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How Education Can Benefit From IFPs in the Classroom
Teachers today struggle to keep kids engaged. And students are struggling to bridge the learning gap created by educational inequity, disabilities, and the pandemic. Every classroom could benefit from interactive flat panels (IFPs) in the classroom. IFPs are devices similar to a television, but with touchscreen capabilities. The use of a touchscreen, along with network connectivity and video makes an interactive flat panel a very versatile and engaging learning tool. And the IFP creates a technocentric classroom that more closely resembles the world that awaits students when they enter adulthood.
1. Engagement and Active Learning
Today’s child is no stranger to technology. From smartphones and tablets to laptops and smart TVs, technology is a part of most children’s daily lives. IFPs leverage the interest a student has in technology to increase engagement in the classroom. Studies have shown that students show a greater interest in tablets and IFPs as compared to traditional pencil and paper activities. This directly translates into higher levels of motivation. Teachers tend to perceive students that use interactive displays as being more enthusiastic and motivated. And the authors of the study noted that this was probably due to collaboration.
2. Accessibility
Everyone deserves an education. Even the UN acknowledges this. And that means ensuring that all students are able to learn the material. Interactive flat panels aid in making learning equitable. Most IFPs come with optimized viewing angles. These optimized angles allow students to be able to clearly see the information from any angle. This is ideal for larger classrooms with dozens of students. The screens are also bright enough to be seen in any lighting condition. So teachers can leave the lights on while they deliver the day’s lesson. As such, children don’t have to strain their eyes in the dark while being instructed from an old projector. We also have a color overlay that allows students with different challenges to see clearly and without the screen shaking.
Not to mention the digitization of lessons into visuals and graphics makes it easier to learn for people living with certain disabilities. Finding ways to engage students struggling to learn is quite possibly one of the greatest benefits of IFPs. And at a time when remote learning already exacerbated difficulties in learning, anything that can help assuage those struggles is an absolute necessity.
3. Direct Instruction
An IFP eliminates the unnecessary and redundant steps teachers must take to develop a lesson plan and then present said lesson. This typically involves writing something down or typing something out in a document. Then you have to print and copy the lesson, or somehow turn the lesson into a transparency. And then finally you actually disseminate the lesson. That’s too many steps in a job that is already demanding so much of a teacher’s time.
However, with an IFP, the steps are unified. The work is done in the same place that you deliver the lesson. And teachers have access to pre-built lesson plans with software like Snowflake. This frees up time for teachers allowing them to focus less on lecturing, and focus more on feedback. And feedback is important because the speed of learning doubles following effective feedback.
4. Collaboration
Remote learning was ubiquitous in the wake of the pandemic. This put a premium on collaboration. Teachers needed a way to stay connected with their students, as well as keep them engaged. Interactive flat panels create an active learning environment regardless of the student being in class or watching from home. And if the students have their own devices, IFPs enable them to collaborate with their peers on coursework and class activities. Most job descriptions include collaboration as a prerequisite; why not teach children how to do just that?
5. Device Management
Everyone in education deserves to have their job made easier by technology. Especially those who work with and fix the technology day in and day out. The IT Support staff can also benefit from IFPs in the classroom. Thirty year old projectors are not easy to maintain. Old fashioned whiteboards require a certain amount of maintenance, and even then they still fall apart and start becoming difficult to write clearly on. And most PCs require hands on attention when diagnosing or repairing. But all of that is made simpler through the use of an interactive flat panel display.
Here’s what Intel had to say:
“In many US schools, purchasing a projector and whiteboard may be objectively less expensive, but the cost of setup, maintenance, and management of the technology must also be considered. When IFPDs are enabled for remote management capabilities with an additional slot-in module, IT administrators can update software, install security updates, and troubleshoot problems without having to send an IT technician out to the school. Additionally, IFPDs can be used with a mobile floor stand for easy mobility from classroom to classroom, providing accessibility and portability to any class at any time—unlike a single, installed projector that must stay in place.”
And with the emergency notification feature everyone can receive an alert at the same time. This is useful if there’s something like a bad weather situation unfolding that you want staff and students to be aware of. Administrators could also call an emergency assembly if they needed. And this can all be done with a screen alert that won’t disrupt class or alert unwelcome persons of interest.
In summary...
The educational benefit of interactive flat panels is evident. They’re engaging and familiar, thus better at motivating students than pen to pad. An IFP can also make learning more accessible through the use of images and graphics. They streamline lesson planning and presentation especially with the use of software like Snowflake. Collaboration is easier thanks to network connectivity that allows for easier remote learning as well as easier in-class teamwork. And managing devices is no longer so involved because you don’t even need on-site support.
Clear Touch’s vision is to evolve technology alongside education. We believe that technology not only makes learning easier and more fun for students, but it also greatly benefits teachers too. And Clear Touch’s Interactive Flat Panels and Convertible Stands are also made with accessibility in mind. There are enough barriers to learning already; educational equity should not be an issue. Not to mention, Clear Touch panels are very intuitive and easy to learn. Anyone, young or old, tech genius or technophobe can easily pick up how to use our panels. Schedule a Free Demo to learn how Interactive Panels can benefit your classroom!
More about Clear Touch
Clear Touch, headquartered in Greenville, SC, is a leading US global manufacturer of interactive touch panels and accessories as well as digital signage displays and solutions for education, government, and business. Clear Digital is our affiliate brand that specializes in digital signage solutions. For more information, visit our websites: getcleartouch.com | getcleardigital.com | getclearpower.com
