Whiteboard jungle in Co Donegal


21 Oct 2008

A Co Donegal school has moved into the 21st century, with the arrival of a hi-tech interactive whiteboard, the result of a class-room fit-out competition run by Today FM.

Independent research shows interactive whiteboard technology, such as from the Pomethean Ireland one in Niall Mor National School in Killybegs, boosts concentration levels and makes learning more fun.

Teachers or students using the whiteboard simply use a pen to pick a topic and a range of sounds, pictures and videos will appear to complement it.

“The whiteboard opens up a whole new learning experience to pupils. They take to the technology so well. Teachers revel in it — particularly as it provides them with a virtual library in cyberspace where they can exchange notes, lesson plans and ideas,” says Jessica Murphy, Promethean’s marketing manager.

Sharon McVey, a teacher at the Killybegs school, says the whiteboard has brought a buzz to the school.

“It’s height adjustable, so we can move it up and down to meet pupil needs. The children are competing with each other to get on it all the time. It gets them more involved and learning becomes more of an adventure,” she says.

“If we’re doing something on Egypt, for example, we just go to the internet and get material about the pyramids.”

Caption: Ian Dempsey and two students from Niall Mor National School in Killybegs try out the school’s new Promethean interactive whiteboard

By Sorcha Corcoran