A classroom is a place where students can learn and get smarter. Today, we have the chance to make classrooms smarter and more fun by introducing interactive displays. Surprisingly, interactive displays are not new to the market. In fact, many tech companies and tourism industries have been using them to improve productivity and efficiency. Sadly, adoption speed has been slow for the education industry despite it’s academic potential.
Nevertheless, with the available features of interactive displays today, private schools are best equipped to benefit from them the most. Unlike typical public schools, private schools provide a more engaging and immersive learning environment for students. As such, interactive displays allow students to interact with the class materials in ways that blackboards and projectors cannot. They enable better collaboration and communication between students and teachers. And with when schools realize their potential, we anticipate interactive displays will quickly become mainstream classroom tools in the coming years.
In this article, we are going to cover how interactive displays will revolutionize education. First, we will go over common problems with traditional teaching methods. Then we are going introduce what interactive displays are as a product. We will then go over some notable features and use cases of interactive displays that private schools can take advantage of. And towards the end of the article, we are going to cover all other benefits that interactive displays will bring to private schools and students through our product recommendations. So, keep reading and get ready to be amazed.
Problems with using Blackboards/Whiteboards and Projectors
Chalk and Markers are not Healthy and Environment Friendly
To this day, your average classroom heavily relies on either a blackboard with powdery chalks or whiteboards with dried-out markers. Apart from the countless tests and exams, I can imagine that most students will agree that staring at a blackboard for hours every day is not one of their fondest memories.
In case you do not know much about chalks, depending on the brands or colour, they potentially contain harmful additives to health or the environment. In fact, depending on the manufacturer, brightly coloured chalks may even contain toxic pigments. On top of that, chalk dust can irritate the respiratory system when inhaled by humans, which could lead to complications such as asthma, bronchitis, or even lung cancer. While not as damaging as smoking, you would not want students to have prolonged exposure to chalk dust.
Conversely, markers seem like a nicer alternative compared to chalk. Ironically, markers have even more health and environmental concerns to worry about. For starters, they use chemicals that are known to be hazardous to human health and the environment. Prolonged exposure to these chemicals could cause headaches, dizziness, or even liver and kidney damage. From an environmental standpoint, markers are impossible to recycle due to the number of plastics used to create them. Imagine all the markers you find at your local stationery store, and scale that globally. Markers are a massive source of plastics. Arguably, markers ending up in landfills or our oceans, can rival the consequences of disposing plastic bags or straws.
Wasting Time
For teachers, using chalk or markers usually means that they must take so much time to write everything on the board. Likewise, they have to write the same thing repeatedly for different groups of students, wasting valuable time and leaving less time to actually discuss the topic. Not to mention the time need to erase the board when the teacher inevitably runs out of writing room.
Less Interactive
Unsurprisingly, projectors and PowerPoint slides are an excellent alternative from having to repeatedly write on the blackboard. However, this is still a passive way to learn and there is not a lot of interaction between teachers and students. If students or teachers want to make annotations and changes to the slides, it can be difficult to record or share these alterations.
The lack of interactivity is particularly an issue in STEM subjects, like math and physics, where topics can quickly get complicated or boring to students. Most of the time, students need much more tangible illustrations to fully grasp those complex topics. Overall, it is important for teachers to have the tool to make subjects more fun and interactive, so that students can learn efficiently and better retain their knowledge.
Not Built for Remote Learning
The COVID pandemic has made remote learning the new normal for students. When students are no longer going to the classrooms, having an interactive system is even more crucial. Parents will feel teachers are not doing their jobs when teachers just pre-record teaching videos and broadcast them online. Students often have questions, and sometimes it is difficult for the students to explain their questions in words but better in writing. We are quickly learning that traditional teaching methods are inadequate for remote learning.
What Is an Interactive Display?
As mentioned before, interactive displays are not new to the market. If you have seen or owned a tablet computer, it is not difficult to understand what interactive displays are. They are basically TV size tablet computers with dedicated interactive features specifically designed with education, collaboration and meetings in mind.
