Smart boards, can be useful in classrooms because they allow for teachers to project what they are typing from the computer to the board. Smart boards are being used as alternatives to chalk boards in many elementary schools, colleges, and high schools. Smart boards are referred to as interactive chalk boards. The smart board works by: using a computer and a projector through a USB or satellite cable. There is a projector attached to the computer that puts the desktop onto the screen, it then allows input from a finger or a pen tool and projects it onto the board. Text can also be changed by mouse clicks or converted to digital ink. Smart boards use programs such as sycrhoneyes that allow teachers to connect to the students computer to see what the students are doing and make sure they are only using their computer to do school related work, while synched to the students the teachers can control the students computer they can change settings, write things to the student, send and receive documents and even turn off the students computer. Smart boards are excellent tools especially in high school classrooms, we used all smart boards in my high school and every student had a lap top. This was a very helpful and efficient work method for me. I think smart boards are great tools to use in the classroom and they are great tools for teaching. More information can be found at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMART_Board_interactive_whiteboard