Promethean Board

The Promethean Board is used in the middle school where I am doing my field experience as well in some of my college classes. I have rarely, if ever, seen it used correctly. I have never been taught how to use it even though I am in an educational technology class and other education classes. If our teachers don't know how to use it, how can they show us? I have to teach a lesson using one next week, so I thought I would research how to use the Promethean Board.

http://www.prometheanworld.com/

First, I found the Promethean belief system interesting. "Technology holds the power to unleash the potential of human achievement" and "like our namesake, Prometheus, we strive to bring the light of knowledge to the world". These are clever, but I like the basis behind the ActivClassroom idea.

"Everything we do at Promethean begins with two basic premises:

1 - No one understands teaching better than teachers.
2 - The best way to engage tech-savvy students is through technology.

By thoughtfully combining these two simple ideas, Promethean is revolutionizing the way education happens."

Here is another video of the board in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uIWcaxWLnM

This video offers information on registration and software for the Promethean:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMgvZq4aLUI&feature=channel

After reading through the website and watching videos, I think that these board are underused. There is so much potential and so many learning opportunities available with the Promethean Board. Teachers must adjust to the new technology and use the resources available to them and learn HOW to use it. If it is out there, teachers should be held responsible for it. I will definitely be using this information in my upcoming presentation.

Spring Break!

In our educational technology lecture on Monday, our class was introduced to some new gadgets. I found the Kindle wireless reading device to be fascinating and definitely something that I would consider buying in the future. I decided to do some more research to find out more details about the product.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015T963C/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=4220707127&ref=pd_sl_19g3x722uz_e

First of all, Kindle is a product by Amazon.com that can hold up to 1,500 books on a slim, compact reader. The Kindle reader is easy to transport and can be taken anywhere as it is about the size of a magazine. It weighs 10.2 ounces and also does not require the use of a computer to use. The 6 inch display screen version costs $259 and the 9.7 inch screen is $489. It has global coverage (no fees), long battery life, 2 GB internal memory, read-to-me capability, and a large selection of books and other sources at low prices. There is a Kindle book store that contains over 450,000 books.

The Kindle is accessible to those with disabilities because the text is adjustable, clear pictures are available, the Kindle can read to you, there are many audiobooks, search engines, and a built in dictionary feature. This sounds like a great product for everyone!