Positive and negative aspects of the IWB and tablet computers in the first grade of primary school: a multiple-perspective approach

Abstract

The aim of this qualitative study was to evaluate the positive and negative aspects of the interactive whiteboard (IWB) and tablet computers use in the first grade of primary school from the perspectives of three groups of evaluators, namely the teachers, the pupils and an independent observer. The sample included three first grade classes with children aged from six to seven years. The educational software used by teachers included the electronic form of textbooks and workbooks for different subjects. These data were collected during the period of six months through the teachers' and an independent observer's observations and the semi-structured interviews with pupils. Based on the content analysis of the teachers' and pupils' answers, several positive and negative aspects of the IWB (positive aspects included a dynamic display of the content, pupils' attention and motivation; negative aspects included technical difficulties, a frontal way of teaching) and tablet computers (positive aspects included pupils' motivation and persistence, the immediate feedback; negative aspects included technical problems, teacher's lesser control over pupils' work) were identified.