Sarasota County To Add 3,300 Whiteboards to Classrooms
01.02.2007—Sarasota County School District in Florida will add Promethean's new Activboard+2 to the 3,300 classrooms in the district as part of its "NeXt Generation Learning" initiative, a strategic plan that incorporates new technologies as part of the learning process. The Activboard+2 will be the centerpiece of the district's technology initiative through the 2007 school year.
As part of Phase 1 of the program, 1,050 classrooms in Sarasota County will receive the Activboard+2 systems immediately through Logical Choice Technologies, which provided the district with installation and professional development planning services. Two additional phases are scheduled for next year. Promethean consultants will help with classroom, video, and online instruction, according to Promethean.
The new Activboard+2 includes an interactive whiteboard, a Sanyo short-throw projector, an adjustable mount and various integrated software programs. The system's projector has a throw distance of three feet, allowing it to be installed without a ceiling mount. The projector is mounted to the board by a steel arm that can be adjusted to a variety of heights. The system can be linked to computers to the board via serial, USB or Bluetooth connections.
On the software side, Activboard+2 offers two options for lesson development: Activstudio or Activprimary. Both are Internet-enabled and include built-in resource libraries with images, lesson activities, maps, sounds and lesson plan templates. Sarasota teachers will also have access to "thousands of ready-made lesson plans, aligned to state education standards, in a searchable database at Promethean's user community and online resource center, Promethean Planet," according to Promethean.
"We wanted a system that provides our teachers with state-of-the art technology and that works with our curriculum," said Mike Horan, Sarasota County curriculum director, in a prepared statement. "Our teachers are thrilled."
More info:
:: READ MORE DAILY NEWS ::
About the author: Dave Nagel is the executive editor for 1105 Media's educational technology online publications and electronic newsletters. He can be reached at [email protected].
Have any additional questions? Want to share your story? Want to pass along a news tip? Contact Dave Nagel, executive editor, at [email protected].