Teaching literacy in primary schools using an interactive whole-class technology: facilitating student-to-student whole-class dialogic interactions

Abstract

Much of the research conducted on the use of interactive whole-class technologies in primary school classroom focuses on teacher-to-student interactions. This paper, drawing on a social theory of learning, reports on a qualitative case study undertaken with two primary school classes in one school in New South Wales, Australia where the interactive whiteboard (IWB) was used. Here the focus of the lessons was on literacy where students were learning to write reviews. The results of the study demonstrate that the use of the IWB can provide for learning in a whole-class setting where interactions between students feature. Consequently, the teacher is able to take on a facilitator’s role.