Projector vs. Smart Board: Which is Superior for Classroom Use at the College and Graduate School Level?
As technology advances, college and graduate school classrooms are becoming more dynamic, interactive, and multimedia-oriented. Very often, two technologies that have gained currency in the higher education space and that have unique benefits are projectors and smart boards. Each technology provides unique benefits, but which one is a better option for a higher education classroom? In this article we will discuss projectors and smart boards in terms of features, functionality, and educational benefits to help you decide which is best for your educational setting.
Technology's Role for College and Graduate School Classrooms
Technology is taking on an increasingly important role in college and graduate school classrooms to increase student engagement, encourage collaboration and present complex content in a more user-friendly way. Instructors need technology that can visually present information, engage students to interact, and offer a host of multimedia content. Projectors and smart boards both can do this, but in their own unique way.
Before diving into comparing projectors and smart board, let's first discuss what each of these technologies provide content creation, display and interaction in the context of instructional needs.
What is a Projector?
A projector is a device that takes images, videos, or presentations and projects (shines) the content onto a screen or wall. Projectors come in multiple types (for example, traditional or lamp-based projectors, laser projectors, 4K projectors, etc). Projectors are commonly used in college classrooms and lecture halls because they create large, clear images that can be viewed from any seat in the classroom.
Benefits of Projectors:
• Large display size fit for large use in lecture halls
• Easy to use with laptops, tablets, etc.
• High brightness and resolution for clear visibility of content
• Portable and set-up is easy
• Can project different types of media, like presentations, video, images, live content, etc.
What is a Smart Board?
A smart board (aka interactive white board) is a large touch screen that lets the users interact directly with what is shown onscreen. Smart boards combine the functionalities of a classic whiteboard and a touch-screen tablet to write, draw, annotate, etc. Smart boards usually have educational software embedded into the smart board or allow for connection to the internet. Smart boards are great multi-purpose for the classroom.
Notable Attributes of Smart Board:
• Interactive screen for writing, drawing, and collaborating with content
• Facilitates interactive lessons and collaboration in real time
• Built-in tools (digital whiteboards, annotating options, and media controls)
• Often includes built-in educational software
• Internet connection for real-time searches, video, and cloud storage
Contrasting Projectors and Smart Boards: Key Considerations
In considering which is more beneficial for college and graduate school classrooms, we will compare projectors and smart boards across several areas of importance:
1. Size and Visibility of the Display
Projectors: Projectors have the clear advantage regarding display size. Projectors can project images large enough for students to see easily from any vantage point in a large lecture hall or classroom. This is ideal for presenters who must be in front of a large group of students such as during traditional university lectures or seminars.
Smart Boards: Smart boards are typically fixed in size (within 55 inches to 86 inches) and may not be visible to students in larger classrooms. They are ideal within smaller classrooms or smaller seminar type rooms but may not be as effective as a projector in larger classrooms concerns of display size and visibility.
Winner: Projector, ability to up-scale the display in larger rooms..
2. Interaction and Collaboration
Projectors: Standalone projectors do not provide interaction capabilities. However, with the addition of interactive projectors to collaboration software, projectors can support a degree of interaction, such as moving objects to annotate on slides or sharing a screen share from students on their device.
Smart Boards: This area, smart boards dominate with their advanced interaction offers where multiple users can all use a board at the same time to interact with content, such as writing, drawing, and annotating directly on the board, is better adapted to interactive, collaborative, learning approaches. Smart boards work particularly well in graduate- level seminars, discussion processes between groups or individuals, group analysis or projects, brainstorming or problem solving.
Winner: Smart Boards for their rich interaction potential for users and as collaboration supports.
3. Ease of Use and Set Up
Projectors: Most projectors are portable and quite easy to operate and set up as they have limited set up and configuration. Once a laptop is plugged into the projector, you are generally ready to go quickly. They are often the least complicated and digestible media for students (even the graduate students). Projectors can work with just about any media sources or digital devices (instructors typically still prefer their laptop to share).
Smart Boards: Smart boards require a more permanent setup, installation, and operating software that all users will have to take time to learn to use; it usually is very different than how a project works. While Smart Boards can offer advanced features, set up, configuration, and learning the software takes longer than from projector presentation. Professors figure they may require additional training to make full use of all the boards features and using it effectively for each session.
Winner: Projectors for portability, simplicity, and low configuration..
4. Cost
Projectors: Budget-friendly projectors can start at about $300. High-end models with 4K resolution, or with laser technology, can exceed $1,500 in cost. A potentially attractive price for universities is that they can purchase several projectors for the cost of a single smart board — particularly useful for equipping multiple classrooms or lecture halls.
Smart Boards: Smart boards tend to be significantly more expensive. With larger boards priced in the $1,000-$5,000 range, upgrades or other features can easily push the prices even higher. Maintenance issues or software updates can add significantly to your cost of ownership, as well. In many cases, budgetary constraints will deter colleges and universities from pursuing a smart board or too many smart boards for the teaching space.
Winner: Projectors, due to the lower costs both up front and on an ongoing maintenance basis.
5. Flexibility and Portability
Projectors: Projectors are highly portable and professors who are moving between classrooms or lecture halls would likely prefer a projector! They are easily transported and they can be set up virtually anywhere — as long as you have something to project onto.
Smart Boards: Smart boards are generally secured to the wall. Therefore, their flexibility is limited. Whereas smart boards offer a lot of functionality when used in one location, they cannot be moved very easily between rooms to have the same functionality.
Winner: Projectors for their flexibility and portability..
6. Best Use Cases in Higher Education
Projectors: Projectors serve well in large lecture halls, where visibility is critical. Projectors are also a good fit for presentations, videos, or any multimedia content, making them a useful option for conventional teaching situations. They can be particularly nice for professors who value flexibility and portability, since it allows them to use the same projector in multiple classrooms.
Smart Boards: Educators objectives and students' experience are served most effectively by Smart boards in small to medium-sized classrooms, where interactivity and collaboration are key to the learning experience. Smart boards are valuable in small classrooms in graduate seminars, workshops, and courses that actively promote student engagement through hands-on student-centered learning experiences, group discussions, and real-time problem solving. They are ideal for subject matters where dynamic student-led lessons and collaborative character are planed, e.g, business, design, or STEM (science & technology, engineering, and mixed sciences).
Conclusion: Which Technology is Best for Your Classroom?
Ultimately, the decision regarding projectors versus smart boards is primarily influenced by the needs of your classroom.
• If you are looking for an inexpensive and versatile option that allows for display at a large scale, then projectors are the solution for you. Projectors are useful for conventional lectures, in larger classrooms, or any environment in which distance visibility is required. Their portability and ease of setup make them a viable option for professors who may use a variety of classrooms.
• Alternatively, choose a smart board for priority interactive and collaborative purposes. In smaller classrooms constructed, seminar-style, where active engagement is a priority, smart boards may be a better option in terms of interactive, hands-on learning experiences. Smart boards are rewarding options regarding interaction, discussion, and problem-solving.
• Similar to many situations, universities may find that the value of each technology (projectors, smart boards) is greater than one or the other, reflecting classroom size and teaching style. Projectors are most likely an appropriate use for large lecture halls; whereas smart boards transition classroom spaces into active learning or collaborative spaces.
