The last thing you want your students to do is stop paying attention in class. Even the dullest subject or most information packed lecture can be spruced up by adding an interactive element to your lesson.

Replacing your chalkboard or whiteboard with a large, interactive display may be the best tool in your arsenal. Here are some creative ways that you to quickly bring your students’ attention back up to speed.

1. Interactivity breaks up the traditional lecture

Lectures are useful when you have a lot of material to cover, but we understand that temptation to start dozing off. Today’s students respond better and retain more when that information is broken down into smaller, more manageable chunks.

By inserting moments for your students to come up and point out or interact directly with the board, it keeps the pace of your lesson moving along nicely, giving your students time to process what you have talked about so far, and getting them involved and moving again before going back to new information.

2. New technology peaks student interest

New gadgets usually prompt a sense of curiosity and interest, which can keep your students more involved in your lecture as they watch and learn not only the information you are giving them, but how you are using the tools on hand.

More visual elements that come with the latest educational technology are also designed to appeal to different learning types. Students who are more visual or hands on learners will gain a great deal more from a more interactive classroom.

3. Real time responses keep students more engaged

Your students can fill in and respond to changes on the interactive display in real time. No need to slow down and wait for students to write their answers down and pass in their worksheets in as orderly as possible.

Have them come up and present their answers and write out their answers or calculations on the screen. Their marks and annotations show up instantly and for the whole class to see. This way, the entire class can also work together to produce the right answers, fostering discussion.