The whiteboard, since its invention has come a long way and today it is one of the most common fixtures in schools, universities, hospitals as well as organizations where information has to be displayed to an audience. Apart from these organizations, whiteboards have also become an essential part of every office as they are an important tool especially when there some brainstorming sessions are going on. It is very easy to note down the ideas that come up during a brainstorming session on a whiteboard and then modify them as the discussion progresses, than having to refer back and forth to handwritten notes on a book. There are different types of whiteboards available, the difference being the type of surface used in these whiteboards and you will have to make sure that you choose the right whiteboard for your requirement. Given below are some details on the advantages and the disadvantages of the whiteboards and details on how to select the right whiteboard for your use.
Advantages of the whiteboard:
One of the advantages that have resulted in the popularity of the whiteboard across all sectors is the fact that whiteboards are reusable and the whiteboard ink markings made using the whiteboard marker are more effective and lasts for a longer duration than the markings made using a chalk on a chalkboard. They are also less susceptible to other external factors such as water and wind. Markers are also very user friendly as they do not produce any dust, unlike the chalks, which can be very messy as it creates a lot of dust. This works best for people who have dust allergies as well as breathing problems. As the whiteboard markings do not produce any dust, you can also use it without any worry near dust sensitive equipments.
Another advantage of using the whiteboards is that it can also be used as a projecting medium when you use a video projector or overhead projector. This in turn permits you to make comments, underline important details and even highlight them on the whiteboard using the marker. The whiteboards contain high glass surfaces which helps reflect the projector light with ease.
Another advantage that often comes to mind while using the whiteboard is the ease with which you can handle the whiteboard marker. This marker is much easier to handle in comparison to chalk and even people with limited mobility can use this marker with ease. Also the effort, pressure and time required to write content on the whiteboard is much lesser than what is required when you have to write on a chalkboard. This also reduces the fatigue that you would experience in case you use chalk thus making writing on these boards an easy task.
Another advantage that is worth mentioning, especially since we are in an age where eco friendly products and ways of life are gaining popularity, is that the whiteboard helps save paper in classrooms and universities, thus making it the right choice if you want to purchase an environment friendly product. Whiteboards also offers you options of different colors as there are a wide range of markers available in different colors.
Most of the popular and commonly available whiteboards have magnetic surfaces which lets you use these whiteboards as magnetic bulletin boards too. All you need are magnetic weights that let you pin up important documents that you need access to.
Disadvantages of the whiteboard
However like the two sides of a coin, the whiteboard too is not without disadvantages. Given below are some of the disadvantages of using a whiteboard.
While it is very easy to write on a whiteboard with the whiteboard marker, care has to be taken that you use only whiteboard markers when you want to write on this board as using the wrong kind of marker may leave a permanent mark on the board or you might have a very difficult time cleaning it depending on the type of surface you have on the whiteboard that you have purchased. However these days thanks to the advancement in technology, there are removable inks as well as sprays that are available and these sprays or removable inks helps you remove the marks that are made on the whiteboards using other markers.
Another disadvantage that has been often highlighted in case of a whiteboard is that it often causes contrast problems for people who have vision impairment issues. People who are left handed also face some problems when they have to write on the whiteboard as most left handers tend to smudge the content that they have already written because of the way they hold the pen and write on it. Another criticism that the whiteboards have received is that when using these boards you are not able to draw heavier lines and light lines and distinguish between them as you would have been able to do when using a chalkboard.
However despite its disadvantages, these whiteboards have become very popular all across schools as well as offices and are used daily by individuals thus forming a very important mode of communication in these places.
Choosing the right whiteboard from a reputed retailer is also of utmost importance. If you plan to purchase your whiteboard online, make sure that you get it from the right retailer. For this you will have to spend some time on the internet and conduct a thorough research. Read up on reviews on the service and the quality of the product offered by these retailers, you will find a number of review websites online. Before you finalize on a retailer, make sure you know your requirement in terms of the sizes and the type of whiteboard surface you are looking for. Once you have all these details with you and you have shortlisted a few retailers, look around for the best price. Most of the retailers offer great discounts, keep an eye out for these discounts to get the most of the money that you would be investing on the whiteboard.