Are there known issues with Black / glass dry erase boards?

Question

I'm considering using a black erase board in my lab/classroom, primarily for aesthetic reasons.

Are there any issues with using a black erase board in teaching situations?

Answer 1

One issue is likely to be the need for carefully chosen dry-erase markers.

As most dry-erase boards are white, most of the dry-erase markers you'll find will be black, blue, red, etc. That is, dark colors. That's great for contrast on a whiteboard, but there's going to be very little contrast between a regular dark dry-erase marker and your black dry-erase board. As such, you'll have to purchase special (likely more expensive) markers for use on the black dry-erase board.

If using for instruction, you'll definitely want to test the markers you've chosen, to make sure that they're contrasting enough such that they stand out for the students in the back of the room. If you ever teach someone with visual impairments, you might need to adjust which markers you use to accommodate for them. (That's not really specific to black dry-erase boards, though. You can get issues with marker choices on whiteboards too. But if your marker choices are marginally visible to begin with, it can exacerbate the issue.)

Also, as your department's supply cupboard/the campus bookstore is unlikely to keep such markers in-stock, you'll probably want to make sure you have a reserve of these markers. So when the ones you are using inevitably dry up or wander off, you're not stuck with nothing to write with. (Also keep in mind that the need for special markers likely rules out sneaking in next door and grabbing one of theirs.)