My current practicum school has no IWB, but I have experienced in using IWB in one of my previous kindergartens. I joined the newly set-up kindergarten 4 years back, for a period of 3 months. I would say that the school had nothing, the owner had zero experience in early childhood education, shortage of teachers (after i had left the school they eventually hired foreign maid as the replacement teacher!), they did not have their own curriculum and syllabus and they used to get their textbooks for the book store next door. But, they had 2 IWB. And because of these IWB, they had got about 25 children and managed to survive throughout the first year.
It is now obvious that setting up IWB is a good investment for the school.
The teachers:
They do not have to spend time to copy words by words from the textbook to the whiteboard.
They do not have to worry that the children could not recognise their words and drawings.
The children:
They do not have to worry that the lessons are boring!
The parents:
They do not have to worry that the children are learning in an environment covered in the dust of chalks.
The school:
When the teachers, children and parents are favouring to the IWB, $$$ will come!
Well, it is inappropriate to critise the school while I, the teacher did not do well in teaching with the IWB. Nielsen (2010) has listed the ten NOs of teaching with a projector or IWB in her blog. Particularly, I think I have made these two mistakes- (6) Don’t waste instructional time fumbling with projector set up and (7) Don’t assume your audience can see what you can see.
Did you?
=)
Reference:
Nielsen, L. (2010). The ten no nos of teaching with a projector or interactive whiteboard. Retrieved 2013, May 7, from http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2010/05/ten-no-nos-of-teaching-with-projector.html