An interactive panel or interactive flat display panel is an integrated solution designed for a classroom to transform teaching and learning methodologies. The interactive panel promotes interactive, engaging, and collaborative learning. It is a device for interactive whiteboarding, video lectures, screen sharing, and more. Through it, teachers can write on endless canvas, conduct exclusive lectures with the help of experts in the classroom, share sessions for further study and more.
If you want to learn about the Interactive Panel in detail, let’s dive deep into the blog.
What is an Interactive Panel?
Interactive panels are electronic devices like PCs and Laptops. They are an advanced version of blackboards and whiteboards. Schools can mount interactive panels in place of traditional boards and leverage their advanced features to teach in the classroom. In the panel, teachers can navigate the intelligent board, access several software programs, store and save files on the device, and do endless activities to teach their students in their own way.
An Interactive Flat Panel is a touch-screen display equipped with interactive software, enabling you to deliver more collaborative and interactive lessons. It represents the ultimate fusion of traditional teaching methods and modern technology.
What is the Difference Between an Interactive Panel and an Interactive Board?
Interactive panel and interactive board are the technologies developed to transform the classroom learning environment. However, they include some differences.
An interactive panel is a touch-enabled display, which is a complete system, whereas an interactive board is a vast surface area with limited features to teach.
On an interactive panel, you can present multimedia content, annotate them and engage actively with your students. The interactive panel encourages students’ participation and collaboration in the classroom, offering a dynamic learning environment. The panel includes dedicated software to teach, generally called board.
The interactive board enables teachers to write on the board with pen or stylus, offering a traditional blackboard experience with modern technology.
The major differences between interactive panel and interactive board are:
| Interactive Panel | Interactive Board |
| Touch-enabled | Interact with pen or stylus |
| Enriched features | Limited features |
| Expensive than an Interactive board | Cost-effective |
| Required training to operate | Easy to use |
| Multimedia classroom | Interactive text-based classroom with limited visuals |
What is the Use of an Interactive Panel in a Classroom?
The interactive panel is a feature-enriched intelligent board that helps in enhancing the learning experience for every student. Through interactive panels, teachers can take a 360-degree approach to explain the concept. In the classroom, there are multiple use cases for an interactive panel. The significant use cases of an interactive panel in classrooms include:
Here is how Senses interactive panel helpful to teacher in classroom management.
Teach Students with MultiMedia Content
Since the interactive panel enables you to teach with video content, leverage cloud knowledge, globally available data, PDF, PPT, etc., Use these multiple sources of information to deliver comprehensive knowledge to your students on any topic.
Make Classroom Engaging
It has been observed that only text-based classrooms don’t hold the attention of students for a long time. With an interactive panel, you can make your classroom engaging by integrating visual content into the lesson plan.
Promote Collaborative Learning
With the help of a multi-touch interactive panel, you can foster game-based, assessment-based learning in the classroom. The collaborative learning environment helps in developing team-building skills.
Encourage Experimental Classroom
Learning the concepts with the help of experiments allows students to keep them remembered for long periods of time. With an interactive panel, you can show the students videos related to the topic, let them interact with the simulation, and make them watch lab images in the classroom.
Manage the Classroom Content Efficiently
There was a time when you used to teach on board and erase it. But with the interactive panel, it’s not the same. You can store all the classroom sessions on the cloud or in device storage for revision, future references, and multiple use cases. For example, you can send the recorded class to parents, upload them on school management software for students ‘ learning, upload them on public platforms for the mass public, and more.
How to Choose the Right Interactive Panel for the Classroom?
#1. Know Your Budget
The crucial step in making a purchase for an interactive panel is understanding your budget. Your budget will help you identify the features you can expect, the brand you can buy, and the versions you can look for.
#2. Explore Different Panels
Now, When you know your budget, explore different interactive panels. List out their features and points which differentiate them from each other. Different interactive panels of different companies include different useful features and tools.
#3. List Needed Features
You can sit with the teachers, school admins, and stakeholders to learn which features are needed in the classroom. Some of the standard features while selecting the panel include:
- Touch-enabled Strong Display
As you’re about to install the interactive panel in a class, the display should be strong enough to survive any sudden force without any harm.
- Integrated Audio System
If the interactive panel has an integrated audio system. You won’t need to install additional audio systems in the classroom, cutting costs and making the panel more interactive.
- Expandable Storage
The storage in the interactive panel must be expandable so you can store classroom sessions, videos, images, PPTs, PDFs, textbooks, and any other learning materials without the concern of the storage becoming full.
- Voice Recognition & Hand Gesture Functions
Voice recognition and hand gestures enable the teacher to teach in the classroom smoothly by operating the panel with hand gestures and voice typing.
- AI integration
The world is rapidly changing and adapting to Artificial intelligence. The panel must have been integrated with AI features for a future-ready study in the classroom.
- Annotation on Audio-Visual Content
Annotation is a valuable feature for teaching with multimedia content. The annotation helps you annotate on PDF, PPTs, videos, images, and textbooks on screen. Using the annotation, the teacher can explain the content effectively in the classroom.
- Insert File from Device
The interactive panel’s in-built teaching software must have a feature that allows you to insert files from the device. Thus, you can prepare the learning materials in advance and use them while teaching.
- Internet connectivity and easy search on Global platforms
Another crucial feature of an interactive panel is its internet connectivity. So, you can leverage the online materials easily anytime while teaching.
Senses intelligent interactive panel (IIP) is a leading panel that includes all the above-mentioned features along with several other crucial features and tools.
#3. Consider the Size of the Panel
Different sizes of panels are available in the market. Choose the right size panel for your classroom based on your preference, class size, and the number of students you accommodate in one class. Senses interactive panel is available in different sizes including 65, 75, 86 and 98 inch.
#4. Take Physical Demonstration
Before purchasing the interactive panel, you can take its physical demo. Various electronics companies offering interactive panels provide physical demonstrations of the board at your location. With Senses, you can schedule a free demo of the interactive panel at your school and preferred location.
#5. Check Guarantee and Free Training
Last but not least, since interactive panels are a large investment and using the panel requires little training, ensure that the panel you’re finalising for your school has a guarantee and free training plans.
Conclusion
The interactive panel is an intelligent solution with several features and tools to transform the classroom learning and teaching experience for every student and teacher. The panel enables the teachers to use videos, audio, images, case studies, and several other learning sources in a classroom to deliver the lessons to the students in the best possible way.
In the market, there are various interactive panels for classrooms available. You can select a panel as per your requirements, budget and preferred features.
