The application of interactive whiteboard technology in general education and English Language Teaching (ELT): A literature overview
The application of interactive whiteboard technology in general education and English Language Teaching (ELT): A literature overview

Summary/Abstract: This paper outlines the literature on Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) technology in the educational context beginning from its introduction in the 1990s up until the present. Firstly, the historical development of the research is summarized and, secondly, the potential benefits of IWB technology in teaching and learning, as far as most school subjects are concerned, are discussed. For the purpose of this paper, the advantages of IWBs in education have been divided into two categories, that is, the teachers’ and the learners’ perspectives. To begin with, the issues concerning the advantages of IWBs in teaching, that is, flexibility and versatility, interactivity, and numerous affordances that may provide the potential for pedagogy transformation, are presented. The subsequent sections serve as an analysis of opportunities which are offered by IWB technology and which are especially appreciated by learners. These include IWB visual appeal, the capacity to create a student-centered learning environment and improve motivation, the ease of sharing materials, and others. In practice, the use of the technology may also be hindered by numerous factors and the section that follows touches upon the pedagogical and technical challenges of IWB technology for both teachers and students. Last but not least, the paper includes an analysis of research on IWB affordances specifically applicable in the context of language classrooms and an analysis of IWB-based language classrooms from different SLA perspectives.

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