I agree with all of Nicole's points. They really are designed for school or university classroom situations, but can be useful in heritage spaces partly because groups coming in feel comfortable with them and know how to use them.
Having the projector properly installed on the ceiling and the whiteboard set up and calibrated is the best option in my view. If you leave it long enough there will probably be other better products like large touchscreen TV-style screens, but choosing these things is always a compromise, and although it pays to think it through (and ideally test it out,to the extent that you can, within the space) your own requirements and use patterns may well change over time as well, so arguably there is right answer.
You might get some useful responses if you forward this thread to the GEM list as well.
Best wishes
Martin
----------------------------------------------------
Martin Bazley
Digital heritage consultant
Martin Bazley & Associates
15 Margin Drive
Wimbledon
SW19 5HA
0780 3580 727
[log in to unmask]
www.martinbazley.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Nicole Beale
Sent: 28 August 2014 14:15
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [MCG] Using smartboards/whiteboards
Hi Sian,
In my experience, the brightness of the images on SMARTboards can be an issue. But aside from that, they can be very useful tools. We use them in a Higher Education setting, and have found that the ability to annotate live on the screen can be quite useful. The fixed projectors which hang out over the top of the board are a bit of an issue however. They seem to need calibrating quite often, and over time can loosen. We have one that has been installed for three years, and always needs adjusting before each use.
But it does mean that the board is mobile.
We don't move ours, but the fixed projector does mean that we have the ability to do this. Although we always seem to end up with a situation of balancing the laptop on a chair somewhere, which can look quite messy. Not to mention the trailing leads! The SMARTboards that we have with ceiling mounted projectors do need calibrating sometimes, but not as often, and the picture does seems to be better. But this is only a personal observation.
It could be that on the one with a fixed projector it was initially set up wrongly. Quite often I find myself resorting to standing on a chair trying to move it backwards!
I think that the ones that we have are not used to their full potential.
The training provided by SMARTboard is great, but people forget things like that very quickly, and much of the functionality doesn't seemed to be used by staff. However, the touch to move through a presentation function is used all the time by most staff. It removes the need for a clicker, and frees the speaker from the podium.
The VGA cable and audio cable that our fixed SMARTboard came with are quite short, so you need to consider that, or see if they provide longer ones now. Or get extensions.
The other thing to mention is that you only get one remote control. Or used to. As with all things not tied down, this can lead to problems!
Overall, I have to say that they are fantastic for interactive things, such as asking audience members to come up and annotate things. So for a primary setting, they are great. Although of course the content needs to be geared towards this kind of usage. I would recommend considering booking the SMARTboard training, which is delivered by their staff post-purchase. It really does give an insight into the possibilities of the kit once you have it.
Hope that helps!
Nicole
On 28 August 2014 13:46, Sheila Perry <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Hi Sian,
> Some of our meeting rooms have smartboards installed. In most cases
> they are fixed to the wall with a computer fixed behind them, but I
> think there is one that is attached to some sort of stand which may be
> theoretically mobile. In the case of that one, I have found there is a
> bit of an issue with trailing cables and the feet of the stand thing.
> A lot of the time they are just used as giant computer monitors
> although some people like to write things on them too.
> In one room in particular the screen is just too large for the size of
> room, and the chairs are more or less right under it. I sometimes have
> difficulty reading what's on the screen, I think because of some
> interaction between my varifocals and the angles and distances
> involved, and there are also a lot of reflections. But having said all
> that, I still find them really useful for computer training of various kinds.
> Best wishes,
> Sheila
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Sian Woodward
> Sent: 28 August 2014 12:03
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [MCG] Using smartboards/whiteboards
>
> Hi,
>
> as part of our new museum development we will have a "learning space"
> for the first time, and are thinking about getting a smartboard or whiteboard.
> Has anyone got any top tips that they wish they had considered or are
> glad they thought about before doing this?
>
> We are particularly interested to know whether sites have gone for
> smartboards and projectors that are fixed to the wall or more mobile,
> integrated or separate, and whether this affected the flexibility of
> the space at all.
>
> Were there any particular difficulties or considerations relating to
> cabling and location of power and data cables?
>
> Best Wishes
>
> Sian Woodward
> North Hertfordshire Museum
>
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