Current Trend in Educational Technology

As we move forward to incorporating technology in to our K-12 classrooms the Promethean board is found to be a valuable technological tool. The Promethean board replaces dry erase white boards, overhead projectors, LCD projectors, classroom TVs, and in many cases the need for a computer lab. It has many capabilities rolled into one making it more convenient to switch the direction of the lesson a one click. The Promethean board has an interactive pen that allows teachers and students to write on the board just like a dry erase board. Since it connects to a computer any computer application or Internet site can be displayed immediately in front of the class eliminating the need for any type of projection equipment or a computer lab for students to see specific websites. The board also allows for sound projection eliminating the need for a TV or additional speakers. In addition the Promethean board has Activote capability which allows for students to be actively engaged in the lesson all at once. Promethean Planet has become a website that many use to share lessons created specifically for use with the Promethean board. There are endless possibilities when it comes to using the Promethean board in the classroom.
As easy as it is to engage students with the use of the Promethean board it is not as easy to get some teachers to use it. Although it has many great functions many teachers only use a few of it's functions and mostly use it as a projection tool. It is used to show notes, write notes, show films or websites, but it is less commonly used to interact with students. Part of the problem is it has a lot of functions and no one is properly trained on how to use the functions. With all that is demanded of teachers, some view it as another task to take on and not a way to make teaching easier and more interactive and interesting for students. Teachers that are not technologically savvy tend to stand clear of many of its uses, they view the technology as confusing and time consuming. Having mini training sessions on its many features could alleviate some of the resistance to this type of technology. I believe teachers became overwhelmed by the new technology because only one training session was held that encompassed all its functions at once. When schools adapt new technologies they must incorporate training into the budget that is user friendly.