The Case For Blending Classroom Tools
Atlanta, August 19 – With the continued prevalence of technology in the classroom it is easy to presume that analog tools such as whiteboards are a thing of the past. But following some observational research undertaken by Polyvision across the globe, a blended approach to learning tools was found by educators to be key to effective teaching and learning. Using both digital (interactive whiteboards, iPads etc) and analog (tools that are non-digital like whiteboards and paper) together was shown to promote greater collaboration and assisted many learners by making the thinking process more visual. According to a study undertaken by ECAR , 58% of students say they learn more in blended learning environments.
In addition to increasing student engagement, some also argue that writing on an analog tool such as a whiteboard provides greater support to our cognitive abilities and also helps us process and retain information better. Some further Steelcase Education research on blended learning also makes the same claims. Cognitive mapping research has shown that the physical process of writing and diagramming helps people learn and recall information, cementing their importance to learning in an increasingly digital world.
It’s also important to remember that some skills can’t be built by working with digital technology. Chalkboards are still used in many classrooms around the world, particularly in countries where penmanship plays an important in their written language. Japanese, Chinese, and Korean, for example, all use intricate written characters, making penmanship a valuable skill for students to master.
The below infographic has been created to provide a round up of the innovative ways Polyvision customers around the globe are reinventing the whiteboard, one of the main analog tools in the modern classroom. This graphic also provides some information on why this tool is destined to remain part of the learning ecosystem for a long time to come.
As some say, it is education’s unforgotten tool.
