactive whiteboards [14]. A whiteboard report from the London Institute of Education said:

Potential problems

Permanent markers and the frequent use of conventional dry-erase markers can cause problems for the surface of some interactive whiteboards, as they are most often coated with melamine, which is a porous surface that absorbs the coloring material of the marker. Breakdowns, dents and other surface damage are also dangerous.

Some teachers have found that using interactive whiteboards promotes a return to old teaching methods when the teacher speaks and the students listen. This teaching model runs counter to many modern teaching approaches, such as Madeleine Hunter’s “Pedagogical Theory - Practice!” Model.

Forward and backward projection

Interactive whiteboards are usually available in two versions: direct and rear projection.

In interactive whiteboards, with direct projection, the projector is installed in front of the whiteboard. A disadvantage of direct projection boards is that the facilitator facing the screen must extend his arm to avoid the appearance of a shadow. This is not a problem for ultra-short throw projectors (Ultra-Short-Throw, UST), which project an image from a position above and directly in front of the surface of the board, eliminating the possibility of light projecting in the way [15].

In interactive whiteboards with a rear projection, the emitting device is located behind the touch surface, so the appearance of shadows is excluded. This also eliminates the problem with direct projection projectors, which is that the projector lamp blinds the protruding eye when it turns toward the audience.

However, reverse projection systems are usually much more expensive than direct projection boards, much larger and cannot be installed on the same level as the wall, although wall mounting is possible with an office room with a projector behind it.

Most modern interactive whiteboards are direct projection boards. Some manufacturers equip their solutions with a mechanism for raising and lowering the board, which allows you to adapt to users of different sizes.

Short throw projection systems and interactive whiteboards

Some manufacturers offer short-focus projection systems in which a projector with a special wide-angle lens is mounted much closer to the surface of the interactive whiteboard and radiates downward at an angle of about 45 degrees. They significantly reduce the effect of the cast shadow, which is typical of traditional direct projection systems, and exclude the possibility of light from the projector entering the speaker's eyes. The risk of theft of the projector, which is important for some school districts, is reduced by combining the projector with an interactive whiteboard in a single device.

Some manufacturers have provided the market with systems in which the whiteboard, short-focus projector and audio system are combined into a single device with a variable height, which allows small children and people with disabilities to get to any part of the board [12]. The absence of installation costs makes these short-focus projection systems economically compatible.

Related equipment

Various accessories are available for interactive whiteboards:

Video projector. Allows you to project a computer image onto a whiteboard. Some manufacturers offer short-focus projectors that are mounted directly above the board, minimizing the effect of shadow. Ultra-short throw projectors are even more effective in this regard.

Mobile stand. Allows you to move your interactive whiteboard between rooms. Many of them are also adjustable in height.

A printer. Allows you to print notes written on a blackboard.

Tablet / Remote Control (link not available). Archived February 19, 2018. Allow the facilitator to control the board from different parts of the class and avoid having to access the on-screen toolbars.

Guides. They allow you to place an interactive whiteboard on top of a regular marker or cork board and remove it when it is not necessary to win extra space on the wall in front of the class. Some guides also provide power and connectivity to the computer.

Wireless module. Allows the interactive whiteboard to work via Bluetooth without connecting to a computer.