Smart Board

I’ve never seen a smart board until I saw one on CNN on Super Tuesday this week; well I thought it was a smart board. It was incredible the newscaster had a map of the US with all the states colored with the colors that corresponded to the candidates. He was able to switch between two different maps, one for the Democrat and one for the Republicans. When he tapped it with his finger it would click on a state and it would show how many votes each candidate had in that state or it would show which candidate was in the lead. He had the ability to zoom by using a pitching motion just like my ipod. He could also circle things on the board with his finger, it also would calculate which candidate would win the nomination if the newscaster gave a particular candidate a state that has not done a primary yet. While I sat in a catatonic state I looked around the room and the rest of my friends in the room were in the same condition. I think I learned more about a presidential primary that night than any other time in my life.

I can see how a smart board would have a positive effect in a classroom. Just with the map of the US the newscaster was using in a history class I could teach the capitols of each state. If it uses the Internet I could use Google maps under satellite option and some historical site like Bunker Hill in Boston. What would be better to teach about a war showing the students the actual terrain that war took place. I can see some much potential in these smart boards.