Tahvel

Tahvel is a flat writing surface used for displaying text, diagrams, and drawings. In Estonian, the term most commonly denotes a chalkboard or blackboard found in schools, but it broadly covers other writing boards such as whiteboards, glass boards, and digital boards used for presentations and teaching. The word also appears in compounds such as tahvelarvuti (tablet computer).

Etymology: The word tahvel is of Estonian origin, relating to the notion of a smooth, flat surface. It is cognate with Germanic terms such as Tafel, reflecting historical borrowings that named writing boards.

Types and materials: Traditional kriititahvel (chalkboard) is a dark surface on which chalk is used. Whiteboards use markers on a white, non-porous surface. There are also glass boards and other specialty boards. In modern classrooms and meeting rooms, interactive whiteboards combine a touch-sensitive surface with digital projection and computer access.

History and use: Chalkboards were common in classrooms for much of the 20th century. From the late 20th century onward, whiteboards gained popularity, and digital interactive boards became prevalent in the 2000s and 2010s, facilitating multimedia presentations, annotations, and collaboration. In contemporary Estonia, tahvel remains a general term for both traditional writing surfaces and digital display technologies, often integrated with educational software and networked devices.