Why Magnetic Whiteboards Prove Popular Amongst Schools
- 9 Oct 2019
Why Magnetic Whiteboards Prove to Be Popular Amongst Schools
Having been adapted to by all schools, magnetic whiteboards have quickly become popular amongst many teachers and students alike. Their glossy nature and functional use are not only appropriate for the teachers who write on them, but also for the students who read from them. This article highlights the many reasons why whiteboards have become one of the most popular learning tools in many schools.
Let's be honest; it does go without saying that learning can be fun. However, nothing beats collaborative learning, where communication with others drives the desired motivation to learn. Back in the old days, collaborative learning often required the use of chalkboards. Nowadays, chalkboards have evolved into newer, more modern styles that include magnetic whiteboards.
Similar to chalkboards, yet vastly different, magnetic whiteboards are now the future. Think back to the early 2000's, when we had to deal with the annoying, ear-splitting sounds often created when teachers wrote on chalkboards. A sound which worsened when they had to write long words such as like ‘hippopotamus'. Thankfully, the newer, more modern boards are more lenient on our ears.
Magnetic whiteboards are just like blackboards, and also offer all the positives of chalkboards; the main difference being that their smoother surface makes the erasing of marks easier. This, along with various other factors, has made magnetic whiteboards all the more popular in schools. Here are some of them:
Magnetic Whiteboards Are Easy To Clean
For starters, magnetic whiteboards have no chalk dust associated with their use, which makes them by far one of the most hygienic modern teaching tools ever to exist.
Magnetic whiteboards are also easy to clean; all you need do is wipe the surface with a magnetic wipe board duster or pad or with the occasional use of a whiteboard cleaner to maintain its overall condition, keeping it better for longer. So, the annoying white, powder stains associated with chalkboards is now a thing of the past.
Magnetic Whiteboards Improve Readability
Black words on a white background can be read 32% faster than reading white on black text, according to a readability study conducted by the University of Malaysia. When compared to the black boards, magnetic whiteboards aid with the ease of reading.
Research has also shown that identifying dark text on a plain, light coloured background is easier and increases the reading speed of people. In contrast, having white text on a dark background results in people skimming through writings quickly for critical information only.
Magnetic whiteboards eliminate the difficulty in making out words that had been cleaned and corrected during a class that comes with chalkboards. The constant squinting of our little immature eyes made taking notes a pain.
Magnetic Whiteboards Are Cost-Effective
With only £25, you can purchase a magnetic whiteboard. Erasers and erase markers cost between £2 - £7 each, making this board highly cost-effective, with low running costs. When also compared to flip charts that have an endpoint with no more paper, magnetic whiteboards also cost less.
Magnetic Whiteboards Can Be Used Anywhere And By Anybody
Despite our focus on schools, being the preferred choice in homes and offices is a bonus to magnetic whiteboards. Students find them exciting to work on, just as workers within the workplace do. They seem to evoke your inner child. Don't believe this? Get a magnetic whiteboard for your office and watch your staff fight the urge to doodle a word or two, or even goofing around with the magnets.
Magnetic Whiteboards Allow Creativity
As a teacher, you're always on the move, either towards or away from your students. With a continuous flow of calls or unplanned visitors in the course of a lesson, valuable classroom time must not be wasted. This is why magnetic whiteboards are just awesome.
With a magnetic whiteboard, you don't have to pre-plan ‘fill in the blank' assignments. All you have to do it set up assignments that they have to answer directly on the whiteboard. You could have them count by multiples of 5 or list many words with double consonants. Nevertheless, this will keep your students'' minds active while you attend to the interruption.
Whiteboards Are Environmentally Friendly
Many magnetic whiteboards combine quality and sustainability. They offer a durable magnetic surface made of vitrified steel, many which are partially manufactured with recycled materials.
The main downfall of the old-fashioned chalkboards is the high levels of dust residue they transmit. Within a single class, there may be a number of students with asthma or allergies and the use of a blackboard can affect their wellbeing. This is not to say that chalkboards are bad; they aren't, but chalk can sometimes be a nuisance. And if used in a room full of various equipment like computers, particles could enter the machines and cause havoc.
Magnetic Whiteboards are Multi-Functional
Known primarily as a writing tool, whiteboards can be adapted to suit any function. The magnets found on these boards can be arranged into intricate, eye-catching patterns that can be built upon. This characteristic gets students and classes in general increasingly involved in any activity being undertaken, as they may be able to write or play with magnets, using them as a mode of annotation. The magnets on the whiteboard can also be used to pin essential notes, play a stress-relief game or to display user-created drawings in a manner that is not destructive.
Magnetic Whiteboards Engage Their Users
Using a magnetic whiteboard is one of the easiest ways to get your school students to feel more involved during your class or classes in general. It could be because of their fresh outlook, or due to their high level of practicality and flexibility. With no prior skill required to put it into use, students find them easy to use; unlike the old days where teachers had to practice their writings with squeaking chalk. Writing on a magnetic whiteboard is just like writing regularly, and this makes students feel more comfortable when they have to engage with it.
Magnetic Whiteboards Come With A Variation
There are various types of whiteboards that are created with different materials. Some dry boards are made from high gloss vinyl, glass, specially coated acrylic and special glass. There are also adhesive whiteboards that make custom projects like wall calendars and indoor games for kids possible.
Some magnetic whiteboards are also designed blank or pre-printed with graphics often used in schools, such as grids, music staff lines, polar charts and even graphics coordinates. These could be designed to cover a portion of the whiteboard or occupy the entire perimeter, depending on the school's needs.
Magnetic whiteboards can also be customised to suit a preferred need or purpose in a school. For example, if you're looking to use your whiteboard for years to come, it can be made with a high-quality, long-lasting surface material. Magnetic whiteboards can also be turned or flipped, and this can be used when a teacher wants to hide the answers of a pop quiz on the other side before their exam and then flipping the board to display all responses.
Magnetic Whiteboards Come In All Sizes
Children are not left out as magnetic whiteboards also come in a range of sizes, some of which can be handheld or used as easels. These are ideal for pre-schoolers since it makes them familiar with the functionality of magnetic whiteboards.
Another exciting way in which magnetic whiteboards have gained popularity in schools is the ability to customise it for a specific school, class or department within the school. These boards can be made using the school's colours, mascot or any desired item. These graphics never fade as they've been embedded beneath the dry erase surface.
Magnetic Whiteboards Allow All types Of Students To Learn
In a single classroom, there are different children with varying methods of learning when in class. Some students absorb information better in the form of audio while others prefer visual learning. Magnetic whiteboards may in some occasions be interactive, allowing for all these students' education needs to be catered for sufficiently with the use of audio and visual presentations respectively.
Conclusion
With all these advantages listed, there's nothing not to love about magnetic whiteboards, as they're known to ensure our children have happy and positive memories of school, not jeopardising its level of functionality or practicality in any way. The love for magnetic whiteboards starts at an early age and never fades through the entire school life of a kid. With these boards they learn how to be expressive, think creatively and develop their very own presentations.
You might not be a school. You might be a freelancer, or consultant who regularly needs to pitch or present new ideas to prospective clients. You might even be a parent with a home-schooled child, and you want to ensure that you are well equipped with the most efficient learning tools. Whatever you do, it's best to use a magnetic whiteboard for all things, as it makes work easy and fun.