Research+Overview

Overview of the research... **__(398 words__**)

Love and Garcia (2004), and Beauchamp and Parkinson (2005) note that while there have been many positive anecdotal reports about the educational outcomes from using interactive whiteboards (IWBs), quantitative research has only appeared in recent years. Now there are a number of databases of case studies and research on IWBs. Zhao, Pugh, Sheldon and Byers (2002) identified three key factors that influenced the successful integration of technological innovations into the classroom. These three factors included the teacher, the nature of innovation being implemented, and the school environment. Stein’s (2005) research into the effective use of IWBs support these key factors.

Key research observations from Smart Technologies (2004) review of classroom case studies and research literature are that IWBs can raise student engagement, motivate students, are more inclusive of different learning styles and students with special needs and can improve student achievement through review and retention of information. They also believe that teachers who plan and prepare lessons using IWBs are more efficient users of technology. It should be noted that Smart Technologies are the makers of one of the main brands of IWBs.

Project ACTIVate is a pilot study involving 15 New Zealand schools funded by Digital Opportunities http://www.digiops.org.nz/projects/currentprojects/activate/index.html to investigate how IWB's can be integrated as an effective teaching aid. This is a two part research project with the second stage (still to be reported on) involving the reflection and refinement of each schools' original project. A substantial amount of research literature has been produced from the first stage of the project and reported in the journal Computers in New Zealand Schools, November 2005. This work has been extensively referenced in this report because of the significance of local settings and relevant teaching contexts linking the effective use of IWB to inquiry learning, cooperative and collaborative learning, improvement in student achievement and motivation in literacy and the use of thinking skills. Project ACTIVate researchers also draw links to the significant NZ research of Alton-Lee (2003), and Timperly and Parr (2004).

Current New Zealand research indicates positive findings related to their research goals though much of the research is not comparative as it does not often compare cohorts of students engaged in learning with and without IWB nor does it effectively use baseline data in most instances. It is useful research for schools considering implementing IWBs as it outlines the successes and the challenges these individual schools encountered.


 * Hi Greg, I have used your other stuff in the suggestions for success part...Naketa :)**