IWBs are digital tools that transform traditional chalkboards into dynamic learning hubs. The key difference between an IWB and a traditional digital projector screen is that you can see what the user is inputting even when the application doesn’t have an on-screen cursor.

This feature transforms BrainHQ training in five important ways:

1. Observers have more time to compare user inputs with the correct responses. Observers watching somebody else training via a digital projector screen only have milliseconds to see user responses before correct responses are shown. This simple feature makes it much easier for teachers to demonstrate how each exercise works, which is also helpful for staff training sessions.

2. The extra time between user response and correct response gives mentors more time to process where errors are occurring so that they can help to rectify accordingly.     

3. Some users need more time to understand how certain exercises work and there is a risk that they give up before they have become familiar with them. This is especially the case with users who may have special learning needs and/or disabilities, who are likely to benefit more if they persevere. Teachers are now working individually with these students using the IWB whilst other students are training on individual tablets or laptops.

4. Younger children, in particular, enjoy the greater physical movement required when selecting responses on IWBs. For this reason, many teachers are rewarding students who perform well one day with the opportunity to train using the IWB the next day.

5. This point is not directly related to training in classrooms but it does help the ENHANCE Programme to reach more classrooms. Demonstrating BrainHQ on large IWBs at education exhibitions, conferences and tradeshows attracts much interest and delegates can’t resist queueing up to complete an exercise. After learning more about the neuroscience involved, the evidence base and high profile clients, it is helping to introduce this new development tool to more schools, staff and students. All credit for this marketing activity goes to the teachers whose creativity and collaboration are helping more people to benefit from enhanced brain health. 

BrainHQ demonstrations are already very engaging. However, the physical dimension of IWBs adds another dimension (sic) to this. It opens up the conversation about embodied cognition and an emerging view that cognitive processes are rooted in the body’s interactions with the world. 

Visual stimuli play a pivotal role in the learning process. When BrainHQ exercises are projected onto large interactive screens, the experience becomes immersive. The vibrant colours, dynamic patterns, and interactive elements are not just mere visuals; they are powerful tools that command even more attention.

For children with attention deficits or those who are easily overwhelmed by textual information, these visuals act as anchors. They simplify complex concepts, making them more digestible. The interactive nature of these visuals allows users to engage directly with the content, turning a relatively passive learning experience into a much more active one.

ENHANCE helps to translate cognitive improvements from BrainHQ software to real world applications. Close collaboration with our teacher colleagues, and their innovative use of IWBs, means that transferring potential to performance is becoming even easier. We are excited about working with businesses that also use IWBs to see how they might also use this technology to extend the impact of ENHANCE with their users.