Blog Post #3: The ClearTouch Display

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 ClearTouch: An Interactive Whiteboard

The ClearTouch is a type of interactive whiteboard. This type of interactive whiteboard has an interactive panel on the screen for the user to write on it. Some of the features include annotation capability, timer, stopwatch, spotlight, screenshot, and screen mirroring or casting. This interactive whiteboard looks like a television when it is off but operates like a large touch screen computer when it is on. Up to four users can write on the board at one time. Also, the board features a system called Snowflake, which allows for a certain number of students to connect to the board and share their screens at the same time. Also, this device does not require a projector since it is essentially a large touch screen computer. 

A classroom with students sitting at desks. The male teacher is standing in front of a digital ClearTouch display teaching about magma.

Analyzing the ClearTouch through the RAT Method

When adopting new technology, it is vital to truly examine the device to ensure you are not simply adopting it because it is new. Green (2014) notes “our blind acceptance and sometimes misuse of technology integration models and the emphasis we place on technology integration versus technology-enabled learning” is a problem in the profession (p. 37). The RAT Method is used to assess technology and its role in teaching and learning. Each letter stands for an area to assess the device with. The R stands for replacement. The A stands for amplification. The T stands for transformation. When analyzing the ClearTouch through this method, the replacement aspect looks at changing a traditional item with its digital counterpart. The ClearTouch itself is essentially a replacement for the chalkboard or dry erase board. At its base, the user can use this device as simply a digital whiteboard. In terms of amplification, this device amplifies the learning goals in the classroom. Since this device is similar to a large touch screen computer, the teacher can use it to enhance instruction. Students can project their screens to the device, as well as up to four people can write on the board at the same time. Also, since it is digital, it allows for students to join educational games to play on their own screen using the ClearTouch device. These features allow for a variety of instructional activities that a traditional dry erase board cannot do on its own. Since this device presents material and allows for interaction and collaboration, it does not quite transform the learning in terms of revolutionizing the learning. 

Resources

The ClearTouch website has a great resource to explore the features on a ClearTouch display. Explore the features at this link: https://www.getcleartouch.com/software-for-education/#snowflake This resource is introductory to each feature, but tells the user how to get started. 

A ClearTouch display showing 9 different screens using the Collage feature.



References

Green, L. S. (2014). Through the looking glass. Knowledge Quest, 43(1), 36–43.




Comments

  1. Jessica WootonSeptember 30, 2023 at 6:09 PM

    Hi Caroline,

    Thanks for covering ClearTouch - as I was reviewing the tech list, I was curious about that one and if it had an significant advantages or differences over typical SmartBoards and student devices such as tablets or Chromebooks.

    Your review of ClearTouch gives me the impression that ClearTouch is pretty much like a tablet or if students were using a Chromebook and the teacher was using a SmartBoard. For example, students can just as easily use a Chromebook to do all the features listed on the ClearTouch through Zoom or Google in terms of sharing their screens, etc. When I read all the features and functions ClearTouch has, I was thinking it just sounded like another version of what already exists.

    I love that you mentioned the RAT Method, as I've never heard of it before, but it's a good rule of measure to examine new tech choices and evaluate whether they're worth it. In this case, ClearTouch sounds like just a replacement of another product with similar features and no significant differentiator or advantages of existing devices. If I were applying the RAT method to ClearTouch as an educator, I'd lay it to the wayside and look elsewhere.

    Thank you for posting on this!
    Jessica Wooton

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ms. LaskowskiOctober 1, 2023 at 12:23 PM

    Hey Caroline -
    Since I'm not the one who can purchase big expensive devices like the the ClearTouch, they don't take up much space in my brain, but I have used both a Promethean board (which is similar, a giant tablet) and a SmartBoard from way back in the day. I have to say, I can't STAND my Promethean board - it's slow, the operating system is not very intuitive, and the constant issues between our district network, firewall, and the board's functional abilities causes a never ending headache. When I was in the classroom, and even sometimes now in the library, I almost always just used it as a second display.

    The ClearTouch sounds much more useful, and the ability for four people to write on it at once seems like a great advancement in touch-screen technology on this scale. Touch screens have been around a surprisingly long time, and it's always shocking to me how long it has taken for education to adopt it in all the ways it could be useful.

    I recently bought a car, and the finance office had this AMAZING desktop giant tablet, kind of like the clear touch, that allowed us to sign all of our documents digitally right on the desk. I think it would be an AMAZING tool for a classroom, and I wonder if the cost will ever be manageable for a tool like that.

    Thanks for the information on the ClearTouch - I would not have researched it on my own!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Allison LindseyOctober 1, 2023 at 8:53 PM

    After reading this post, I really wish my district would provide all of us with a ClearTouch board rather than a promethean board. I would love to be able to have students work simultaneously on a project and display good examples of student work for their peers to see as they are working on it. This would also be handy for when my students are working on something independently and I want to have an example on the board for them to refer to, but I also want to have a list of instructions on the board or a list of what rotations we are going through in math or reading centers. I also love that multiple people can write on the board at one time. This would definitely make math lessons more engaging. I wonder if there is a program out there that might give out grants for the ClearTouch board to classroom teachers or school librarians.

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