If there were, instead of a slate blackboard, a similarly shaped sheet of E-Ink or Gyricon (go to e-ink and Xerox PARC respectivly for more info on these), a teacher could write on it via a touch sensitive tablet inbedded in their desk. This would allow for several things. One, the teacher could look at the students while writing, something I've noticed to be a real disadvantage to standard black and dry-erase boards. Two, it would allow for several input methods. A teacher could write with a stylus, or type, or paste images or even videos onto the display.

The most beneficial feature, however, would be the ability to store and retrieve data. If a classroom had an english class first period, a social studies class second period and the same english class third period, data such as the homework assignments and notes could be stored from first period, or even written years earlier, and retrieved for third period, while the board would be available to the social studies teacher. It would also be much easier to make compelling presentations to the class, including images along with lectures, and even videos or sound bites.
-- oooga, Nov 21 2000

Mimio http://www.mimio.com/meet/
Here's one that uses special (multicolor) pen holders [reensure, Nov 21 2000]

high-end whiteboards http://www.halfbake...h-end_20whiteboards
Because PeterSealy is a lazy dork, I make fun of him in the description for the link he should have added. [egnor, Nov 21 2000, last modified Oct 04 2004]

eClass (formerly Classroom 2000) http://www.cc.gatec...e/eclass/index.html
Georgia Tech investigation of this kind of thing: Students, Teacher are networked; includes networked white board, as well as other individual and group display spaces. [jutta, Nov 21 2000]

Interactive whiteboard http://www.smartboard.co.uk/
Like these? They rock, we have some at work :) [Seaneeboy, Oct 04 2004]

They have two at my school. Baked.
-- smokeyjohnson, Aug 18 2002


Hook me up! Can I have one?!?! Except can mine cover my entire wall? Shoot, for that matter can I get them to cover all the walls in my classroom?! Of course some sort of protectivce covering would be nice so that the kids don't jack'em up. Of course, I would also like the option of being able to write on them with a stylus, sort of like the waacom tablets.
-- mulligans_cwc, Jan 29 2003



random, halfbakery