DIY Whiteboards and Document Cameras

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Man writing on whiteboard
Photo by Campaign Creators on Unsplash

Many of us use whiteboards when we’re teaching, but the synchronous online teaching has required us to find new solutions to working in familiar ways. In this teaching tip we’ll look at a few of different ways you can keep hand-writing diagrams or solutions the way you would usually in a classroom. Choose the approach or approaches that best match your teaching style.

Best Pratices

We recommend if you’re looking to DIY a whiteboard or document camera that you:

  • Consider the distance between your whiteboard and the camera facing it – greater distance means poorer image quality;
  • Consider the lighting in the space – improve lighting with some lamps;
  • Consider the size and darkness of your writing – a pencil may not be as visible as a sharpie, and a thicker whiteboard marker would be better. (We recommend these refillable ones).

Jess Wilkinson

Jesslyn is an Educational Technology Consultant at Conestoga. An Ontario Certified Teacher, and holding a M. Ed. and B.Ed., Jesslyn researches and promotes new technologies for faculty to enhance pedagogical practices. She brings to the role her experience as a Google and Microsoft certified technology trainer and as a classroom teacher in South Korea, Mongolia, and Ontario, focusing on special education and assistive learning technologies. She is available for workshops, consultations, and support with using technology in higher education contexts.