Interactive Projectors Offer Fun Ways to Learn

December 3, 2021

Academics

GNS

With technology constantly evolving so have the school projectors, and GNS currently has four interactive EPSON BrightLink projectors installed in classrooms, with additional units set to be up at the end of winter break.

These updated projectors have given many teachers opportunities to ease the flow of learning in their prospective subjects.

At the Pemberton Woods campus, two of the interactive projectors are currently being used in the Math Department, with one in the Senior School and one in the Middle School.

“The reason we decided to install them in the mathematics classrooms is because they do not require proprietary software to operate, giving us a full range of software options to use. They are brighter with a higher resolution so the students can see them clearly from the back of the classroom,” explained Mr. Pat Giommi, IB Maths and Mathematics Co-Head of Department.

The projectors mirror a computer screen on a regular whiteboard, as well as offering a multitude of features including changing colours, saving work, and video, as opposed to older projectors with more limitations.

“In terms of instruction it’s a bit of a game changer,” said Mr. Giommi. “In the past you would always have to lose something in between the interface and the projector, or the whiteboard. These interactive projectors give us all the functionality of our laptops while leveraging its built-in features. The students are able to use it just like an Apple Pencil. It’s that easy.”

The Beach Drive Campus houses the other two interactive projectors, in the gym and in Blokker House.

Mr. Benjy Brooks, Physical Education, said the projector has been really useful in showing students at the Junior School paths and progress they have made.

“My favourite part is that you can just turn on the screen and write on the wall in case you don’t have something on your computer prepared,” he said. “Then you can do a split screen, where you have an image on one side and writing on the next.

He said the ability to have a split screen really allows the students to form a reflection when watching videos of how to play a sport or game. As well, it’s user friendly, and students can come up and write on the wall to ask questions or share thoughts.

“For a reflection, I can put targets up, and ask the students where they think they are at,” Mr. Brooks explained. “We are doing balances right now, so where do you think you are now in the target, then they put their mark at the target—it’s super easy for them. You can do it at the beginning and the end of the units, and hopefully there is some change and growth.”

There are scores of other ways the projectors can be used from highlighting video to file sharing. At GNS, learning and teaching are evolving with the technology.