The first and foremost advantage we have of an interactive whiteboard is that it has given us the freedom to interact in class. Now, there is a healthy discussion between students and teachers that can develop as the lessons progress.

With new technologies, such as the student-teacher stylus, a teacher can explain various concepts in great detail and this can help a student who might otherwise remain confused or unresponsive.

The additional use of animations and videos in any lesson helps to further engage students. Even those students who have demonstrated poor attention and behavior seeking actions will stop to engage with a whiteboard lesson that is fun, interactive and engaging.

Gone are the days when teachers used to write and rub things on the blackboard continuously. The blackboard has eliminated the need for chalk and dust in the classroom and this is also a good thing, not only for the teacher, but also for students who may suffer from dust allergies. Lessons can be prepared well in advance and this also allows for more teaching time. In the past, the teacher had to write everything on the board while the students waited, technology is slowly changing this.

Having talked about the advantages, there is a disadvantage that is also worth mentioning. One drawback is that many teachers are not familiar with the technology to be able to use it to the best of their ability. Blackboards are often installed and very limited training is provided to teachers who will use them. However, this handicap can be easily fixed through the proper amount of training.

There are some really good sites online that offer training programs regarding the use of whiteboards. Usually you will find that the first training session is free and this will give you a very good introduction to using the technology.