The impact of interactive whiteboards on teaching and learning

In the field of education, interesting discussions and researches about including technology in the teaching procedure are in course. In the past decade it was possible to observe the developement of informational-communication technology in classes- from a compter to interactive boards and other interactive technology. Interactive board is a combination of a computer, projector and a big touch screen which represents and enables tactile, observing and cooperating interaction. Interactive board is becoming more and more a new symbol of the classroom in the 21st century. Among teachers it is highly appreciated because of its multifunctionality and the increase of the teaching potential. Many investigators namely believe that the effective use of an interactive board in the classroom makes the lessons better and helps students to a better understanding of the content. In the last few years the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports stimulates the interactive teaching in slovenian schools, with clear expectations that this would lead to an improvement in learning. These expectations are based on the success of such approaches in the other parts of the world. Because of the suppositions of efficency of the interactive board and big financial investments all over the world, the researches about the efficency of use of interactive boards are in process. In this diploma work we make researches about interactive teaching in a relation to interactive technology that can be used as a support in teaching. In the first part of the work we introduced the results of different researches all over the world. We defined the notion of interactive board and advantages as well as disadvantages of its use for teachers and students.We described the interactivity and multimedia studying. We presented the main theories of studying and defined connectivism, we described its caracteristics and presented its defenders and critics. We defined factors of the effective use of the interactive board and consecrated a particular attention to a teacher's use of the interactive board. Reviewing the work of Mrs. Cogill, we presented also a model of pedagogic changes for the analyses of influences on pedagogics. In the second part of this diploma work we presented and interpreted the results of questionaries from teachers and students and completed them with the findings from interviews and analysis of teaching lessons and illustrations. We were stating how often teachers use the interactive board at their work, the factors that influence the frequency of use of the interactive board and what teachers mean about their own qualification for the effective use of the interactive board. We were researching if the frequency of use of the interactive board is linked to the support by a school management as well as how the use of the interactive board in the process of teaching is linked with the entire development of a teacher. We were establishing the opinions of teachers, students and a school management regarding advantages and disadvantages of the interactive boards. We checked what kind of books the teachers use for their work with the interactive board and in which way they use them. We were establishing if use of the interactive board is positively linked to the teacher's care for the entire developement of students. The interactive board in the class enables teachers the integration of informational-communication technology. For revolution in teaching and learning with use of the interactive board it is necessary to invest in the professional development for strengthening the practice and for the support of pedagogic changes