Why were Chalkboards replaced with Whiteboards?
For many of us, chalkboards hold a strong place in our memory. The all-encompassing nostalgia of leaving the classroom looking like you’d lost your footing in a flour mill, while struggling to clear the rock of thick chalky residue clogging up your airways – how could we ever really forget? This old-school piece of kit even had its hacks: Writing in bold by applying added pressure, or turning the chalk landscape to shade in areas of a diagram.
Chalk
However, these were soon to become an endangered species, replaced by the shiny new whiteboard; first introduced commercially in the 1960s, and growing to popularity by the 1990s. With seemingly mirrored uses, why exactly were chalkboards phased out in favour of whiteboards?
Modern alternative
First and foremost, whiteboards commanded attention globally due to their innovative nature. A classic case of out with the old and in with the new, leaving little room for chalkboards.
Chalk
Chalk itself has been known to play a crucial role in the petering out of the chalkboard. Not only did you have to cope with layers of the stuff coating every item you own, but also arrive at the daunting realisation that the stub you are managing to etch with is fatally nearing its end – Seemingly, scratching of nails on a chalkboard is a disappearing art.
Partnered with drywipe markers with a dense ink formulation, whiteboards rid you of such pains, allowing you to bring your creation to life while making use of the extensive colour choices on offer.
Easier to clean
Versatility
Partnered with drywipe markers with a dense ink formulation, whiteboards rid you of such pains, allowing you to bring your creation to life while making use of the extensive colour choices on offer.
Easier to clean
Anyone well-acquainted with the chalkboard will agree that cleaning and maintenance are again where they fall short. Despite hours of scrubbing that infamous white blotch, the hopes of getting the board back to its former splendour will have you fighting a losing battle.
Whiteboards here emerge victorious, with the ability to erase ink with the wipe of a finger, sleeve, eraser or any other preferred weapon of choice. For deep cleaning follow our How to Clean a Whiteboard blog.
Whiteboards here emerge victorious, with the ability to erase ink with the wipe of a finger, sleeve, eraser or any other preferred weapon of choice. For deep cleaning follow our How to Clean a Whiteboard blog.
Versatility
In terms of versatility, whiteboards again take the biscuit. Despite being renowned for their practicality in application, the options on offer within the chalkboard market are limited.
Whiteboards have instead hit the ground running, with a range of variations to suit any need. To name a few, these range from Glass, to revolving, frameless, easels and more – a whiteboard for any occasion, fancy that.
Whiteboards have instead hit the ground running, with a range of variations to suit any need. To name a few, these range from Glass, to revolving, frameless, easels and more – a whiteboard for any occasion, fancy that.
Preferable than interactive whiteboards
As a side note, whiteboards have also proved more effective than their modern counterpart: The interactive whiteboard. An argument that sparks intense debate, many arguing that despite the initial buzz the IWB provided a portal to the internet, rather than specifically acting as a teaching tool. Plus, the fact that they require heavy training and also cost an arm and a leg doesn’t aid them positively.
So there you have it, after a brief trip down memory lane it is plain that despite fond chalkboard recollections, once whiteboards were to enter our range of vision there’d be no turning back. To view our range of whiteboards click here.