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The Small Matter of Enjoyment.

Interactive Whiteboards

Robert Jones

Friday 09 June 2006

Today I played the numbers game from countdown with a class in the last 10 minutes of a lesson. Previously, I had either done it by hand, or used a graphic calculator OHP device. Now I can use a bit of freeware that puts up a full colour imitation of what you would see on TV, complete with ticking clock and music.

Now, the mathematical content af all three approaches are identical. Does that mean the the fancy whistles-and-bells version I used today adds no value? I would argue that, of course, it does add value, for the simple reason that it's more fun!

It would be easy to cast a critical eye over what has been happening in East Lothian maths rooms this week and say that not much new is really going on, but that would overlook the small matter of enjoyment. The pupils are enjoying the new boards. Hallelujah!

Comments

Countdown

Ollie Bray

Sunday 11 June 2006

Glad you are enjoying using the whiteboard Robert – I think they are great! Although there is no evidence to suggest that they improve student attainment I agree with you that they do make the lessons more fun and are a powerful motivation tool for students if used in the correct way. I have become very reliant on mine over the last year.

I was thinking that a number of you in the maths departments across East Lothian must be starting to find all sorts of great freeware resources on the world wide web. How about setting up a East Lothian Maths teachers wiki so that we could share these resources between schools and other subject departments?

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