Promethean World Interactive Whiteboards
Promethean | Promethean Ambassadors | IWB Project | Press Release | Interim Report | Findings
Interactive Whiteboard Project
The Promethean Ambassadors Project (now known as the Interactive Whiteboard Project) linked colleagues in the UK with China, Mexico and South Africa in an international project to evaluate the impact of ACTIVboards on learning and attainment. The first international workshop was held at the Institute of Education, London in January 2005 and the second in July 2005 in Cape Town, South Africa. The next workshop and seminar will be in Monterrey, Mexico from March 27 – 31. The final workshop and seminar for the project will be held in Beijing, China in 2007.
You can download an attractive brochure: Interactive Learning Communities' (PDF 940KB) about this project.
A number of MirandaNet Fellows, who have extensive classroom experience and who have already produced case studies on the uses of ACTIVboards, are acting as mentors. John Cuthell is managing the project. Follow this link for further details about this project.
Visitors to the MirandaNet website will be able to follow the progress of this ACTIVboard project by following the link to Interactive Whiteboard Project E-Journal. Teachers will even be able to advise on best practice in implementing and using this interactive technology. The ACTIV community of users has an internal online link to exchange ideas, newsletters and invitations; to present at conferences and seminars and opportunities to publish and use the World Ecitizens environment.
Christina Preston talked about interim results from the Promethean ACTIVboard research, Ambassadors for ACTIVlearning at the Interactive Whiteboard Summit at Wolverhampton University on October 12th 2005. You can download the presentation (PowerPoint, 13MB) and the research report (Word, 48KB) here.
MirandaNet and Promethean
MirandaNet Scholars and Fellows and Promethean have worked together since 2002 with the aim of making teaching and learning a more effective – and enjoyable – process. Teachers across all key stages and curriculum areas have collaborated in workshops, presentations and case studies to develop strategies to inspire and involve pupils and colleagues.
The first study, however, was undertaken as interactive whiteboards were beginning to be adopted by schools.
Interactive Whiteboard Evaluation: a case study (2000)
Anna Smith with MirandaNet Fellows, Boston Spa Comprehensive School
The first evaluation of the impact of interactive whiteboards by MirandaNet was in 2000. Anna Smith, Boston Spa Comprehensive School, submitted the evaluation for her Fellowship. She was mentored by Dr. John Cuthell.
Interactive Whiteboards: new tools, new pedagogies, new learning?
During 2002 Promethean and MirandaNet collaborated to examine the impact that interactive whiteboards had made on teaching and learning in schools. The first phase of the project was completed at the end of 2002 and published for the BETT exhibition at Olympia, London. The evidence collected was arranged thematically. Case Studies from this first phase explore the ways in which interactive whiteboards are used, and the ways in which they contribute to student learning and teacher pedagogies. They’re in no way definitive: what they offer is shared experience, a snapshot of experiences at the time, and the beginning of a Community of Practice.
As more schools are fitted with interactive whiteboards there is a real need for teachers to play an active role in specifying the ways in which this extremely powerful tool is installed and used. The technology can effect a profound change in the ways in which our students learn, the ways in which we teach and, more fundamentally, the ways in which we organise the curriculum and our schools. When teachers are expected to respond to so many conflicting demands – social regulation vs. radical change; transforming teaching vs. raising standards: and when the audience for learning has expanded beyond the teacher – student relationship, these case studies may provide some ideas for hard-pressed colleagues.
Using ICT to Transform Learning
During 2003 the work was extended, and seven teachers from schools across the country participated in action research projects that covered all Key stages, funded by Promethean and directed by MirandaNet. This looked at the impact of ACTIVboards on teaching and learning.
Three distinct threads emerged from the research:
- the need for a planned approach to the infrastructure and ICT skills that were needed when interactive whiteboards were introduced;
- the identification of all of the curriculum concepts involved in the teaching;
- affective changes in staff and students engendered by effective use of interactive whiteboards.
Thanks are due to Promethean and their educational teams for their support throughout the project.
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