WRITE ON THE WALLS: The use of whiteboard paint to aid student learning

Dr. Jim Lusted

Senior Lecturer, Sport & Exercise, School of Health

Jim.lusted@northampton.ac.uk

PROJECT RATIONALE

• Changing use/design of teaching ‘spaces’ (Oblinger 2005)

• Driven by desire to improve seminar activities:• Peer learning• Interactive learning• Collaborative learning• Visual and creative learning (Wall et al. 2005)

• Whiteboard paint used to ‘free users from the constraints of the traditional classroom’ (Jankowska & Atlay 2008: 272)

• Still in infancy – not widely used or researched• Research focus on use of IWBs (Lewin et al. 2008)

“I just wanted to email you to say that your idea of having a room with the walls covered in

whiteboards would be a really good idea. I feel this would benefit use a lot due to the group work and tasks we do, and would facilitate our learning!”

 “Thought I’d email to say I think the idea of a white

board room is really good, as it would help significantly with group tasks as we would not have to move tables. Also it will allow us to be more creative and less limited with space. In

terms of the class as a whole we would benefit as when people are explaining a point from a poster, we can visually see what they are talking about

on the wall, which will help with our understanding”

STUDENT FEEDBACK ON IDEA3rd year Sport Studies students

WHITEBOARD WALL TECHNOLOGY

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Gained support from Lucie Armstrong (School

Manager) & Matthew Waite (Infrastructure Services)

Nov 2013

Successful bid for UoN Innovation Fund

Dec 2013

Ready for useJan 2014

SPO3014 as ‘pilot’ module

Changes made to Brampton 15Xmas 2013

Walls covered in Whiteboard paint -Removal of IWB

Addition of pull down projector screenPen holders placed on walls

• Personal reflections• 10 sessions with 3rd year students Jan – April 2014

• Other teaching staff comments

• Student module evaluation forms

• Informal focus group• 2 x 3rd year students on my module• Unstructured, participant led

METHODOLOGY/SOURCES OF FEEDBACK

Student Feedback

encouraged peer learning

made tasks more exciting

public display of work meant it

was taken seriously

aided inclusion of less confident

students

Staff Reflections

engages and enthuses students

allows for spontaneity in

teaching

aids teacher feedback/input

greater collaboration within and

between groups

INITIAL FINDINGS

EARLY EVALUATION

• Whiteboard walls have the potential to:• Enthuse and engage students in tasks• Allow for more inclusive group work• Provide a space for peer learning and tutor feedback

• But…. The technology does not do the teaching! • Emphasis remains on tutor to devise and manage suitable

activities (Jankowska & Atley 2008)

• And… some potential limitations• Graffiti/abuse of walls• Scruffy appearance of walls• Expense – replacement of pens, repaints• How to properly ‘capture’ the work done?• Time in rubbing it all off!

REFERENCES

Jankowska, M., & Atlay, M. (2008). Use of creative space in enhancing students’ engagement. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 45(3), 271–279.

Lewin, C., Somekh, B., & Steadman, S. (2008). Embedding interactive whiteboards in teaching and learning: The process of change in pedagogic practice. Education and Information Technologies, 13(4), 291–303.

Oblinger, D. (2005). Leading the Transition from Classrooms to Learning Spaces. Educause Quarterly, 1, 14-18

Wall, K., Higgins, S., & Smith, H. (2005). “The visual helps me understand the complicated things”: pupil views of teaching and learning with interactive whiteboards. British Journal of Educational Technology, 36(5), 851–867.

Written and presented by Jim Lusted