What are Virtual Whiteboards?
Virtual whiteboards are tools that allow you to draw on digital canvases or annotate on existing documents or presentations. Virtual whiteboards might be used with a mouse, but they are most easily used with a touchscreen and stylus. Many UFIT controlled classrooms on campus are equipped with a touchscreen monitor and stylus so that instructors can annotate presentations or use digital formats in lieu of writing on physical whiteboards. Virtual whiteboards have numerous advantages over physical whiteboards, including the ability to save and refer back to previous writing, to be able to share the content with students, and to be able to incorporate images, animations, and links to support the content that is being presented.
Virtual Whiteboard Tools Available at UF
In addition to the touchscreens and styluses provided in UFIT controlled classrooms, there are several applications available to everyone at UF that have drawing tools. The tools, and when you might choose to use them in a teaching context, are presented below:
- Zoom Whiteboards - Consider using Zoom Whiteboards when you need an ad-hoc whiteboard during meetings, but Zoom Whiteboards can also be accessed outside of meetings.
- Microsoft PowerPoint - Use PowerPoint for your virtual whiteboard if you primarily teach using prepared slides with limited amounts of handwriting.
- Microsoft OneNote - Use OneNote if you want to have a notebook that contains all your writing, notes, and whiteboards for a semester or class in one file.
- Google Jamboard - Use Google Jamboard if you prefer to teach with a mix of prepared slides and whiteboard tools, if you prefer using Google products, or if you want many people to collaborate on separate slides at once.
- Microsoft Whiteboard - Use Microsoft Whiteboard if you prefer to have a very large whiteboard instead of slides, or if you need a whiteboard that integrates with Microsoft Teams.
- Microsoft Edge browser - Use Microsoft Edge if you want to annotate PDFs.
Resources
The CITT would be happy to assist you with selecting or using virtual whiteboard for your class! You can request an education technology consultation to get help from one of our technologists, or we will connect you to the right person for assistance. request an education technology consultation.
UF Zoom - Sign into Zoom desktop applications by clicking on the "SSO" link, and you can access additional resources and assistance with Zoom from the UF Zoom page
Microsoft Office - Browser-based versions and the desktop applications of the Office Suite can be downloaded by signing in with your UF Gatorlink.
GatorCloud - UFIT-supported cloud collaboration services
Microsoft Whiteboard - the Microsoft Whiteboard can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store
Google Jamboard - Be sure to sign into Google using your UF Gatorlink when conducting UF business.