I read a lot of stuff on the web and listen in on a lot of conversations about interactive whiteboards and all that jazz. Sometimes I’m all pumped up and sometimes, I get a little deflated. So I’ve been thinking lately, just what IS an ActivClassroom anyway?

The question sets above give some interesting definitions, but personally, I disagree to all of them. However, that’s what I seem to be reading about so that’s the perception - but is perception the reality?
To me, the ActivClassroom is a group learning environment, where we use the individual components (interactive whiteboard, Learner Response Systems, ActivInspire), to encourage group participation. It’s not what the components are but more what you do with them
So that got me thinking of even more basic concepts like personal beliefs about learning (and the implications of the ActivClassroom).

Here’s What I Believe About Learning
To me, these are my beliefs about learning:
- Learning should be fun.
- Students who participate and contribute learn better.
- Assessment should be for learning.
- Learning should be student centered.
- Lessons should reach all learners regardless of their learning styles.
- Technology itself doesn’t makes success. Good application can (as seen in the research!)
These beliefs help me define the ActivClassroom - as what I’ve stated before, it’s a group learning environment which encourages active student participation in lessons.
But then…how do the students participate? How are they engaged?
- By watching the teacher demonstrate things on the ActivBoard?
- By going up one-by-one to the ActivBoard to write or move something?
- By taking a quiz so that they can quickly get their scores?
Certainly, it can be more than that.

Technology That Empowers Better Human Interaction
How do we set an ActivClassroom vision for teachers so that this technology allows for BETTER human interaction in the classroom and not a replacement for it?
I don’t know all the answers, but I feel like I’ve been on a journey of discovery myself. Here are some steps I’ve noted as I’ve made my ActivClassroom journey and hopefully moved from a more teacher-centered place to a student-centered place.
A Journey of Discovery

Step 1. This ActivBoard is just like my dry erase board. I can write on it, change colors, use highlighters, save it and print it. I can have as many pages as I want. I won’t have to re-write or re-draw all this each time I teach this class and it’s less messy, too!
Step 2. Hey, with ActivInspire I can create presentations, similar to PowerPoint.
And I can import my PowerPoint presentations! Each slide can have text and images which I can link to videos, animations or web pages, from inside my presentation for my students to watch.
I can highlight words or circle them, I can reveal a key point at a time, I can use a spotlight to focus students on specific areas of my page and move pictures around. Afterwards, I can give a quiz with my ActiVotes and it will keep score for grading. Note how many times I used the word “I.”
Step 3. My students can do things. I can use ActivInspire to set up an activity. An individual student can come to the board to have a go and the student can highlight stuff. He can move objects around and draw lines between pictures and words. This is like a digital worksheet. I can recreate them, scan them then take a screen shot of part of them.
Step 4. I’ve been visiting Promethean Planet a lot and found more efficient ways to include more students in my lessons. I can set up an activity for small groups and whole groups. The reset button in ActivInspire lets me easily move groups of students through the activity without worrying that the kids will mess it up and waste time. I can add page notes to each activity that the kids can access or other teachers can see if they want to use my ideas.
Step 5. Today I discovered I can use the Learner Response Systems to allow students to check their OWN understanding of concepts throughout the lesson, not just at the end as a quiz or summative. I found by watching a Teacher Feature on Planet and reading forum comments that the there are benefits to NOT giving the correct answer immediately to the students. They can benefit more by figuring it out on their own through verbal discussions.
While I set the stage and guide the discussions, students are learning more when I allow for more self-discovery and deeper understanding. The ActiVotes can let them say if they agree or not to an answer or idea.
Step 6. I can let students do diagramming of concepts in whole group using the Learner Response System. All my students can contribute, not just the student “at the board.” This keeps everyone actively participating and not tuning out when its not their turn. Engagement doesn’t mean that they are listening to me, it means that they are actively participating.
Step 7. I can ask them to “text” in ideas that we can discuss, sort and organize. The ActivExpression Learner Response System allows them to contribute in ways I am still discovering.
Is your ActivClassroom an environment that encourages and maximizes student participation? Or is it a glorified teacher presentation and testing station?
What is your vision? Where are you on your journey? How can we all get there together?
Lisa Dubernard - Onboard Learning