The Advantages of Interactive Whiteboards in the Classroom and for Business Purposes

Forget projectors, ink-smudged fingers, and dry erase markers that run dry halfway through a sentence. Offices and educational institutions should enjoy the ability to create stunning visuals which deliver impactful and motivating presentations. Additionally, interactive whiteboards are a fantastic and modern way to motivate teams, inspire collaboration, and drive engagement in audiences.

RJ Young works with Ricoh to provide state-of-the-art interactive whiteboards for a variety of clients, industries, and educational institutions. Read on to learn how interactive whiteboards can revolutionize participation in a classroom or office.

Advantages of Interactive Whiteboards

Ranging from 30 to 80 inches wide, Ricoh’s line of high-quality interactive whiteboards can meet the needs of large and small establishments. In addition, every device comes equipped with productivity amplifying features.

Users can enjoy the following features:

1. Workflow and Connectivity

Each whiteboard display supports an interactive experience by using touchscreen annotations. They also use apps to streamline productivity and connectivity with other platforms. As a result, enjoy full integration with Microsoft Office and connect with all devices to keep the workflow smooth and uninhibited.

2. Collaborative Capabilities

Create annotations and share screen images with remote users in real-time to enhance the collaborative powers of a team. Leverage Ricoh’s Intelligent Workplace Services to create a comprehensive digital collaboration environment, which drives productivity and innovation.

3. Open Architecture

Additionally, all whiteboards come with Ricoh’s Embedded Software Architecture — this software helps maintain application compatibility across devices that many offices may use. The open nature of this software means numerous third-party solutions can also integrate flawlessly with Ricoh devices.

What To Consider When Choosing an Interactive Whiteboard Solution

The power and versatility of interactive displays have made them widely popular, leading to a vast array of offerings on the market. When choosing an interactive whiteboard solution for a classroom or business, consider the following:

• Audience size. Consider how many people will need to interact with it. Undoubtedly, devices that support multiple simultaneous functions enable more collaboration.
• Connectivity. The ability to link to numerous devices at once allows the audience to watch the presentation on their own devices. This benefits large lecture halls, or meeting rooms where everyone wants to take their own notes.
• Space size. Interactive whiteboards range from 30 to 80 inches wide. In other words, this impacts how far it can be viewed from, and where viewers should – or should not – sit.
• Software and apps. A classroom will require different apps and programs than an office. On the other hand, an office might find the ability to integrate with other document management platforms advantageous.
• Durability. Above all, interactive whiteboards in a classroom setting must be durable to withstand student use. In other words, higher-end interactive whiteboards will find a better home in offices that want to wow clients.

RICOH Interactive Whiteboards Amplify Learning and Teaching

Interactive whiteboards in the classroom bring a variety of benefits to students, teachers, and schools. Here are three reasons why classrooms should embrace this modern technology:

1. Facilitate Active Learning

Students who are engaged with the material learn better. Furthermore, interactive learning encourages students to take an active role in the classroom. This is scientifically shown to increase knowledge retention, especially in visual learners.

2. Encourage a Technological Culture

Technology in the classroom is a contentious topic. However, it is a healthy disagreement about whether or not it belongs there between teachers and students. Nonetheless, the presence of an interactive whiteboard in a classroom sends the message that an educational institution embraces technology. Interactive whiteboards also create a forward-thinking and modern culture that reflects the expectations of students.

3. Assist with Lesson Structure

It is not just businesses that can leverage the app and connectivity capabilities of the whiteboards. Teachers can also put these tools to use to create new and exciting lessons — faster, and for less work. This puts the traditional whiteboards to shame.

Interactive Whiteboards Drive Productivity at Work

It’s not just students who get bored with one-way communication and lackluster dry-erase scribbles. Interactive whiteboards bring many of the same benefits to the workplace, with the additional benefit of supporting current workflow processes which are already in place. Thoughtfully deployed interactive whiteboards in the workplace are beneficial in the following ways:  

• Transforms lectures into brainstorming sessions that involve all participants
• Keeps everyone on the same page with real-time file sharing
• Supports annotations to help prevent details from slipping through the cracks
• Connects with mobile devices and laptops to fit seamlessly into a workflow
• Improves the quality of meetings and training sessions
• Puts an impressive foot forward with current and future clients

Interactive Whiteboards: Technology for 21^st Century Presentations

In conclusion, Interactive whiteboards are a low-disruption, high-impact update for offices, the classroom environment, and lecture halls. Create an atmosphere of motivation and forward-thinking by using an interactive display to transform presentations.

RJ Young helps businesses and educational institutions make the best selections for all of their technology solutions. Contact an expert today to start a discussion on how interactive whiteboards can benefit you.