SmartBoards: Week 2

HOW MUCH DO SMARTBOARDS COST? IS THERE FUNDING TO SUPPLEMENT THE PRICE?

On the SMARTboard website, the boards range from $2800 – $13700. This price on a teacher’s salary is not likely something that teachers would be able to purchase for their class themselves. Luckily, there is funding that exists for this type of technology! Some examples are as follows:

• Best Buy has grants available specifically to fund the price of technology in classrooms. They believe that technology in the classroom helps to develop students “confidence and creativity”, which is why they want to help teachers to be able to afford these technologies.
• PAC grants are another option for funding. Teachers can advocate to the Parent Advisory Council (PAC) in efforts to have them apply for funding. These grants are not specifically for technology but can be used in such a way.

(sources: Interactive Displays | Whiteboards & Flat Panels, Best Buy School Tech Grants, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Parent Advisory Council Community Gaming Grants )

PRO

While SMARTboards may cost a large sum upfront, they have the power to reduce costs downline. For example, using a SMARTboard can reduce the amount of paper used within the school and minimize the costs that come along with printing multiple worksheets, assignments, course content and readings. With technology changing teachers are required to integrate more technology into the classroom. SMARTboards provide teachers with the opportunity to teach effectively and efficiently, which is hard to put a price on. These boards allow teachers and students to work collaboratively with multimedia resources such as PowerPoint presentations, video lesson, 2D & 3D virtual spaces. SMART technology costs a lot for a reason because it takes traditional methods of teaching and improves them by creating an effective 21st-century environment for teachers to teach and students to learn to the best of their abilities.

(source: https://www.edusys.co/blog/smart-board-in-classroom-advantages-and-disadvantages)

CON

It is no shock that the price of a SmartBoard could make them inaccessible for many classrooms. Funding is generally less than teachers would hope for, which could make the purchase of a SmartBoard a large and somewhat difficult decision. In some cases, schools may be able to afford enough SmartBoards for every classroom, whereas others may only be able to fit one or two into their budget. Due to the ever-growing push for more technology in the classroom, some students could feel as though their education is lacking because they are not being able to interact with a SmartBoard when other students are. This kind of imbalance can create inequality and biases throughout schools and districts, which ultimately can affect the students.

Additionally, there are also variables that need to be factored into the cost of a SmartBoard such as updates and repairs.  Much like our iPhones and laptops, SmartBoards will most likely require software updates and general maintenance to keep them up to speed. SmartBoards are such a large piece of technological equipment that daily use from multiple students is bound to lead to damage one way or another. Depending on the cause and measure of repair, techs and replacement pieces could also cost a fair price to keep classroom SMARTBaords in optimal daily condition. All of such must be considered when thinking about purchasing a SmartBoard for your school!