Report on the IWB project in Beijing

Beijing Academy of Educational Sciences

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Abstract

This report is an update of our project proposal.

Author: Wei Wang Publication Date: 2006

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March 22, 2006
1. Background
ICT can make significant contribution to teaching and learning. It is a new teaching tendency to use Interactive Whiteboards (IWB) to promote the transformation of teaching and learning. With such a consensus, Beijing Academy of Educational Sciences (BAES) and the company of Promethean and Mirandanet Fellowship will jointly initiate a collaborative project on applying IWB in Beijing schools. For this, Mirandanet has agreed to offer two sets of IWB including electronic projectors, relevant facilities and teaching resources, as well as professional technique services to support the project for free.
One facility will be installed in BAES to provide IWB training for teachers in primary and secondary schools in Beijing. The other will be installed in Beijing No. 50 Secondary School to conduct experiments in classroom teaching.
This project was made on the agreement between BAES and the company of Promethean & Mirandanet Fellowship.
In the June of 2005, in order to benefit more schools in Beijing the company of Promethean provided IWB at half price after BAES had negotiated with Promethean. Till then, there are eleven schools including the 50th Secondary school had installed IWB, and four of them have used one or two boards for teaching before.
At present, there are eight IWB projected schools including the 50th middle school in Beijing. Because of the problem in transportation and installation, the installation of IWB in those schools was finished until the end of 2005. The projected teachers just started to use the IWB, some only have got training, some have used for 1 to 3 months, but majority have not got the opportunity for training, so the task for training is still significant.

2. Methodology
In order to study the applicability of IWB in class in Beijing, and the effects of using IWB to transfer teaching and learning, BAES carried on the survey in two secondary schools and one primary school within eleven project schools. The two secondary schools are the 50th middle school using IWB for ten months and the 14th middle schools using IWB for nearly two years; the primary school has used IWB for 3 to 4 months.
Because the use of IWB has just started, only minor teachers and students participated in the survey. Small number of the questionnaires are recalled, 20 for teachers and 129 for students.
Besides the survey, BAES has observed lessons, organized discussions about the use of IWB in teaching, and collected the data from teachers and students.

The following are our research results

3£Æ Data analysis
3.11 About the teachers: In the project schools, IWB is used in Math, English, Chinese, Geography, Complex practice, Physics, Chemistry, Art and so on especially in Math and English occupying 60%. The average age of the teachers is 31, and the average teaching experience is nine years.
3.12. About Installation of IWB: In Most of the project schools in Beijing, IWB is installed in special classroom, because they only have several pieces of IWB.
3.13 About Using IWB: According to the investigation, 57.9% of the teachers use IWB only once or twice, 15.8% use it at least once a month, and the other 15.8% use it at least once a week. So IWB is not commonly used, and teachers still prefer the traditional blackboard.
In NO. 50 Secondary school, 62.5% of teachers use IWB once or twice, 12.5% use it at least once a week, and 12.5% use it at least once a day.
According to the feedback from students in the three schools, 68.5% students said that their teachers seldom used IWB, which is similar to result in teachers’ survey.
3.14£ÆAbout Training for IWB: 50% of the teachers could master the basic skills after one or two days’ training, 16.7% needs three or four days training, while the others needs more time.
3.2Feedback from Teachers
3.21 The data shows that IWB are appreciated by most of teachers in the following aspects.
Table 1
Item
Are there any advantages from IWB compared with blackboard . £®%£©agreement percentage
All the teachers The 14th middle school The 50th middle school
1 Promoting the interactivity and communication between teachers and students, and between students themselves 94.4 90.0 75.0
2 Inspiring students’ interests in studies 90.0 90.0 87.5
3 Improving students’ thinking ability 88.9 90.0 62.5
4 Being helpful for changing the traditional teaching methods 83.3 90.0 50.0
5 Protecting environments, good for health 83.3 70.0 75.0
6 Being easily and conveniently operated. 83.3 70.0 75.0
Comparing the feedback from NO.14 with 50 Secondary Schools, which uses IWB for two years and ten months respectively in Table 1, we can conclude that the longer the teachers use, the more advantages the teachers get, especially in transferring traditional teaching.
3.22 The data shows that IWB are positively commented by part of teachers in the following aspects.
Table 2
Item Are there any advantages from IWB compared with blackboard. agreement percentage
All the teachers The 14th middle school The 50th middle school
1 Using teaching assistant resources is convenient 66.7 80.0 25.0
2 The demonstration of IWB is more suitable for students. 66.7 50.0 62.5
3 Facilitating the preparation for class and the accumulation of teaching resources. 55.6 60.0 25.0
4 Making the teaching more efficient 44.4 40.0 25.0
The data from Table 2 clearly shows that more practice makes the use of IWB easier and more effective, which makes the teachers easily prepare the lessons.
3.23 The data shows that the advantages of IWB are not fully accepted in the following aspects.

