The influence of smart board technology on student engagement in and perception of classroom activities

Abstract

There is no doubt that technology has become a common element in the education system. Therefore, the amount of studies has expanded significantly in the context of implementation of new technological tools. One relatively new piece of technical equipment that is rapidly being deployed in schools as an aid to teachers is the Smart Board (SB). There are some studies covering the subject such as advantages and disadvantages of the SB, the influence of SB's on student motivation, and the use of SB's in teaching content courses such as geography. Nevertheless, there has been no specific research on the subject of SB utilisation in foreign language classrooms. This study investigates the influence of SB technology on student engagement in and their perception of classroom activities. This research paper looks at the differences between first grade and fifth grade students' on-task and off-task behaviours during 40-minute English language lessons that either utilised SB or did not. Student perceptions were measured by means of a questionnaire. Momentary time-sampling was implemented throughout the research process. The research sample was composed of 38 students at Yonelt College in Mugla, Turkey. The results of the questionnaire and momentary time-sampling show that SBs maximise student engagement and enhance active participation in the foreign language classroom. This study reveals that the integration of SB technology increases first grade students' o n task- behaviour significantly more than fifth grade students'.