The Benefits and Drawbacks of Interactive Whiteboard in Preschools: A Review of the Literature

Abstract

The integration of interactive whiteboards in the education system has created a huge impact on classroom instruction, with preschool education also affected by the emergence of this technology. This paper provides a systematic literature review based on published evidences about the benefits and drawbacks of the interactive whiteboard in preschool settings. The findings of this study show that the interactive whiteboard is beneficial to children as it enhances their motivation to learn, assists in the development of their conceptual understanding, provides variety in the learning environment, and supports collaborative learning. Teachers also benefit from the use of this innovation. Besides improvement in the quality of pedagogy, administrative tasks are also made easier. Nevertheless, the integration of the interactive whiteboard comes with some drawbacks. The whiteboard is not child-friendly and children are often allowed only limited access to this costly equipment.