Technology is transforming the way we work. Businesses have been utilizing various digital tools in promoting the new smart working model. One of the tools that is widely used in the corporate world is the interactive whiteboards technology is advancing, more and more interactive whiteboards of different brands and models are introduced to the market. Choosing the most suitable interactive whiteboard for your business can be challenging, especially when you have a unique requirement to meet.
However, in our opinion, buyers need to check and compare some of the most important features of interactive whiteboards before making any purchase. No matter how powerful or attractive a interactive whiteboard is, it would not help your business if it cannot even provide these important features.
In this article, we will look at the top 5most important features that an interactive whiteboard should have.
1.Whiteboard Feature
2.Document Viewer
3.Video Conferencing
4.Web Browsing
5.File Saving & Transfer
Whiteboard Feature
As an alternative to a whiteboard, it does not make sense if an interactive whiteboard is not equipped with a basic whiteboard feature. Users must be allowed to write or erase directly on the HD smart board panel. Besides, the whiteboard feature should also allow the user to change pen colour or the stroke thickness easily.You can always get one or two smart pens when you purchase a whiteboard. Pen writing is the core feature of an interactive whiteboard. A great whiteboard product can provide a smooth and intuitive pen writing experience. In short, a good interactive whiteboard should allow the user to at least do whatever he can with a whiteboard.
Document Viewer
A great interactive smartboard must have the ability to support various digital file formats such as Word documents, PPT, PDF, images, and videos. Broad compatibility is important. Users want to display any content that they prefer fast and easily, so they can focus on more important tasks such as discussion and decision making.
Video Conferencing
Remote meeting or video conference is the trend nowadays. The recent global pandemic also leads to the boom of video conferencing. Video conferencing plays an important role in both teaching and meeting purposes. Hence, consumers are constantly looking for a tool or a solution that can help them to communicate without travelling.
A few years ago, video conferencing was not a feature that whiteboard manufacturers would pay attention to. However, things are different today. Most interactive whiteboards in the market today are equipped with built-in front cameras and video conferencing applications. Some can even support popular applications such as Zoom and Google Meet. Besides, manufacturers have also started to put more effort into improving the built-in speakers and the microphones. Video conferencing is an important feature that could never be missed.
Web Browsing
The greatest benefit of using a whiteboard is its ability to allow an active discussion among participants. An active discussion is a discussion where every participant is free to share his or her ideas without limitations. Ideas can come in many forms such as sketches, images, texts, and videos.Unlike traditional displays such as whiteboards and projector screens, an interactive whiteboard is not only a display. It is also a tool that helps users to access a resource library with all sorts of information. Thanks to the built-in internet browser, users of an interactive smartboard can always look for information or resources online during a discussion.When an idea or information is accessible, a discussion or a classroom session can run effectively without any delay.
File Saving & Transfer
As a highly collaborative digital display, the abilities of an interactive whiteboard in file saving and transferring are extremely important. If an interactive whiteboard cannot import or export a file easily, it is no different than a conventional whiteboard.Users can always upload files to the interactive whiteboard from their smartphones or devices. After annotating or making notes onto any displayed document, the annotated document can be saved and transferred to participants’ devices via the wireless connection or scanning the QR code. Besides, most interactive whiteboards are equipped with USB ports. Users can plug in USB drives anytime to transfer files.
Conclusion
Different organizations or consumers have different criteria when selecting the most appropriate interactive whiteboard. However, no matter what your standard is or what your application is, if the interactive whiteboard is not equipped with the functions mentioned above, you should not buy a interactive whiteboard. Without these features, it will never help you run your application smoothly. A car without wheels is never a car.
Do you know the benefits of interactive whiteboard? The benefits of interactive whiteboards are listed below.
Increase participation and communication
Interactive whiteboard not only allows you to share files with attendees, but also allows you to easily share screens with remote attendees. In this way, everyone has exactly the same information, and all team members are on the same page. At the end of the meeting or presentation, the person in charge of the meeting can save and share the meeting contents through code scanning or email.
Increases the Level of Engagement between Teachers and Students
Instead of making boring one-way presentations, teachers can use interactive whiteboards to engage every student in the classroom. Whether learning vocabulary, pronunciation or exploring research, students will find the course fascinating if they integrate text, images, video and / or audio files. Built in professional whiteboard writing software, teachers can write on the HD touch screen whiteboard without delay, reduction, zoom, and movement. Also you can use the back of your hand to erase it smoothly. On the other hand, because students like classroom presentations, they spend less on writing materials.
Make the learning process more interesting
Gone are the days of dry chalkboards with powder erasers or whiteboards with linoleum pens. Today, teachers at learning institutions are using LCD monitors and shared smart whiteboards for teaching. With technology like this in the classroom, every student will be eager to try out how the board works. This can motivate students to use interactive whiteboards to participate in the learning process. Images and presentations are displayed in full HD with interactive computer capabilities. In such a learning environment, students will find the syllabus more interesting and most of them will not miss or skip classes.
Accessible information
Touch screen Electronic whiteboard Support multi touch, up to 10 precise touch, secondary response, multiple people can perform operation demonstration on the screen, without mouse, interactive whiteboard users can make lasting and effective changes to documents during the session. The tools included in the whiteboard can be used for hyperlinks, video links, and other applications that can improve communication and enhance the strength of documents.
Smart boards, also known as interactive whiteboards, have been changing the way students learn! The smart board has easy-to-use design, demonstration tools and child friendly characteristics, which can bring benefits to the school classroom in a way that cannot be realized by chalk.How can smart boards improve the lives of students and teachers? Read on to learn Why are smart boards so useful in the classroom.
Smart boards Compliment Every Learning Style
The versatile HD smart Board can cater to every learning style, no matter the student. Visual learners will benefit from the infinite number of visual aids that you can display on the smart Board’s large screen. For auditory learners, you can play music, videos, podcasts and other sound-producing educational applications from your smart Board. For kinesthetic learners who benefit from using their hands and carrying out physical activities to solve problems, the smart Board’s touch screen offers a fun and interactive way for students to complete lessons and stay engaged.
Smart boards Offer Access to Online Resources
Many students benefit from watching interactive and educational videos over classroom lectures. With a smart board, you can project a video, picture, website, game or educational guide on the screen to complement your daily lesson. There are plenty of educational databases and resources that teachers can utilize to better their classroom experience.
Smart boards Allows students to collaborate
Students can draw or write at the same time on the same board, something which stimulates their creativity, and makes a classroom with a smart board a collaborative classroom.Interactive smart board in the classroom can make teaching more fluid for both the teacher and students. Teachers can always find new and interactive ways to use the smart boards, without ever having to be concerned about the lessons not being interactive enough, for that would not be the case!
Smart Boards Save Teachers Time
Before smart boards, teachers had to spend hours planning their lessons. They had to write everything down and then rewrite it all on the whiteboard or chalkboard. With smart boards, teachers can write their lesson plans in advance, save them, and easily share with students when ready.Smart boards let teachers save their lesson notes so they can write them in advance and share them when ready. They also let teachers use font effects like bold, italics, and highlighting to make visuals pop better.