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Mickey and Minnie, Mulder and Scully, Tia and Tamera… There are some duos that just work so well together that it’s hard to imagine them separately, right? Well, today we’re going to introduce another one: Genially and the interactive whiteboard.
If you already use Genially in your classroom with a computer or tablet and you love its interactivity, just wait till you try it on an interactive whiteboard. The same goes for if you already use an interactive whiteboard and you’re wondering how you can get the most out of your geniallys on it.
It might behave and work differently depending on the model of your interactive whiteboard. For optimum results with Genially, make sure to keep your interactive whiteboard, internet browser, and interactive support updated with the latest versions.
In this post we’re going to discover the benefits of pairing Genially with your interactive whiteboard and a bunch of ideas to make your classes even more awesome.
Let’s not confuse a digital whiteboard with an interactive whiteboard. The first is a whiteboard, screen, or projection surface onto which an image is projected via a projector that’s connected to a computer. In order to interact with the content, we need to use the computer’s mouse or keyboard.
An interactive whiteboard has several things in common with a digital whiteboard, as it too needs a projection to transfer the content from our computer, but here’s the good news: this type of whiteboard is touch sensitive! We can interact with the materials directly on the surface of the whiteboard.
One of the more obvious advantages is its size! Working on a surface that’s much bigger than a normal computer screen allows students to interact with the materials in a much more immersive way; but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. They don’t need a mouse or a keyboard; they can use a pen, pointer, or their own fingers!
As well as size and the added benefit of touch-sensitive interactivity, delivering our classes on interactive digital whiteboards has other advantages, for example:
Images, animated elements, videos, challenges, quizzes… Teaching with a genially means providing authentic learning experiences and taking advantage of the power of digital, and the interactive whiteboard is the perfect way to do it. Let your class explore each genially and all the interactive elements contained within. Who knows what comes next? A game? Maybe a map? Anything could happen!
It could almost be said that the students of today were born with a tablet in their hands, so it’s hardly surprising that the best way to reach them is to speak their language and use new technologies. It’s amazing how quickly they pick it all up.
Think of an interactive whiteboard like a giant tablet, where they can touch and interact with a life-sized genially. They’ll be comfortable with the format and have no trouble figuring it out, and this confidence they have with the medium will carry through to help boost motivation and participation in class.
The bigger size of the interactive whiteboards means the materials can be seen better. This is also where the possibilities for personalization in Genially come into play: bigger elements, images, and illustrations which provide context, audios and sounds to support the materials, etc. Go ahead; the geniallys are all yours! Adapt them so that they suit the needs of each class.
By working directly with all the materials and multimedia resources in one place, we’ll maintain the class’s attention more effectively, making sure it doesn’t get diverted to other devices or tasks. Our geniallys will be on display for the whole class on the interactive whiteboard, allowing for group activities that don’t depend on any other accessories or resources.
Now that we’ve seen some of the benefits of using Genially on interactive whiteboards, let’s look at some resources we can use in class, depending on the objectives of the session.
With a questions and answers game, you’ll bring the excitement of competition to the classroom and get the whole class involved. You, or one of your students if they volunteer, can be the presenter and the class just needs to click on the correct answer to progress. The whole class must reflect on each question and come to an agreement before selecting their answer.
Try this fun template. But beware! Consider your answer very carefully or you’ll fall through the trapdoor!
I want that template!
Digital breakout and escape games have the ability to capture attention from the get-go. We all agree on that. But what if we made them even better by making their challenges bigger?
Imagine: dragging elements along the whiteboard, inspecting hidden areas to find clues… Doing it all on a bigger screen will promote collaboration and teamwork as it’ll now be easier to do these kinds of things with more students participating at the same time.
Check out this mysterious breakout. It’s full of riddles, hidden clues, and objects to be discovered and it’s perfect for playing on an interactive whiteboard.
Use this template
And if you want the whole class to exercise their noggins while having fun, give them a board game to play in teams. By playing together, all the teams will learn from the answers of the others.
This board game has everything ready to start the game on your whiteboard and it’s really simple: click on the dice and drag your playing piece to the square on the board.
I want one like that!
Could there be any better way to exploit the power of the interactive whiteboard? As well as viewing and interacting with a pre-made genially, why not let your class experiment with Genially and see what it can do? How exciting!
Ask them to visually summarize information on a topic using a gallery of images like this one. As a team, they can contribute ideas and search for images in the image, illustration, and gif banks they’ll find in the Editor. They just need to click on the one they like best and drag it to where they want it. A couple more tweaks and it’s all set!
Try it in your class!
Does your class have to work in teams on a project or to solve a problem or challenge? Leave a pre-prepared genially on the board with the information necessary to find the solution. For example, you could use a mind map and let them consult it whenever they need to and at their own pace. Meanwhile, they’ll be working away independently in their teams in the classroom.
Create a mind map
These are just some of the options for combining Genially with your interactive whiteboard in the classroom, but there are many more. Oh, and remember there are new templates available every month, so don’t forget to go and check them out and find your next awesome learning experience 😉