As technology develops, academic institutions are implementing new ways to teach students of all ages. One of those technologies is the SMARTboard. In the past, teachers used chalk or whiteboard markers to teach students. Today, more schools are installing SMARTboards. They are interactive whiteboards that allow teachers to save written notes to files on their computers. They also allow teachers to use their fingers to control and display Windows and Mac applications. All of this data is projected onto the wall for students to see.
Touch screen technology is different from SMARTboard technology. When using a touch screen device, teachers (and others) are controlling an electronic device by pressing buttons on the device's screen. For example, schools that use iPads and other tablet computers are using touch screen devices. Touch screen technology is more commonly associated with PDAs and cell phones that can be controlled by touching the screen.
When controlling a SMARTboard, you do not actually press buttons on the computer's monitor. If the computer connected to the SMARTboard was controllable by pressing buttons on the computer monitor, it could accurately be called a "touch screen" device. When you touch the screen of a SMARTboard, you are actually touching an interactive projector that is connected to a computer. When using a touch screen device, you actually control the device by pressing buttons on the monitor.
A second key difference is size. SMARTboards are designed for a large number of people to view data on a screen, but touch screen devices are often smaller and designed for hand-held use. For example, cell phones, PDAs and computer tablets are designed for hand-held use.
SMARTboards are specifically designed for use in an academic setting such as a classroom or school library. Touch screen devices are generally not designed for this purpose. Because touch screen devices are commonly associated with cell phones, PDAs and other smaller electronic devices, they are meant for personal use.