Table3
Item .¬£øAre there any advantages from IWB compared with blackboard . agreement percentage
All the teachers The 14th middle school The 50th middle school
1 Improving the students’ achievements. 11.1 10.0 0
2 Enhancing the students’ self-learning ability. 27.8 10.0 25.0
The data shows that so far we don’t have enough evidence to prove the students’ achievements.
3.3 Feedback from Students
3.31 The data shows that IWB are appreciated by most of teachers in the following aspects..
Table 4
Item Are there any advantages from IWB compared with blackboard Agreement percentage
All the students The 14th middle school The 50th middle school primary school
1 Making the teaching more interesting and vivid 81.4 70.8 79.2 100
2 Inspiring our interests in studying 76.7 64.6 77.1 93.9
3 Preferring the classes with IWB 74.4 43.8 89.6 97.0
4 Making studies more direct and clearer 72.1 68.8 66.7 84.8
5 Protecting environment, good for health 73.2 54.2 81.3 90.3
The data shows that the primary school students are more interested in IWB, while secondary school students are not likely to be attracted by various superficial demonstrations
3.32 The data shows that IWB are positively commented by part of teachers in the following aspects.
Table 5
Item Are there any advantages from IWB compared with blackboard Agreement percentage
All the students The 14th middle school The 50th middle school primary school
1 Activating the classes 67.4 87.9 68.8 52.1
2 There are many opportunities to operate IWB 62.0 97.0 43.8 56.3
3 Promoting the interactivity and communication between teachers and students, and between students themselves 54.3 90.9 33.3 50.0
The data shows that the more time they have lessons with IWB, the more interactive their learning is.

3.33 The data shows that the advantages of IWB are not fully accepted in the following aspects.
Table 6
Item Are there any advantages from IWB compared with blackboard? agreement percentage
All the students The 14th middle school The 50th middle school primary school
1 Improving the students’ achievements. 46.5 84.8 33.3 33.3
2 Improving the efficiency in class 33.3 75.8 14.6 22.9
As we all know, Rome was not built in one day. It is the gradual process to improve the students’ achievements using IWB.

4.Conclusion
4.1 Teaching with IWB not only supported didactic, catches students’ attention, inspires students’ interest by the main tools toolbox, but also transform learning and teaching, makes the teaching more easily. There is more evidence in primary school than junior high school.
4.2 The more time they have lessons with IWB, the more interactive their learning is, and the less the visual effect they have, which help to change traditional pedagogy into interactive learning and teaching.
4.3 The more time the teachers use IWB in the lesson, the much clever and be good at using the resource library they have. And the teachers said when they prepare the lesson using IWB they could save the time a little. And also it is useful to review for the teachers’ development.
4.4 Although we don’t have enough evidence to prove the students’ achievements in such a short time, which is a gradual process, there are already some evidences showing that the more time the students have lesson using IWB, the more evidence the students have in impacting student’s thinking and ability.

5. Problems which need to improved
5.1 The pen, which right key and double click do not work well, not sensitive enough, and broken easily.
5.2 IWB could not match with some laptop.
5.3 Frequently changing between EIWB and other software causes breakdown.
5.4 The resource library is all in English, which is the largest obstacle to its use in China. We need resources more appropriate for Chinese.
5.5 The schools in Beijing suggest that teaching with IWB be proper for the class size with less than forty students.
5.6 The students at the front can not endure the bright light.

Questionnaire for teachers
Dear teachers
The Questionnaire is designed research only, your answers will be kept secret.
There are some options after the questions, you should mark the most proper one with °∞°Ã°±in °∞°ı°±.Thanks for your support!
IWB Project
02-2006

101.The type of your school
°ı£®1£©Middle school. °ı£®2£©Secondary School °ı£®3£©High school°ı£®4£©–°—ß°£Primary school
102. You are a
°ı£®1£©teacher°ı£®2£©administrator °ı£®3£©teaching assistant °ı£®4£©the others

103.The subject you teach is
°ı£®1£©Chinese °ı£®2£©Mathematics°ı£®3£©English°ı£®4£©Physics°ı£®5£©Chemistry
°ı£®6£©Physical education °ı£®7£©Biology°ı£®8£©Citizenship °ı£®9£©Art°ı£®10£©Music
°ı(11)History °ı(12)Geography °ı(13)Science °ı£®14£©Complex practice°ı£®14£©The others

104.You are years old.

