SMART Table Revolutionizes 21st Century Learning

The SMART table is a revolutionary way of ‘hands on learning’ - literally. 

The SMART table is a table in which a computer has been embedded. By combining this with a multi-touch screen on the top of the device, the SMART Table is a fully inclusive group-based learning system, aimed for kids from pre-k to grade 3. The multi-touch interactive system is what puts this device ahead of other devices.

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The interactive system allows more than one person to use the device at a single time. For example, one of the programs, Paint, allows up to four people to use all ten of their fingers at the same time to draw lines of varying thicknesses. All of this is done on a desk sized table containing a computer, projector and a camera.

This 21^st Century teaching tool allows the students to interact and contribute collaboratively. For example, a program, called Addition, teaches problem-solving skills, basic addition, and the importance of team work by proposing a problem, say 23-2=___, and having the students use their fingers to count to the answer, 21. Because people only have 10 fingers, this problem requires 3 people to collaborate and solve the problem, whether with 10+10+1 fingers or 7+7+7… 

The table requires almost no setup, so is a great choice for the teacher just starting to integrate technologies into their classroom. It also makes a great addition to a classroom that is already using other SMART products, like a SMART Board. The Table can output to a projector, so the teacher can take a SMART Table activity and project it to a SMART Board, allowing for a demonstration of a Table activity that can be viewed by the entire class.

The SMART Table is a great example of infusing technology into the classroom, and makes a great addition to the modern learning environment.

Mike Buck - Ernest Manning School