Applications are open for the 2010 Interactive Whiteboard Hub in Victoria. This hub has been designed for educators who want to further develop their skills and practices using Promethean Interactive Whiteboards. The aim of the hub is to enable teachers to use IWBs in designing engaging and rigorous learning experiences for their students. This hub deliberately caters for teachers in primary, secondary and special settings.

Adria is a Year 5-6 teacher at Westbreen Primary School in Victoria.

Westbreen Primary School is in Glenroy, in the Northern Metropolitan Region of Melbourne. It is a small school, with around 250 students. There are twelve interactive whiteboards (IWBs) – one in every classroom, from Prep to Year 6 – and they are networked.

When I joined the ANSN IWB Hub at the start of 2008, I had little experience of using an IWB – not much more than having had a “play” with it, really.

Learning to Use Interactive Whiteboards in the Classroom

Dean was a Year 5-6 teacher in 2008, and in 2009 is Middle Years Team Leader, at Mackellar Primary School in Victoria.

Mackellar Primary School is in Delahey, a western suburb of Melbourne. We are a very multi-cultural school, with around 800 students. In 2009 they will be in 30 classes.

For the last 2 years the Australian National Schools Network has been facilitating a new professional learning program for teachers focusing on the use of interactive whiteboards in the classroom. Over 200 teachers have taken part in the program since 2006 and participants gain a wealth of technical knowledge as well as taking part in the pedagogical discussions around the question “How do interactive whiteboards improve teacher pedagogy and student learning outcomes?”

During August and September we would like to give you and your school the opportunity to attend an information session to learn more about the Interactive Whiteboard program being offered again in 2009.

Do you share the following goals?

• investigate IWB technology as a tool for improving student learning outcomes through classroom structures.
• improve your technological knowledge and support in using IWB’s
• set up an online space where resources can be stored and shared
• increase your network of colleagues who can provide IWB support

The ANSN invites Teachers to an Interactive Whiteboard Hub, where we will explore these goals in 6 evening workshops (two per Term). This Hub will cater for users of all IWB boards and software.

ANSN members may be interested in this article from BECTA ICT Research - What the research says about interactive whiteboards.

The Victorian Interactive whiteboard project began this term with 55 teachers from 16 different schools participating. Teachers came from as far as Harrietville and Maffra to contribute to two days of professional development which included technical training as well as action planning for the use of interactive whiteboards in the classroom.