Accomplish interactive teaching with viewsonics viewboard Pen Display

I will be the first to admit technology isn’t my thing. Over the years, the amount of opportunities my students have had to play “teacher of technology” would definitely get me a professional development credit bump on the pay-scale. What’s tricky about this though– technology can make such a difference in the accessibility of curriculum, types of resources available, and authentic learning opportunities for all students, but especially in special education.

Going into next year as a self-contained behavior teacher has had my head spinning. Not only do all my students qualify in social-emotional and academics, they also have occupational therapy goals. In my previous setting, finding ways to align their occupational therapy services in an authentic way within the resource room and general education classrooms was challenging. Shoutout to ViewSonic for supporting my students and I through creating a solution for this problem!

When you try out a product, I swear you can feel the thought that goes into making it. ViewSonic’s ViewBoard Pen Display is a teachers interactive dream. I can’t tell you how many times my students are working on the computer and I walk over and they close out tabs of websites that are apparently blocked… and they are totally off-task. With the ViewBoard, you’re in control of exactly what they’re working on… and they don’t have access to do anything else. You drag over the worksheet or website and they can navigate the dragged over screen only. It’s honestly genius. The pen, which is battery free, is strategically designed to give an authentic writing experience– it feels like actual paper and pen. The best part? It’s incredibly simple to set up and even easier to use. It’s simple. It’s simple technology that meets the needs of students and teachers through it’s high standards of visual display and product design. No joke, I pre-asked my boyfriends dad to help me set it up. After receiving it, I was able to do it myself… this never happens.

I plan on using this in my classroom a few different ways. The first, collaborating with their occupational therapist on their writing goals and finding resources for them to spend daily time practicing. This may be a letter worksheet, connecting the dots, or drawing. For kiddos who struggle with behavior, I’ve found that using technology over paper can be a simple way to increase their work production and engagement. Secondly, by providing my paraeducators with an additional way to deliver instruction that includes interactive activities within the display board. This might look like expanding sentences and passing the pen to the students or solving math equations. It doubles our access to interactive presentations. We now have a source for small group and whole group. Thirdly (and selfishly), i’ll be using it for TpT worksheet design and drawing… it works flawlessly with powerpoint and photoshop. You guys, it seriously rocks!

I am so excited to incorporate ViewSonic’s Viewboard Pen Display into my classroom. This piece of technology is going to make generalization of their skills easier, more authentic, while engaging their brains at the same time. I highly recommend looking into a Viewboard for yourself… but at the least sending it to your admin if it’s you could see yourself incorporating this into your classroom. I’ll follow up throughout the year on how I’m using it! Can’t wait!

Get 15% off at ViewSonic with code: BACKTOSCHOOL

with kindness | ashley