Philip C ClarksonSchools are rapidly adopting Interactive White Boards (IWBs) [or alternatively termed Smart Boards]. The rapidity of uptake has not been in step with any well designed, comprehensive research effort that might inform patterns of adoption and implementation by teachers, nor any sufficient understanding about the impact IWBs might have on students and their learning in mathematics and other areas of the curriculum. This is not the first time that attractive resources have been rapidly taken up into the teaching of mathematics, based more on faith. Whether this matters is an interesting question to ask. In this short communication, I concentrate on insights from some of the relevant IWB research literature, noting gaps and deficiencies that need to be addressed. In particular it is noted that usually only self-report methods are used, there is a lack of studies that describe the impact of IWB use on cognition and that document actual changes in classroom interaction. As well studies often do not clearly focus on IWBs. These shortcomings make it difficult to assess the impact of IWB technology, if not impossible, in terms of any changes in the quality of student learning. Teachers certainly like them, but is this enough?
