By Robert L. Hopkins Jr. EDUC 8841 Walden University

In the past teachers used tradition blackboards and flip charts to explain the lessons.

Walk into any classroom and you will find one: A dark green board on the wall, lined with pieces of chalk and felt erasers. Chalkboards, also known as blackboards, have long been a part of daily classroom life, but just what is the history of the chalkboard?

Blackboards, easels, corkboards and contemporary whiteboards may seem to us to have always been standard equipment in schoolrooms as well as business boardrooms, but none of these basic tools even existed in classrooms prior to 1801.

 Blackboards soon became equally important in business organizations, as well as in the fields of math and science, long before the materials were even invented from which whiteboards could be manufactured.

 Despite the industry and marketing pressure to transition to whiteboards, the chalk presentation board continues to be a favorite tool in schools, universities, and homes.

 Businesses have been widely using whiteboards (aka marker boards) since the early 1980s  In the 1990's whiteboards began appearing in classrooms, but only in small numbers.  By the late 1990's, nearly 21% of all American schools converted from chalkboards to whiteboards

Time Adoption

The term smartboard usually refers to a specific brand of electronic Whiteboard made by the company SMART Technologies, but the term is increasingly being used to refer to any brand of electronic whiteboard.

SMART introduced the first SMART Board interactive whiteboard in 1991

 Today, as technology is offering teachers a host of options: , the Internet, electronic grade books, and course websites.

 Note taking and Brainstorming  Games  United Streaming  Interactive Flannel Board  Click-and-Drag activities  Interactive worksheets  Board Games  Graphic Organizers  Interactive Websites  PowerPoint Presentations

 Most smartboards have the same features, allowing users to input data through the use of plastic pens that contain no ink, the user's hands, a wireless mouse or pointing device. The software for the smartboard is loaded onto a local computer or network, where smartboard-compatible software can then be called upon for use on the screen.

 New SMART business solutions enhance meeting experiences  SMART Technologies announces its new SMART business solutions, comprising integrated hardware and software products developed specifically to provide customers with easy-to-use tools that improve collaboration in interactive meeting spaces.

 The Smartboard is a wonderful tool to use with your students.  It is great for whole group, guided practice, and independent practice exercises.  You can also use the Smartboard as a center activity.

 As you can see by this presentation, one of the tools for teaching students has evolved from the traditional blackboard to the high tech smart board.  The blackboard were cheap to produce, but later they found health hazards related to the dust produced from the chalk.  The smartboard was the answer to every problem. This invention was reliable, clean and adaptable to any situation.

 Ergo On Demand retrieved February 5, 2010 from  Fernely W. (2008) History of chalkboard retrieved February 5, 1020 from  Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of Innovations (5th ed.). New York: Free Press. Smartboard interactive whiteboard (2009) retrieved from