I set the slate down and picked up my iPad to write down some of my thoughts and immediately thought the iPad would make a great slate product.  Being touch based and having a real display would solve the issues I was having with the other slate products.  I did not want to have to connect the iPad to a VGA cable and be tethered to the front of the room so I looked for a VNC application that would allow the iPad to control my MacBook Pro.  I downloaded the RealVNC VNC Viewer app ($9.99).  Because I was on a Mac I was able to use the built in screen sharing app after enabling screen sharing inside of sharing in system preferences.  For Windows machines I download the free RealVNC Server to make the connection.  After setting up the host computer and verifying that VNC was running, I made the connection by entering the host name or IP address and password in the VNC Viewer app on the iPad.

The VNC Viewer app behaves like VNC or Remote Desktop on a computer giving an image of your computer screen and full control of the keyboard and mouse functions.  The biggest issue I ran into was remembering that my touch was controlling the cursor on the computer just like I would use a trackpad on a laptop.  So, if my cursor is in the upper right corner of the screen and I want to click on a hyperlink in the lower left I can not just touch the hyperlink.  I have to use the touch screen like a trackpad to move the cursor of the the hyperlink and then double tap to follow the link.  This took a little getting used to but after using it for a few minutes I began to like it.  Another challenge is with multiple screens.  If you have your computer setup in a dual display configuration the VNC Viewer on the iPad will move between the displays as you drag the cursor.  It is actually a very slick implementation but it makes it harder to control from the iPad.  A final issue is writing on the iPad.  Because you are controlling the cursor and not interacting directly with the touch interface it is difficult to write.  It is usable for quick notes or for highlighting text but not for heavy writing or drawing.

I have used this setup in the classroom and it has really freed me from my computer and the front of the room.  I appreciate being able to keep my focus on the class and still see what they are seeing from the projector.  It has also been very helpful to be able to jump online and have full use of my computer without having to go back the desk.  I am confident that the iPad with a VNC connection to a computer will help teachers to be more mobile.  It will give them Smart Podium type interactivity for a fraction of the cost and with increased mobility.

The first product we were able to demo in house was the PolyVision Eno Click.  The eno was delivered by a PolyVision sales rep who went above and beyond in coming to our school to setup the demo and spending the afternoon helping me understand how to use the hardware.  He also spent a great deal of time talking about the different software options such as RM Easiteach and Wiz Teach.

The eno click is very easy to install and setup.  The board has large magnets in each corner and can be installed without any tools over a magnetic whiteboard.  There is no wiring needed to setup the board.  The pen connects with the host computer via bluetooth.  It took us about 5 minutes to get the pen to sync with OS X.  I had download the software and drivers from the PolyVision site prior to the setup so once we got bluetooth working we were able to get right to work.  The calibration of the board took another minute and we were ready to go. Another big positive of the board is that it is designed to be written on with standard dry erase makers and can be used just like a regular white board.

If you stopped here with the review you would think I was ready to go out and purchase these for every classroom in the school.  We did not do that, for a couple of reasons.  The biggest issue with the board was writing on it with the interactive pen.  It just did not feel natural and even after using it for a week and did not feel any better about it.  I do not see that it is a great tool for writing on the board.  The other big issue was that teachers would still have to have their backs turned to students to work with the board.  We also tested the eno mini slate but I found that to be very difficult to use because you can see what you are writing on.  Another issue for me was the requirement of the pen.  I have grown found of the touch response of the iPad and want an IWB that gives us similar functionality.

I do not see the PolyVision Eno Click as a bad product.  It does what it was designed to do well.  In a high school classroom I do not see the educational benefit of the eno.

We have decided to revisit this area again this summer.  I have spent some time doing research and am in the midst of testing various products.  As we progress in our evaluations I will keep you up-to-date on what we like and what we don’t.  If you’ve had successes or failures with IWBs or have a product you think we should evaluate let me know in the comments.