Introduction

Interactive whiteboards are not new. In 1991 SMART, the leading interactive whiteboard company, created their first interactive whiteboard. However, in elementary schools interactive whiteboards are still relatively “new”. School systems are discovering the power of this interactive technology for education. Currently, there are no such interactive whiteboards in the Derry Cooperative School District.

The bottom line for this grant application is to integrate a technology tool into the school that energizes presentations and motivates learners. Current teaching practice will be challenged and enhanced in an effort to bring teachers into the 21st century with our “digital native” students. To teach digital natives I believe we must use their tools and their modes of learning.

Through this grant we will look at ways to engage students in instruction using the interactive whiteboard. We will explore many different possibilities for the interactive whiteboard in an effort to show colleagues how it can be integrated into instruction.

Background

Every year the 21st Century Learning Community makes grant money available for innovtive uses of technology in education. Fortunately we were able to present a successful application for the 2008-2009 school year.

Interactive Whiteboard Introduction