SMART Technologies announces that an important, long-term study, commissioned by the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta), has concluded that interactive whiteboards have a positive impact on primary school students in Math, Science and English. The results showed that many students progressed more quickly if they consistently used interactive whiteboards for an extended period of time. For example, over two years, math students in grades three "six (referred to in report as Key Stage 2) made additional gains of 2.5 to 5 months" progress. Teachers' use of interactive whiteboards was also evaluated, and researchers noted that over time, teaching practices evolved to make the most of the interactive whiteboard's features.

Some of the key findings from the research include the following:

* In sixth-grade science, most students made greater progress with two years' exposure to interactive whiteboards. Some students made as much as 7.5 months' additional progress

 * In sixth-grade writing, some students made 2.5 months' additional progress with two years' exposure to interactive whiteboards

* Teachers reported that using interactive whiteboards positively impacted lesson preparation time, student assessment and student learning outcomes

The United Kingdom has the highest classroom adoption of interactive whiteboards. An estimated 100 percent of primary schools and 98 percent of secondary schools have at least one interactive whiteboard. Overall adoption in all UK primary and secondary classrooms is estimated to have surpassed 55 percent as at 2007.

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