Activboard

Sarasota County has made the decision to install Promethean Activboards throughout classrooms county wide. The Activboard is essentially an interactive whiteboard that has the ability to display images, maps and video. The 78" board is connected to a computer and all images, drawings and notes are saved as individual flip charts. This allows teachers to print off anything that was demonstrated on the board for students with IEP's or those with low English proficiency. It also allows teachers to print off information for students who had been absent.

The controversy that surrounds this decision has primarily focused on the cost of each board versus the impact it will have on education. It goes without saying that simply introducing new educational technology into a classroom will not result in improved assessment results. What has been proven to improve test scores are classrooms full of students engaged in meaningful standards-based lessons. The ability of a teacher to engage his or her classroom can be strengthened through use of educational technology. Therefore, in the hands of properly trained teachers, the Activboard will become another tool to empower Sarasota County teachers to engage their classrooms.

Engaging students is one of the most difficult parts of education. While there are many self- motivated students, there are some who, for a myriad of reasons, do not place school at the top of their list of priorities. Working with these "reluctant learners" can be extremely challenging for teachers. These disengaged students can become disruptive and upset the learning environment that teachers strive to achieve. While the Activboard may not hook every student in the classroom, the interactive lessons that teachers can create with it are certainly more engaging than traditional teacher-centered classrooms.

Overall, the addition of the Activboard to my classroom has been an incredibly positive experience. Students who had been reluctant to participate in class were now practically jumping out of their seat at the chance to demonstrate problems on the Activboard. Although the summer has only just begun, I am already looking forward to the upcoming school year and the chance to work with a new classroom full of engaged students.