Module 5 - New Technologies

My school building is only 4 years old, and the plan was for every classroom to have a promethean board. However, due to budget cuts all classes did not receive boards. The school administration decided to randomly select who got promethean boards. The staff was curious about the Promethean Boards because they were a new technology; promoting attention or active participation according to Keller’s ARCS of Motivation. The first year I did not have a promethean board but I wanted one. I was highly disappointed to see how the boards were being used. Some teachers were just using the Promethean Board to display overhead transparencies.  Most teachers took courses via the district or Promethean Planet to learn how to use the boards effectively in their lessons.  The courses help some teachers find relevance in the use of the Boards in their lessons; whereas, others were in a place of dissonance. Even with these efforts most teachers continued not to use the boards effectively. Fortunately, I received my promethean board and have helped the teachers on my grade level utilize the technology in their classrooms more effectively. The teachers began to gain confidence and utilize the promethean boards more in all lessons. The teachers have begun to make their own flip charts. We have not made it to the level of satisfaction, however with every day, week, month, and year we are getting closer. In order to continue to make these strides my team discusses our Promethean Boards in the lessons on a weekly basis in our grade level meetings. We have begun to develop flipcharts to accommodate lesson plans when submitting for the team.  I think by planning and developing as  a group it has helped to foster attention, motivation, relevance, and confidence on my grade level with the use of the Promethean board.