It’s the golden age for content display, with hi-def cameras and monitors, and touchscreen digital devices of every size. So why are traditional dry-erase whiteboards in the classroom more popular than ever?

Besides being multitaskers—you can write or project on them, attach material with magnets—they also come in any size, don’t need power and they’re inexpensive. But what really makes whiteboards great learning tools is how they engage both the body and brain in the learning process.

Whiteboard work is both kinesthetic and visual. The act of writing and drawing engages the user physically and mentally, and that boosts learning. For example, research at Indiana University showed that neural activity in children was far more enhanced in kids who practiced writing by hand than in those who simply looked at letters.