If you want a more technical definition, an interactive display is a display screen that allows users to interact with it using finger touch, gesture controls and/or dedicated digital pens. It is a display technology that directly enables users to engage with digital content and applications in real-time.
In the classroom, for example, interactive displays can completely replace blackboard/whiteboard functions. Instead of writing on boards with chalks or markers, teachers can instead use a digital pen to write on a 65-inch digital canvas. These interactive displays also come with computer processors, Wi-Fi capability and operating systems. With this type of hardware, teachers can easily access the internet, use powerful tools and apps, and other quality of life improvements.
For example, the notes the teacher wrote on the interactive display can be shared with students in the cloud in real-time. Students no longer need to rush themselves taking notes during the class and not catching part of the lecture anymore. Or in a remote learning session, if a student has questions about specific parts of the notes, teachers can allow students remotely edit the notes for the rest of the class to see. The potential to expand and improve teaching curriculums through interactive displays are endless! In the later section, we will discuss this topic in more detail.
Key Features for Interactive Displays
Screen Size and Resolution
One of the first things you need to check when shopping for an interactive display is screen size and resolution. Resolution-wise, 4K is the ideal. When you are displaying digital content in a large classroom, it is always beneficial to have extra pixels to support better image quality. Remember, the smallest interactive displays in the market are around 65 inches and 1080p/FHD quality will look bad on these displays. It is particularly noticeable when you write digital content on the screen where your handwriting will look a lot more pixelated.
Next, screen size is more flexible and is usually up to teacher preference or classroom size. For instance, a 65-inch display with 4K resolution is perfect for smaller classrooms of 10-15 students. The 65-inch display will be easy to install and will not require as much space. Nevertheless, Hikvision also offers 85-inch interactive displays for those with larger classrooms. In fact, up to four students can comfortably use the interactive display at the same time, greatly enhancing collaboration.
What is a 20-point Touchscreen?
If you are not an electrical engineer, you may not know there are a great deal of differences between touchscreens. To simplify, a 20-point touchscreen is a type of touchscreen display that can detect and respond to up to 20 simultaneous touchpoints, allowing multiple users to interact with the screen simultaneously.
As a comparison, the first-generation iPhone supports only a 5-point touchscreen. That means you can only use up to 5 fingers at a time on the screen. Today, most advanced touchscreen computers support a 10-point touchscreen, meaning users can use up to 10 fingers.
Why 20-point Touchscreen?
Why is this feature so important? Firstly, the more points the screen supports, the smoother the writing experience. With advanced 4K resolution and 20-point touchscreen support, writing on a digital display will be as natural and clear as writing on paper. This makes the screen a lot more intuitive to use and you do not have to worry about non-responsive or misaligned pens.
Another important benefit of 20-point touchscreens is that they can improve collaboration and communication. 20-points allows multiple users to use the interactive displays at the same time without interfering each other. This is a vital feature in schools where multiple students can write on the interactive display just as easily as they would on a blackboard.
Lastly, 20-point touchscreens allow gesture interactions. If you own a smartphone or tablet computer, you are familiar with some gesture inputs such as pinch to zoom, drag and drop, and swiping. The 20-points will make it so that the same gestures work seamlessly on a massive screen. A great example is when a teacher writes or draws something on a blackboard, but a student in the back is unable to see it clearly, the teacher can simply pinch to zoom. No need to rewrite the text or have the students walk up to the front.
As you can see, interactive displays are not just a gimmick and offer many features that improve quality of life for teachers and students. Despite still being early in adoption, interactive displays are very intuitive and can vastly improve student learning and engagement in schools.
Android and Windows Operating Systems
Accessibility
Many of these interactive displays come with advanced processors and wireless capabilities. They are basically TV size tablet computers. This means that you can expect popular operating software like Android and Windows. As such, no extra training is needed, and most people are already familiar with them. This should make implementation and adoption in schools significantly easier.
