--- Forwarded Message from Daniel Tom <[log in to unmask]> ---

>Date:  Wed, 14 Apr 1999 10:40:28 -1000
>From:  Daniel Tom <[log in to unmask]>
>To:    [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Erasing Whiteboards

This may appear to be a rather mundane problem and certainly not very high
tech.  However, it is a very real problem with our Japanese classes.  We
have three media classrooms, all equipped with TV monitor, VCR, overhead
projector, and taperecorder.  All are carpeted.  Due to all the media
equipment, whiteboards were installed.  Two of these classrooms are used
exclusively for Japanese classes.  The Japanese instructors are frequently
writing kanji and often they have their students in pairs or in threes do
kanji practice on the board.  Due to this heavy usage, the whiteboards
have constant "ghosting" and "shadowing" from incomplete erasing or the
eraser creating black smudges.  We have a supply of cleaner fluid, but it
is very expensive and has a very strong smell and we cannot afford to
place the bottle of fluid in the classroom to be used at the instructor's
discretion.  It would probably be emptied in no time.  We have advised
instructors to please erase immediately and not let the writing set on the
board.  We have recommended using a damp cloth or paper towel to wipe the
board as the marker ink is water soluble. Some Japanese instructors now prefer
to use a regular classroom with a chalkboard rather than deal with the
ghosting of the whiteboard.  They would rather put up with the chalk dust!
How have the rest of you dealt with this problem?  Does anyone have any
suggestions on how to solve this?  Thank you.

Daniel Tom
Language Telecommunications, Resource & Learning Center
University of Hawaii
E-mail:  [log in to unmask]
FAX:     808-956-5134
Voice:   808-956-5118