Lightboards are a great way to add visual interest to online lectures, and allow you to replicate using a whiteboard in class in a video for online delivery. Aaron Heidgerken-Greene, the Instrument Project Manager for Physics and Astronomy, has created a desktop lightboard available for use in the Anderson Hall Makerspace. Lightboards have an advantage over an actual physical whiteboard recording because you can face your students and speak directly to them as you write, and so you don’t wind up with a video that mostly shows the back of your head.
David Liben-Nowell in Computer Science uses a lightboard for his class lectures — you can read about his experience on the LTC Blog.
The lightboard in the Makerspace can be used by either faculty or students, and unlike some other lightboards that need video producing before they can be used, the image here is automatically reversed in real-time with a small mirror, which makes it perfect for live Zoom sessions.
If you are on campus and interested in trying out the lightboard, you can simply visit the Makerspace in Anderson Hall. A reservation system is being considered if there is enough interest to warrant scheduling time in advance.
Watch Aaron demonstrate how the lightboard works here:
Having a custom lightboard built is also a possibility. Contact Aaron for more information.