Compatibility
Other than accessibility, using Android and Windows operating systems he the important benefit of software compatibility. This mean that you can easily install applications from the internet or use most popular Android apps. This greatly optimizes user experience as the teachers can choose what programs they need for class, whether its Microsoft office, Google Classroom, Dropbox, Evernote and any other educational applications!
Long-term Update and Security
Similarly, one of the main reasons Android and Windows are the most popular operating system in the world is that their software update support. They frequently update their security patches or even add new features to their firmware to improve user experience. This software support will last at least 3 to 5 years, so your school will not have to worry about having to replace interactive displays every year.
Customization
Supporting Android and Windows operating systems also means these interactive displays support customization. Both Android and Windows support customization software which allows users to make changes to the appearances. It will give different character to different teachers and classrooms, making the experience unique to each student.
Scratch Resistance
Of course, users are constantly writing on these interactive displays, so scratch resistance is a must. However, not all interactive displays are created equal. Certain manufacturers would undoubtedly have more durable products than others and our partner Hikvision has one of the most durable products in the market.
Besides durability, clarity is another benefit of having scratch resistance displays. Schools wouldn't replace displays because of a few scratches. But over time, scratched surfaces can create visual distortions and reduce the clarity of the content. It will make it difficult to read or view what is on the display. The scratch resistance feature can ensure that visual content is always accurate, and the user experience is always consistent.
The scratch resistance feature can also reduce the need and cost for maintenance, making it more cost-effective and efficient in the long run.
Interfaces for Backups and Extensions
USB 3.0 ports or USB C ports
The last feature you need to look out for when you shop for interactive displays is input/output interfaces. The most versatile port in the market must be USB ports. You can plug in external flash drives for offline use or to back up your content. You can use them to connect additional accessories such as digital pens, clickers, speakers, webcams, or even a smartphone. Plus, you can always find adapters to convert one of your USB ports to a display port or an Ethernet port.
There are many use cases for USB 3.0 ports or USB C ports. The reason we highlighted is that USB 3.0 ports or USB-C ports can support much faster data transfer speed than regular USB ports. Regular USB 2.0 ports can only support low-speed external drives and slow charge your devices. USB 3.0 ports or USB-C ports, on the other hand, support a data transfer speed from 5 Gbit/s up to 40 Gbit/s, and can reliably support more devices.
Ethernet Port
An ethernet port is the second most important port on your interactive display. Of course, these devices come with a Wi-Fi option, but schools usually don't have the fastest wireless connection. To have a stable internet connection, many users prefer using a physical connection. It will be frustrating for students and teachers to deal with long loading times or buffering videos. Plus, in a school environment, it is always easier to manage network equipment and traffic when there are physical wires than wireless accesses.
Other Optional Ports
HDMI ports and other legacy audio ports are usually optional. They only exist if you want to connect these interactive displays to old gym projectors and sound systems, which does not happen very often. But if you see that you may want to have that option, then definitely make sure your display supports those legacy ports. Otherwise, you can always use the USB ports with adapters.
Interactive Display Use Cases in Private Schools and Classrooms
Private schools have a lot to gain when adopting interactive displays. They can use these displays to enhance their advanced teaching and learning experiences. Here are some typical use cases for interactive displays in private schools and classrooms.
Interactive Lessons
Interactive displays allow teachers to create engaging and interactive lessons that can capture students' attention and keep them engaged. Teachers can use interactive displays to play videos or animations to explain diagrams, instead of using PowerPoint slides. It can make math easier where teachers can draw graphs directly on gridlines. Likewise, subjects like geography and history can be more tangible by being able to zoom in on maps and create notes over it.
Collaborative Learning
Another use case is collaborative learning. These displays allow multiple students to work together on the same display during group projects, presentations, or brainstorming sessions. Anybody can contribute anything at any time, and it elevates the idea of teamwork, communication, and critical thinking skills.
