Why teachers prefer mobile whiteboards to wall-mounted options
- 27 Aug 2019
Why teachers prefer mobile whiteboards to wall-mounted options
We all remember staring up ahead at our teacher’s lessons scribbled on a dusty old chalkboard. The dust would be flying up into the air, the teacher would be struggling with the unwieldy chalk, and let’s not forget that awful screech of ‘nails down a chalk board!
While the chalkboards of the past had their charm, today’s teachers use a much more user-friendly, practical and modern option – the whiteboard. Known for their versatility, whiteboards are the perfect classroom communication medium. They can display written text clearly, clean up easily, and can be used as a projection screen for videos and other multimedia learning tools.
While wall mounted whiteboards have been the gold standard in the classroom for decades, more and more teachers are turning to mobile whiteboards. Drawn (pun intended!) to their portability and manoeuvrability, many teachers find that portable whiteboards are a brilliant addition to any classroom environment.
Looking for a whiteboard to use in a different setting? Portable whiteboards are a firm favourite in all kinds of offices and other professional settings.
Why Your Classroom Needs a Mobile Whiteboard
Let’s face it – the classrooms of today are filled with high tech teaching resources and digital learning tools. Laptops, smartphones, and tablets all have roles in a typical lesson, and new apps and software are being developed all the time.
As important as these innovative new methods are to the learning process, traditional ‘tried and true’ teaching strategies still have their place in the classroom. Since the invention of dry erase markers and whiteboards in the 1970s, they have played an important role in education. Ideal for writing notes, displaying images, and attaching magnets, whiteboards are also useful in today’s more ‘high tech’ environments. They are the perfect surface on which to project a laptop display or Powerpoint presentation, and can serve as a screen to watch films and YouTube videos.
While wall-mounted whiteboards are now standard pieces of equipment in many classrooms around the UK and Europe, more and more schools are investing in additional portable whiteboards. Mobile whiteboards can be wheeled from room to room, gliding easily down hallways and making a simple transition from the classroom to the assembly hall, into the teacher’s lounge and then back into the refectory.
Did we mention clean up? If you already have wall-mounted whiteboards, then you know just how easy and quick it is to clean them up at the end of a lesson or the end of the day. Just wipe away the dry erase marker ink and you are good to go!
Ideally, a school needs a wide selection of different styles of mobile whiteboards, in different sizes and shapes. This ensures that students, teachers, and staff members can easily and quickly find the right writing and projection surface for the task at hand.
Mobile Whiteboards – What are the benefits?
In most classrooms around Europe, whiteboards have now taken over from chalkboards. In fact, in some well-funded public schools, whiteboards are now starting to be replaced by even newer technology with digital capabilities built right in, but some critics question how useful these interactive ‘jamboards’ really are in the classrooms. Many of their benefits have been overstated, and are often ‘style over substance.
Instead, the classic whiteboard is a much better choice for most schools, and they have many benefits for teachers and students alike.
- Lightweight and easy to move all over the school -
Mobile whiteboards are lightweight, and can be easily pushed from room to room, or even taken outside when the weather is pleasant. - Lessons can be adapted to new environments -
They allow teachers to adapt and modify lessons to new locations, which is especially useful when the lesson calls for hands on experience. Imagine how much more engaging a lesson about chlorophyll would be if the teacher could take their portable whiteboard outside with them, and allow students to hands leaves and plants? - Classes can be split in two for debate and discussion –
Brainstorming, debates, class presentations, and group work can be made much more practical by splitting the class in 2 (or 3, or 4) and giving each group their own mobile whiteboard. - They are better for the environment that wasteful flip charts –
Flip charts have long been used for breakaway sessions and small group work, as they allow for an explosion of ideas and brainstorming. That said, they are hugely wasteful and teach students poor environmental stewardship practices. For a similar investment price to a flipchart frame, you can invest in a mobile whiteboard and stop wasting paper. - They are easy to store and don’t take up much room –
Need more space in your classroom, office, or hallway? Simply slide your mobile whiteboard next to a wall or alongside a corridor to make more space. - Add magnetic strips for even more versatility –
Allow your students to attach their work or news items to the board by adding a magnetic strip to your whiteboard. Use colourful magnets and shapes to add interest and fun to your lessons!
Best of all, you’ll never again have to wash an old, dirty chalkboard, breathe in its irritating dust, or bang chalk brushes to clean them! Not to mention the horrible sound of a piece of chalk screeching against the board – that’s enough to send a shudder down anyone’s spine!
How to choose the right mobile whiteboard for your school
Choosing the right mobile whiteboard model (or multiple whiteboard models) for your school’s needs will depend on a few different factors.
- How big is the classroom or lecture hall?
A mobile whiteboard in a small classroom and a whiteboard in a massive lecture hall will need to be different sizes. You need to ensure that even the students at the furthest reaches of the room can clearly see the text written. - Will your mobile whiteboard be used for small group work?
If you plan to solely use these mobile whiteboards for small group work and break out sessions, a smaller model might be best for your needs. Check out flipchart-sized, easel style portable whiteboards, as they might be your best solution. - Do you want children to have their own board?
A personal whiteboard is an environmentally sensitive (and fun!) way to have children do individual work. They are perfect for games and fun activity, and best of all – they don’t waste any paper! - How many students will use the board at one time?
Do you plan to have multiple children writing or drawing on the board at one time? If you want lots of space for creativity and brainstorming, a wider mobile whiteboard might be a better choice for your classroom. - Do you plan to take it outside?
Do you want a portable whiteboard that you can take outside? If so, make sure that it has sturdy wheels so that it can be wheeled from location to location. - Do you want to take it on field trips?
If you plan to take your whiteboard off of school property, consider a collapsible model that folds down easily. Just pop it in the boot of your car and go!
Modernise your classroom with whiteboards and notice boards
It’s clear that in order to kit out a modern, state of the art classroom, you need to have the space fitted with whiteboards. However, if that isn’t possible at this time, ordering mobile whiteboards for your school can be a perfect solution. Even when you have your own wall-mounted whiteboards fitted, there are still countless uses for these mobile whiteboards.
At Red17, we know the value of education, and so we ensure that we always have a wide array of whiteboard choices for our esteemed clients in the education field. From tilting boards to smaller models that little children can use with ease, our team is on hand to help you choose the best portable whiteboards for your needs.
Whether you are looking to outfit a school classroom or a professional office, portable whiteboards can help make your daily activities more efficient, more creative, and more fun.
Read more: Why Your Classroom Needs a Mobile Whiteboard
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