Technology in Education - Using Active expression by Promethean

There is excitement in the classroom as orange-white devices are handed out. The children in 7th grade look in amusement at this device as it resembles a Mobile phone and begin to punch every key curiously.

The teacher joins in the excitement and declares that he will conduct a science test through this device. He explains that this device would eliminate paperwork, will help him compile results in real time and will also indicate the actual time taken by every individual to solve each question.
The test revolves around the lesson related to the study of atoms,molecules and elements. It has 15 multiple choice questions with 3 options as answer key and 10 questions which are to be answered as true or false.

The time duration set for the test is half an hour and every question is set between a half or 1 minute.

The test gets taken within 20 minutes and the teacher gives out the result in 2 additional minutes and streams the result as modifiable graphs indicating the time comparison and the accuracy of every response.

This has been possible because all public schools in San Francisco recived a grant for technology upgradation and every teacher underwent a training module to use Promethean active classroom devices.

How does this software impact/ redefine the role of a teacher-student interaction?

- Teachers will spend lesser time in evaluating and assessing student performance

- Teachers will have to become tech savvy inorder to improve the content and presentation of their subject inorder to effectively use these tools

-Teachers will be spared of allegations of bias or favouritism for certain students as evaluation is automatic and accurate

-Teachers will have to let go of expecting answers in essay format which will ease the burden on the children

-Teaching will become interactive, fun and current. There are modules as part of the software where mangas and other popular animation are used to present educational content

-Storing records, details of tests and other administrative functions that usually consume a teacher's productive time gets reduced and becomes more effective and efficient

-Students will enjoy presentations, movies and other visual form of representation of concepts which will help them retain, corelate and analyse better than the traditional system

-Students will be able to maintain and excel in time based reviews and assesments

-Students become automatically accustomed to technology and their interest in subjects such as Mathematics is bound to increase

The limitations in utilising this software are mainly the cost and infrastructure required to implement it. The usual roadblocks of training, resistance to implement and slow decision making could also stall technology implementations especially if the state is involved.

However, as a community of concerned teachers, parents and students one should welcome these technological developments as life solutions that are bound to simplify, stream line and strengthen the education system.

For more details on the device used please go through this link - http://www.prometheanworld.com/server.php?show=nav.15997