Digital Whiteboard
Just like using a regular whiteboard but without smelly and toxic markers. Teachers can use Interactive displays to write and draw as they normally would, but with the added benefit of being able to save the notes for future use. This is especially useful for remote learning where students at home can see what is being written on the interactive display.
Remote Learning
As mentioned before, remote and hybrid learning has become a new normal. An Interactive display supports screen sharing and video conferencing functionalities. It is the perfect tool for remote learning. Teachers can use them to deliver lessons to students who are not physically in the classroom. Yet, students can still participate in the class in real-time and write on the board, just like they were all in the classroom in person.
Customized Tests
Because of the versatility of an interactive display, teachers can pre-program some pop quizzes or multiple-choice tests. Students could solve it on the display or on their own devices. Teachers can then display results of how many people got it right and wrong instantaneously.
Key Benefits of Interactive Displays for Teachers and Students
We have covered so many benefits of Interactive displays. Let us summarize some of the key benefits they have over traditional blackboards and projectors for both teachers and students.
Interactive and Engaging
They are far more interactive and engaging, allowing for a more immersive experience than traditional blackboards and projectors combined. They provide a range of smart features that enable teachers and students to interact with content, making learning knowledge more fun and easier to understand.
Studies have shown that this type of learning environment and experience produces the positive learning results for students. In this case, students are not only listening to the class but also, they are participating in the class proactively. Even after the class, the students can synchronize the class notes to their personal devices, and they can review and add their own thoughts at any time.
Versatile
Because of their powerful computation capability and hardware features, interactive displays are versatile tools that can work with a wide range of applications. Different teachers can use all kinds of functions and bring their classes to life.
For example, many apps in the Android apps store allow users to draw realistic electric circuits easily and quickly. Teachers can easily drag and drop electronic components to the display making the visuals consistent and clear. If the teacher chooses to draw them by hand, it will take much longer, and they will not look as simple as those pre-built apps.
The point being, is that there are so many possibilities for teachers to leverage. All of these functions and software are made to make their life easy, at the same time, help their students to learn better.
Collaborative for In-Person and Remote Studying
Interactive displays are great tools for collaboration. Multiple users can work on the same display simultaneously, making it ideal for group study and brainstorming sessions. Aristotle, a Greek philosopher and one of the greatest minds, famously said, "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." He believed that through discussion and debate, we learn the most from others. Interactive displays provide a perfect platform for students to challenge the teachers and debate with each other.
Additionally, interactive displays have screen-sharing capabilities to allow teachers to broadcast their lessons to students at home. Students can see in real time, what the teacher is writing on the board and will have a similar learning experience to being in the classroom. Plus, students can access and review their notes or lecture materials online, ensuring that learning is convenient and consistent no matter where the student is. This effectively frees up the classroom and more students have the option to learn from home without compromising learning quality, in addition to physically attending classes.
Saves Time and Resources
When you use interactive displays, teachers can save and share their notes with their students in real-time. Students no longer need to take their own notes, and teachers do not have re-write the same notes for diverse groups of students over and over anymore. Since all notes are stored digitally in the cloud, students and parents do not need to worry about losing their notebooks or they did not take the notes correctly.
Additionally, interactive displays can directly access and display digital content, eliminating the need to rely on physical materials such as out of date textbooks or easy to lose handouts. For example, if a teacher wants to demonstrate a difficult or even dangerous chemistry experiment, the teacher can quickly find videos from the internet instead of performing those themselves over and over. The list just keeps going.
Eco-friendly
As a cherry on top, interactive displays are more eco-friendly than using chalk or markers. They can also reduce paper waste since most of the content is created digitally. Yes, electronic devices do produce e-waste, but devices like interactive displays can easily last five years or more. Even when they eventually retire, we can adequately recycle to dispose of most of the components. The waste is altogether more manageable and controllable.
