Interactive touch screens in the classroom

Interactive touch screens in the classroom

One of the most important factors in changing the way schools teach today is finding new and innovative ways to put the power and control of learning in the hands of students. Educators who embrace and adapt to this modern approach to teaching and intelligent interaction technology in the flipped classroom environment have seen student excitement and attention soar. From K-12 through higher education, students excel in a learning environment that keeps them interested and allows them to be more hands-on, collaborative and creative throughout the process. To that end, schools across the country are taking advantage of interactive touch-screens in the classroom.

What is an interactive touch screen?

Interactive touch screen, also known as interactive flat panel display, is the new standard display technology in classrooms. Obviously, today's digital age has made blackboards and markers obsolete, but even standard TVS or projectors are not enough in today's classrooms. Not only do they offer engaging collaboration capabilities that standard LED TVS don't, but interactive touch screens are even a brighter, sharper, and more efficient alternative to standard interactive whiteboards. Interactive whiteboards typically use infrared sensors around the screen to detect touch, and the displayed content is usually projected from a separate projector. Interactive touch screens, on the other hand, are all-in-one compact displays with embedded or onboard operating systems that generate content internally without the need for additional projectors. In addition, interactive touch panels offer true versatility to the classroom, with smart touch, personalized UI, built-in wireless projection, and additional I/O ports to connect additional devices as needed.

Of course, one of the real benefits of using interactive touch screens in the classroom is the ability to create a whole-class environment and really put the power of learning back in the students' hands. The idea of reversing the roles of educator and student, known as "flipped learning," was first proposed 10 to 15 years ago and is often credited to a small group of educators and Khan Academy founder Salman Khan. Since then, studies such as the effectiveness of flipped classroom (Szparagowski, Spring 2014) have been completed to explore and show the real effects of such active learning on students. Ultimately, interactive technology leads to collaborative learning, which in turn enables students to invest in their own knowledge and desire to learn by striving to meet the expectations of their peers.

Why are interactive touch screens important?

So how does this learning philosophy mesh with the interactive touch screen in the classroom? In a group environment, the multi-touch capabilities of this interactive technology allow students to huddle around screens, share their work, and collaborate. With the help of large-format interactive touch screens, they can add notes to presentations, take collective notes, and search and view auxiliary materials such as detailed maps and images. When students get the material in advance, they can spend more time in a peer-to-peer environment, delving deeper into the material and really developing a broader sense of the curriculum. But interactive touch screens also enhance standard teaching scenarios. Even in a traditional classroom setting where the teacher is at the front of the room, students can benefit from the ability to project their work wirelessly onto a screen to enhance discussion with the entire class. This intelligent interactive technology provides teachers with unprecedented freedom and flexibility.