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It took almost 80 years after the first usage of the
chalkboard in an educational
setting for the white board to make its popular appearance.
However, since its introduction these boards have quickly
evolved into a significant presentation tool.
Otherwise known as dry-erase boards and marker boards, the
first of these white-styled boards began appearing in American
business meeting rooms and corporations in the early 1980s.
Within 10 years a small inroad had been made into educational
institutions, but demand accelerated most dramatically in
the late 1990s. By the end of that decade, 21% of all American
schools had begun converting from chalkboards to dry erase
boards. Now, most school designers no longer even consider
a chalkboard in their new school designs unless specific
requirements are called out by the institutions.
Initially, the appeal of these
markerboards is driven by factors including:
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The clean, stylish look
of their clear, white presentation surface.
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The substitution of dry-erase
markers for chalk, which eliminates the drying dust
on the hands and in the room, safeguards the comfort
and health of people who are allergic to the dust, protects
computers from chalk dust damage.
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The wide variety of color
marker choices and the more vibrant visual presentation
and stimulation possible as a result.
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The ability of some specialized
whiteboard designs to perform double-duty as effective
projection screens in a room.
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Versatility of selection
and adaptable usage resulting from the variety of manufacturing
materials and processes that are available.
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Short term use can be accommodated
by low cost models made with inexpensive plastic surfaces.
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More durable, long term,
high-intensity usage applications are handled with porcelain
on steel board surfaces.
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Easy, flexible maneuverability
and placement options.
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Material durability and
safety.
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Low and high-gloss options.
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Availability of stylish
designs
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Availability of products
built to accept several different types of writing implements
including chalk, pencils, permanent markers, or crayons
as well as dry erase pens.
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Ability to marry these boards
with advancing projection and computer technologies.
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Children's Easels
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Presentation
Boards
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While the models popular in
the early 1980's had surfaces that were plastic-coated and
used solely as a writing surface, whiteboard innovation
has advanced steadily ever since.
These specialty white boards
have permanent lines, squares and other graphics for use
in education and offices where special graphic is needed.
Lines for penmanship, music notes or mathematics are
great educational tools in any classroom.
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Improved surface materials
and markers have essentially eliminated "shadows" with
proper cleaning and care
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New materials that can be
used as markerboards and at the same time as non-reflective
projection surfaces for your LCD projections.
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Magnetic surfaces gain you
an additional advantage and flexibility for planning
purposes.
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Fused lines allow specialized
use for musical scores, penmanship practice, calculations
based on grid and coordinates, as well as maps.
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Reversible displays can
offer you double-sided whiteboard writing surface or
combine a whiteboard on one side with a cork or chalkboard
on the reverse.
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Light-weight materials let
you utilize specialized whiteboards as convenient desktop
planners at your desk without the potential mess of
chalk dust.
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Interactive white boards
have been the latest, specialized innovation, combining
the power of a projector, computer and whiteboard and
allowing the user to touch the board screen to access
all the information possible on a computer.
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Dry-erase markerboards have
improved in material and quality since their very early
beginnings over 20 years ago.
While you should
always read and follow care instructions (particularly those
that come with the interactive or specialty technology-linked
products), the standard white markerboards that are so widely
prevalent in businesses, organizations, and educational
institutions can be easily cared for by erasing the notes
with the proper eraser, cleaning it with only a soft damp
cloth, and allowing it to be thoroughly dried prior to writing
on it again. When cleaning cannot be done on a daily
basis, or if this damp washing is not able to be scheduled,
spray cleaning products for various types of whiteboards
are widely available.
Use an eraser designed for your board's surface material
rather than a chalk eraser, paper towels, or regular cloth
towel to erase your work. This will help avoid damage to
your writing surface. Wash your markerboard eraser regularly
with water and make sure it is completely dried before using
it again to erase.
No problem! Write over
the permanent ink with a dry erase marker and allow it to
sit for a few minutes. Then, just erase it all.
A second effort may be required to remove the image more
definitively. Then wash your board.
These are
NOT
recommended for use on dry erase boards. Doing so may scratch,
cause a "build-up" of the agent on your board, or result
in other damage to its vital surface.
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