105.You have been a teacher for years.

201.Have you ever been trained for IWB?
°ı£®1£©yes °ı£®2£©no
202.How long have you been trained for using IWB expertly?
°ı£®1£©about half a day or less °ı£®2£©one to two days °ı£®3£©three to four days
°ı£®4£©about a week °ı£®5£©about two to three weeks °ıabout a month
°ı£®7£©more than a month

301.How frequently are you used?
°ı£®1£©every class °ı£®2£©at least once a day °ı£®3£©at least once a week
°ı£®4£©at least once a month °ı£®5£©seldom °ı£®6£©never

401. .Are there any advantages from IWB compared with blackboard ? Please mark °∞°Ã°± in the box.
Item Question Agree Unsure Disagree
1 Save the time.
2 Inspiring students’ interests in studies
3 Improving students’ thinking ability
4 Improving the students’ achievements.
5 Promoting the interactivity and communication between teachers and students, and between students themselves
6 Easy preparing the lesson and review
7 Helpful for transforming teaching
8 Helpful for evaluating of the students
9 The demonstration is more suitable for students.
10 Enhancing the students’ self-learning ability.

501.What about you think about the lesson using IWB Please mark °∞°Ã°± in the box
Item Question Agree Unsure Disagree
1 It often breaks down
2 The resources of IWB are fit for my teaching
3 It is more convenience to use the teaching resources.
4 Protecting environment, good for health
5 Operation is easy and convenient.
6 Enhancing the teaching task
7 Not only there are no evidence showed better then blackboard, but also the board is expensive.
8 Is too small to see clearly at the back of classroom
9 Complicated operation, hard to use
10 English teaching resources are not suit for Chinese.

Thanks for your participation.

18-2-2006

Questionnaire for students
Dear students
The Questionnaire is designed research only, your answers will be kept secret.
There are some options after the questions, you should mark the most proper one with °∞°Ã°±in °∞°ı°±.Thanks for your support!

102. You are in
_ (1) Grade 3, primary school _ (2) Grade 4, primary school
_ (3) Grade 5, primary school _ (4) Grade 1, junior high school
_ (5) Grade 2, junior high school _ (6) Grade 3, junior high school
_ (7) Grade 1, senior high school _ (8) Grade 2, senior high school
201°¢How frequently are they used?
°ı£®1£©Every class °ı£®2£©At least once a day °ı£®3£©At least once a week
°ı£®4£©At least once a month °ı£®5£©Seldom °ı£®6£©Never

301°¢Are there any advantages from IWB compared with blackboard ? Please mark °∞°Ã°± in the box.

Item Question Agree Unsure Disagree
1 Making studies more direct and clearer
2 Making the teaching more interesting and vivid
3 Activating the classes
4 More opportunity to operate and demonstrate
5 Promoting the interactivity and communication between teachers and students, and between students themselves
6 Inspiring our interests in studying
7 Improving my achievements.
8 Enhancing our self-learning ability.
9 Teaching with IWB is fit for me
10 No evident advantage to teaching with blackboard

302°¢What about you think about the lesson using IWB Please mark °∞°Ã°± in the box.
Item Question Agree Unsure Disagree
1 It often breaks down
2 I like the lesson with IWB
3 Protecting environment, good for health
4 Complicated operating
5 No experience with IWB myself
6 No evident advantage
7 Too small to see clearly in the back of classroom
8 Unsure about the quality of teaching with IWB
9 The light is too bright for the students in the front
10 Making the studying more efficient

401°¢«Î∞¥ƒ„∂‘√ø√≈øŒ≥Ãµƒœ≤ª∂≥Ã∂»‘⁄œ‡”¶µƒŒª÷√…œ¥Ú°∞°Ã°±°£
Mark according to your opinion on the following subject
Index subject Prefer Just so so Dislike No class
1 Chinese
2 Mathematics
3 English
4 History
5 Geography
6 Art
7 Music
8 Chemistry
9 Physics
10 Biology
11 Citizenship
12 Complex practice
13 Physical education
Thanks to your participation
18-2-2006