A Complete Overview of Smart Whiteboards in the Classroom

 

A Complete Overview of Smart Whiteboards in the Classroom

In many schools today, smart whiteboards—also called interactive whiteboards or interactive displays—have become a standard classroom tool. They look like large flat-panel TVs, but they’re built for teaching, collaboration, and real-time interaction. Even if you don’t use all of the features yet, understanding what these boards are capable of can help you get more value out of what’s already in your room.

What Exactly Is a Smart Whiteboard?

A smart whiteboard is a touch-sensitive display that connects to a computer or runs its own operating system. It allows teachers and students to write, draw, move objects, view multimedia, and interact with apps and online content directly on the screen. Common brands include Promethean ActivPanel, SMART Board, ViewSonic ViewBoard, BenQ Board, and CleverTouch.

While each company has its own software and design, they all share three core ideas:

1. Touch interaction, like a giant tablet.

2. Digital tools you can write with, erase, and manipulate.

3. Connectivity, letting you pull in content from computers, cloud storage, websites, and student devices.

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Key Features Teachers Should Know About

1. Touch and Pen Input

Most boards allow multi-touch, meaning several students can work on the screen at once. You can use your finger or a stylus to write, draw, highlight, and manipulate objects.

2. Built-In Whiteboarding Apps

Every major brand includes a digital whiteboarding canvas. These usually offer:

• Infinite pages

• Digital ink

• Shape recognition

• Background templates (graph paper, handwriting lines, grids)

• Sticky notes and multimedia embedding

These tools make it easy to treat the board as both a teaching surface and a digital notebook.

3. Screen Mirroring

Many smart boards allow wireless mirroring from teacher laptops, student Chromebooks, iPads, and even phones. This allows:

• Students to show their work

• Teachers to control lessons from anywhere in the room

• Easy switching between devices without unplugging cables

Some platforms let multiple devices show on the screen at the same time.

4. Integrated Apps and Internet Access

Modern boards function like a giant touchscreen computer. You can access:

• Web browsers

• YouTube

• Google Drive

• Microsoft 365

• Educational apps

• Annotation tools

• File management systems

This means you don’t always have to bring your own laptop—you can run lessons directly from the board.

5. Lesson Recording & Annotation

Many interactive displays let you:

• Record your screen while teaching

• Save your annotations

• Export lessons as images or PDFs

• Send notes to students or upload them to your LMS

This makes it easier for absent students to catch up or for teachers to reuse lessons later.

6. Split-Screen and Multi-Window Teaching

Some boards allow two apps side-by-side, such as:

• A YouTube video on one side and notes on the other

• A math problem next to a digital manipulative

• A reading passage next to a graphic organizer

This boosts visual learning and helps students make connections.

7. Classroom Management and Collaboration Tools

Depending on the brand, you may have:

• Built-in timers, spinners, and dice rollers

• Polling and quick checks for understanding

• Student collaboration spaces where students join with their devices

• Secure teacher log-ins so your apps, bookmarks, and lessons follow you to any board in the building

8. Accessibility Features

Many boards support:

• Closed captioning

• Screen enlargement

• Text-to-speech

• High-contrast backgrounds

• Adjustable student-height options

These can make lessons more inclusive for learners who need accommodations.

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Why Smart Whiteboards Matter for Today’s Classrooms

Smart whiteboards aren’t just digital replacements for dry-erase boards—they’re instructional hubs. They allow teachers to teach with multimedia, model thinking clearly, and give students the chance to interact with content hands-on.

Here’s what teachers gain:

1. Engagement

Touchscreens, colors, videos, and interactive tools can turn even routine lessons into experiences. Students are naturally drawn to the board and eager to participate.

2. Flexibility

A smart board adapts to nearly any subject:

• Math: modeling, manipulatives, graphing

• ELA: annotating text, sentence sorting, interactive read-alouds

• Science: simulations, diagrams, virtual labs

• Social studies: maps, timelines, primary sources

It becomes a universal tool for every type of lesson.

3. Better Visual Learning

Students benefit from:

• Real-time annotation

• Zooming in on details

• Color-coded concepts

• Multimedia explanations

Visual clarity often leads to stronger understanding.

4. Collaboration & Student Ownership

When students write or manipulate objects on the screen themselves, they take more ownership of learning. Interactive displays encourage group work, discussion, and shared problem-solving.

5. Efficiency and Organization

Smart boards help teachers:

• Avoid juggling multiple devices

• Keep lessons organized in one place

• Save work for later

• Reuse lesson structures

They streamline teaching instead of complicating it.

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The Bottom Line

A smart whiteboard is more than a piece of classroom tech—it’s a teaching platform designed to enhance instruction, engagement, and flexibility. Even if you’re only using it for projecting lessons now, there’s a lot of potential waiting to be explored. Once you’re comfortable with the basics, you can start tapping into more advanced features that save time and enrich student learning.

More: How to Use a Smart Board in the Classroom