Case Study: Ransom Everglades

Challenges and Goals cont...

A proposal was submitted and approved, and Ransom Everglades purchased two boards – one for the Middle School and one for the Upper School . But that didn’t last long. Four teachers asked to use it before it was even out of the box.

“When I first witnessed the potential that the Activboard system offered our teachers in incorporating technology into their daily curriculum, I knew we would have to have more,” said Ellen Moceri, Ransom Everglades head of school. “So first we ordered four additional Activboards and now we have a total of 15 – 12 in the math department, two for our science teachers, and one for our history section!”

The Activclassroom System is comprised of the Activboard interactive whiteboard and the Activstudio software tools and resources. Peripherals, which can be added on, include the Activslate, which allows teachers and students to control the whiteboard from anywhere in the classroom, and the Activote, a set of 32 hand-held voting devices that provide teachers with instant student feedback. Additionally, the system includes the Activtablet, which allows teachers to develop lesson plans and flip charts when away from the board or at home.

“Before we began using the Activboard, the math teachers would have to hand-write complex math equations on the board – one at a time,” said Duty. “Now we can have two or three problems displayed at a time. This helps to affect a more effective and efficient use of classroom time. Not to mention, that if a student needs to make a connection between problems one and three it’s as easy as the click of a button.”
 Duty believes the real success of the Activboard is the Activstudio software. “It is easy to follow along, it has endless resources, and it really captures students’ imaginations. I’ll never forget the first time our students saw the Activboard; they were absolutely awestruck. I downloaded the Texas Instruments calculator from the Internet and displayed it on the Activboard. I could physically hit the keys. They watched and learned with excitement. And since that day, our classrooms have come alive with the sounds and sights of accelerated learning.”