Whether you’re considering a single interactive whiteboard, several of them, or a district-wide installation, several key factors will help make your integration a success.

Single-product installation

Keep these factors in mind where one educator is the key user:

• Provide professional development prior to install
• Ensure that there will be a technology coordinator or some kind of IT support, as well as ongoing professional development to sustain the use of the product
• Give the teacher opportunity to share experiences with other teachers
• Encourage the teacher to maintain a diary of successful strategies and activities
• Commit to the technology by incorporating it into each lesson
• Arrange, if possible, for two dedicated users so they can provide feedback to one another

Keep these factors in mind where educators use the technology in a shared environment:

• Provide professional development prior to install
• Hold brainstorming sessions with teachers for ideas on how to use the technology
• Enable the technology specialist or curriculum-integration advisor in charge of the shared area to teach specialized courses and guide classroom teachers
• Schedule regular feedback sessions for teachers using the technology to share ideas and success stories

Multiple-product installation

• Provide professional development prior to install
• Hold brainstorming sessions with teachers for ideas on how to apply the technology
• Consider installing the technology in clusters, such as in classrooms of teachers of the same grade level or subject so they can more easily compare techniques and share resources
• Encourage teachers to share their experiences with others using the technology, whether they are in the same or different school