How Interactive Display Perfect for STEM and Other Subjects
In this section, we are going to cover a few creative pro tips for using interactive displays for teaching different subjects. Hopefully, these examples can convince you of the potential of interactive displays to enhance education for students.
STEM Subjects
STEM subjects, such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, typically involve visual-heavy concepts, diagrams and graphs. Teachers can use interactive displays to show animated simulations and illustrative aids to better help students understand complex scientific concepts. As mentioned before, there are many apps in the App Store that allow teachers to create illustrations or animations for physics, chemistry, biology and more.
Plus, interactive displays can also make math infinitely easier by being able to draw on graphs, use in-app tools like protractors or even create shapes for geometry. This is equally important for coding classes, where teachers can display the code directly on the interactive display for all students to see in-class or online.
Language Arts
Teachers can use an interactive display for reading comprehension and writing exercises. For example, teachers can show some interactive quizzes to help students develop their vocabulary and understand grammar structure visually. Students can also use it to brainstorm ideas for writing assignments and subsequently present their ideas. Lastly, Teachers can use display essay excerpts in class and directly annotate any corrections or highlight the good writing.
History & Social Studies
Teachers and students can use interactive displays to explore historical events and geographic regions. For instance, teachers can show diagrams of how weather patterns affect the climate of a country. Or they can display maps and timelines to help students visualize how Canada was formed over time. Likewise, the option to play videos, documentaries or interviews directly on screen is also possible.
Art and Music
For art and music classes can truly take advantage of interactive displays. The obvious application is being able to show art pieces and music from cultures around the world. Teachers can easily zoom in or highlight certain parts of art pieces and make notes directly on the picture. Students can even come up to the board and use drawing applications to create their own art. And for music, teachers can easily show and write musical notes right on the board using templates.
Physical Education
In physical education, teachers can use it to track fitness goals and provide real-time feedback to students during exercises. Likewise, the teacher can play an exercise video and have the students follow along. On the other hand, school sports coaches can use it to discuss new strategies and break down the moves play-by-play.
Our Interactive Display Partner Hikvision
Hikvision is an industry-leading interactive Flat Panels and displays manufacturer. Their products offer the most advanced features for business and education uses. Their product sizes range from 65" to 86". These panels provide stunning visuals and easy-to-use touch interfaces that make them a great addition to any classroom.
There are a few notable features of their products. The top one must be their 4K Ultra HD resolution, which ensures images and videos are crystal clear and vibrant. Please remember that interactive display panels are different from TV panels. Your eye would hurt if you stared at a regular TV for too long. By contrast, interactive display panels are designed to have longer viewed hours and are optimized accordingly.
Additionally, the panels support a 20-point touchscreen with multitouch gestures, allowing users to easily navigate through presentations or other content.
Another noteworthy feature of the Hikvision interactive displays have built-in wireless screen sharing capabilities. This makes it easy to display content from a smartphone or laptop without the need for any additional cables or adapters.
Furthermore, these panels are equipped with a built-in speaker system that delivers clear and powerful sound, eliminating the need for external speakers. Teachers can play any multimedia content to their students without having to bring in an additional device.
Conclusion
If you are a private school owner and you have not installed interactive displays in your classrooms, you should start considering adding them to your school. It is proven that interactive displays can enhance the learning experience for students by providing a more engaging and immersive learning environment. These displays allow students to interact with the class material, which will improve better understanding and lesson retention.
Interactive displays can also improve collaboration and communication among students or even with teachers. Plus, they will future proof your school's technology infrastructure. As technology continues to evolve, interactive displays are likely to become mainstream and an essential tool in education. Adopting interactive displays now will show that your school is ready for the future and is willing to invest in providing the best tool for the next generation.
Overall, interactive displays bring so many benefits to teachers, students, and schools. They will help private schools enhance their educational offerings and provide a more dynamic and engaging learning experience for their students. If you are considering installing interactive displays at your school, book your appointment with Panopticon today at 416-613-8828.
