Taking My Boogie Board to Class...

Hi Everyone,

Now that I have joined the “twitterverse”, I have found all sorts of random people that I am following.  One of them is Nathan Fillion (who for me was AMAZING in the sci-fi series "Firefly" and "Serenity"), but some of you may know him from the current television series "Castle".  He actually tweeted about a new form of technology that can be used in the classroom, and surprisingly enough he mentioned Canadian Schools.

When I clicked on the link he provided in his tweet, it brought me to this website:

http://www.improvelectronics.com/us/en/boogie-board-LCD-writing-tablet/boogie-board-8-LCD-writing-tablet.html

At first, I wasn't really sure what to make of it, but on further investigation I found that this is a simplified tablet capable of making notes and sketches using a diagonal screen size of 8.5 inches.  Think of it as a fancy "Etch-a-Sketch".  What really piqued my interest was that the Boogie Board is only $39.95, which is a reasonable cost for most school boards.  Also, the shell (or outer case) of the Board can be customized into nine colours (which is sure to be a hit with students).   The company also offers a larger version which is 10.5 inches in diagonal length, but I believe that the 8.5 inch version is suitable for most students.  Being an elementary school teacher, I can immediately see some uses for this type of technology in the classroom.  Students can practice their printing and handwriting, sketch solutions and diagrams to mathematics problems, and even use the Board as a fancy "to-do" list (beneficial for students who have trouble keeping track of tasks and assignments).  

The 8.5" Boogie Board in Cyan

The company touts a 40% reduction in classroom paper use and expense, and although I am dubious to this amount of a reduction, I can agree that paper use would be cut down significantly in a classroom.  I also like that the company offers a version that an be attached to a 3-ring binder, which makes it all the more practical for students.

While I don't think that the Boogie Board will replace sticky-notes and paper completely, I can see this technology being very engaging for students in the classroom.  Being able to have something "cool" and hi-tech is sure to be a selling feature for students, and the relatively low cost should make this appealing to teachers and administrators.  I am sufficiently impressed with the Boogie Board that I will be making a proposal to my school administration to buy a few units and try them out in our school.  If successful, I can see no reason why a class set of the Boards should not be purchased.

And to think, all of this inspiration came from a sci-fi actor.

Thanks for reading!

Sasha:)

For more information on Nathan Fillion visit: Nathan Fillion (wikipedia)

If you are curious about Firefly take a look at: Firefly (wikipedia)

And finally, if you are interested in reading more about the Boogie Board please visit: Boogie Boards (PRWeb Article)