Using online interactive whiteboards for teaching

Drawp Unlimited (Rashidha, Aishath Mohd Didi)

Blank canvas will help kids express themselves creatively

Bottom line: This handy tool encourages collaboration and creative expression, and it makes sharing assignments and giving feedback a snap for teachers.

Grades: Pre-K–12 Price: Free to try, Paid

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AWW - A Web Whiteboard (Nuzuha, Ali Mugeem)

Functional, affordable interactive whiteboard

Bottom line: Free access is simple, while the subscription version gives teachers what they need for a basic web-based whiteboard experience.

Grades: 1–12 Price: Free, Paid

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Educreations (Inasha, Aisha Nafa)

Enliven lessons and presentations with easy-to-use whiteboard tool

Bottom line: An easy, functional way to create presentations on the fly.

Grades: 3–12 Price: Free

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Explain Everything Whiteboard(Mohd Ismail, Aisha Niyaza)

Powerhouse tool for creating stellar multimedia presentations

Bottom line: Teachers and students can make dynamic presentations that involve different types of media in this innovative, fun app.

Grades: 3–12 Price: Free to try, Paid

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Jamboard(Moh Muaddu)

Versatile whiteboard app integrates with Google Suite

Bottom line: Great addition to Google classrooms but can be used by anyone.

Grades: 4–12 Price: Free

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Stormboard(Dheena, Ibrahim Ramiz)

Collaborate, brainstorm in real time with easy-to-use online whiteboard

Bottom line: A versatile, full-featured online brainstorming collaboration tool that can facilitate small-group projects.

Grades: 5–12 Price: Free, Free to try, Paid

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Doceri Interactive Whiteboard(Nazeela, Raviya)

Interactive whiteboard app for designing and recording presentations

Bottom line: Teachers and students can spice up presentations and demonstrate processes and problem-solving skills with this well-designed tool.

Grades: 6–12 Price: Free, Paid

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Explee(Niuma, Ahmed Shafeeq)

Build slick, engaging whiteboard animations with Web-based tool

Bottom line: A stellar -- if somewhat pricey -- creation tool for the classroom.

Grades: 6–12 Price: Free, Paid

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Splashtop Classroom(Samahath, Aanisa)

Collaboration tool lets kids annotate and share from their own devices

Bottom line: A good tool for annotation and collaboration in the 1-to-1 or BYOD classroom.

1. Twiddla (http://www.twiddla.com): (Shakeeba)

Inviting others to collaborate on Twiddla was quick and easy – just hit the green GO button to start a session and use the Invite option (towards the upper right hand corner of the screen). This app provides a great set of tools. You can easily add an image, web page, or document as a background to markup. There is a color palette tool, pen width tool, a shapes tool, and text can be inserted. There is even a “browse” option so that links in your background image can be clicked on, which was pretty unique. Not only is there a chat option built in, but there's even free audio conferencing capability! Twiddla is very impressive and belongs at the top of the list of apps to consider if you need a tool like this.

2. Megascopes' Whiteboard (http://whiteboard.megascopes.com): (Shifaah, Wajidha)

Megascopes.com is a unique site that is all about the exchange of ideas. There is much more to it than just this whiteboard application (but that's the focus of this post so that's what is discussed here). When you open the whiteboard application, click on the “Request a private session” link (under where it says “Session: public [2]” in big letters). This will open a private session, where you will now see a link (where the “Request a private session” link had been) that can be emailed to someone that you wish to collaborate with. I tested it and it was simple and fast. This is a simple whiteboard providing a pencil with different colors and widths and an eraser and not much more, but it is easy to use and does not require users to create an account. There is some additional functionality associated with the whiteboard (the ‘persist' and ‘post' features for example) that are worth investigating further if you are considering using the tool frequently.

3. Groupboard (http://www.groupboard.com): (Suha, Hassan Ibrahim)

Groupboard offers a wide range of functionality, including free use by clicking here (you need the right version of Java or html5/ajax installed, I apparently did not, and chose not to pursue this further). Groupboard struck me as being geared more strongly towards paid use, with the free option more of a tempter than something you would want to use regularly. One significant feature of Groupboard is the ability to embed your board in other apps, including smart phones and tablets (one part of the front page says it works with the iPad, iPhone, and Android with no plug-ins required, but then there are buttons to download the app from the Apple Store of Google Play, which seemed contradictory). A scan of the other levels of application functionality on the front page make Groupboard appear worthy of further consideration if you want to get more advanced and scale up use of a tool like this over time.

4. Scribblar (http://scribblar.com): (Zahura)

Scribblar is a nice tool for collaborating. You do need to sign up in order to use it. You can easily invite others to participate, and there are plenty of useful tools for drawing and editing. You can also chat or use voice to communicate with each other. You can save images (use the Snapshot icon, which will save images to the Assets pane, from which they can be downloaded). Scribblar is another good free collaborative IWB to check out.

5. ScribLink (http://www.scriblink.com): (Rauna, Sodhiga)

When I went to run Scriblink, it gave a notice that Java 1.5 was required, and that a corporate firewall might be blocking it. I assume it is still functional and that I could probably get it to wor, but with good options like those above available, I wasn't compelled to put much more effort into it. I did have various issues with it when I tried it in 2010, and came away feeling uncomfortable recommending it (if anyone uses this app and can advise otherwise, please comment.)

1. Miro (Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android) for formal presentation of your whiteboard (Raoofa, Abbas)

2. Stormboard (Web) for creating multiple whiteboards in a single brainstorming session (Asiya)

3. IPEVO Annotator (macOS, iOS, Windows, Android) for annotating live presentations (Ibrahim Adam)

4. Limnu (Web, Android, iOS) for a realistic whiteboard experience (Faheema)

5. InVision Freehand (Web, Android, iOS) for annotating design files with a team (Shirmeen)

6. AWW (Web) for embedding a live whiteboard on a web page (Nikaya)

7. Sketchboard (Web) for saving and organizing multiple, unrelated whiteboards (Hussain Ali)

8. Conceptboard (Web) for large, complex whiteboards (Dawood)

9. Explain Everything (Web, iOS, Android, ChromeOS) for creating whiteboard videos (Hana)

10. Whiteboard Fox (Web) for quick, informal whiteboard sessions (Mohd Ibrahim)

11. MURAL (Web) for remote, multi-member team meetings (Nasira)