News
Feature of the Month: Whiteboard in ILIAS 9 – a new collaborative teaching and learning tool
As part of the ‘4D – 4 Dimensions of Digital and Didactic Development’ project, ILIAS has been expanded to include a whiteboard object that significantly enriches university teaching in hybrid learning environments. The digital whiteboard allows multiple people to draw, write and exchange ideas in real time, regardless of their physical location. By promoting visual interaction and creativity, it facilitates the exchange of thoughts and concepts, thereby contributing to an overall improvement in the learning experience.
What's new?
With the introduction of the whiteboard object in ILIAS 9, the tool is now officially part of the platform and can be created in the same way as other learning objects such as wikis, learning modules or courses. The whiteboard settings can be used to customise the title, description and all content so that the whiteboard can be easily integrated into your own course.
How does it work?
- Open the ‘Create object’ option in the course area and select Whiteboard from the list.
- Give the whiteboard a title, add a description if necessary, and add the whiteboard.
- In edit mode, an interactive sheet appears on which you can insert lines, e.g. with pen 1–5, shapes and text fields.
- Below this, you will find a ‘tab menu’ where you can activate additional tools, e.g. sticky notes, zoom function or the option to upload your own files/images.
- Under the ‘Properties’ tab, you have two options: you can allow all users to view and edit the whiteboard, or you can restrict editing rights to course and group administrators only and grant everyone else view-only access.
- Once you have saved the whiteboard, learners can access it.
How can the whiteboard be used?
During an interactive lecture, the teacher uses the whiteboard, for example, to sketch complex diagrams in real time and explain them on the screen. At the same time, the group of students works on a project: in the same session, they send brainstorming notes, add links to references and visualise the structure of the results on the same whiteboard.
This shared platform also enables real-time feedback: the teacher can leave comments or ask students to comment on their ideas. Unlike traditional PDFs or slides, new content can be added or objects deleted immediately on the whiteboard without having to recreate the entire presentation.
What are the advantages for teaching?
The whiteboard allows teachers and learners to respond interactively to content in real time: actions and learning steps can be sketched, annotated, explained and summarised. The visual presentation promotes understanding, especially in the case of complex models or processes, while real-time collaboration facilitates spontaneous exchange. The whiteboard enhances teaching through interactive, digital design of lectures, seminars and hybrid projects.