Setting up for a lesson
- Open the whiteboard before your lesson starts, so it's ready to go the moment class begins.
- If you're teaching remotely, share your screen (or the browser tab) through whatever video call tool you're using — Zoom, Google Meet, or similar.
- If you're teaching in person, connect your laptop to a projector or a smart display the same way you'd use any other on-screen tool.
- Use the text tool for anything you want to type cleanly (definitions, headings, steps), and draw freehand for diagrams, arrows, or working through a problem live.
Where it works well
- Walking through a math or science problem step by step — write the problem, then solve it live, the way you would on a physical board.
- Labeling a diagram — draw or paste a rough shape, then annotate parts of it as you explain.
- Building an idea up piece by piece — start with a blank canvas and add to it as the lesson progresses, instead of showing a finished slide all at once.
- Quick visual explanations — sketching a timeline, a simple graph, or a flow of steps to support what you're saying out loud.
Where it falls short
To be upfront about the limits: this isn't built for every teaching scenario.
- It's not built for multiple students editing the same board at once. If you want students to collaborate live on one canvas together, you'll need a tool designed for real-time multi-user editing.
- It won't save your lesson across devices or accounts. Your board is saved locally in the browser you're using, so it won't follow you if you switch computers. If you want to reuse a lesson later, export it before you close the tab.
- It's not a replacement for a full slide deck if your lesson depends on pre-built slides, video, or structured content — it's better suited to live, in-the-moment explanation.
Teaching with an Online Whiteboard FAQ
Do students need an account to view the whiteboard?
No. If you're sharing your screen, students just watch your screen through the video call — they don't need to open or log into anything themselves.
Can I save a lesson to reuse it next time?
Yes, you can export your board before closing it, and reopen that file later as a reference when you're teaching the same topic again.
Is this suitable for a full class of students working together?
Not if you need everyone editing the same board simultaneously. It's better suited to one presenter (a teacher) writing and drawing while students watch, whether that's in person or over a screen share.