| What was required? | | | | Albert Park Primary School was suitably |
| With an understanding of the value of Kinesthetic | | | | impressed by the Whiteboard, along with |
| Learning, solutions were sought that would assist | | | | DatacomIT's vast support and experience in this |
| teaching methods, increase student interaction and | | | | area. |
| improve outcomes across the curriculum. | | | | Such an interactive and innovative product will |
| The products sought needed to be | | | | prove its significance over and over again. It will |
| environmentally friendly (i.e reduce the use of | | | | capture and re-capture students and teachers for |
| photocopied materials), user friendly, | | | | years to come. |
| comprehensive, and not require constant | | | | The ELMO iTeach Document Camera/Visual |
| software upgrades. | | | | Presenter |
| After a thorough evaluation Di Prust selected | | | | The Elmo iTeach Document Camera has seen |
| Promethean interactive Whiteboards and the Elmo | | | | tremendous success in the classroom |
| Document Camera from a Melbourne-based ICT | | | | environment. |
| company DatacomIT. | | | | The ELMO was selected by Albert Park Primary |
| The Solution | | | | School to display lessons on the Interactive |
| Promethean Interactive Whiteboard | | | | Whiteboards. Since its implementation the ELMO |
| Promethean's Activboard+2 is an interactive | | | | has managed to project more than just an image |
| whiteboard that makes learning fun. Designed by | | | | or lesson, but a new method of understanding. |
| teachers, the Activboard reflects the growing | | | | A portable alternative to an overhead projector, |
| trend in visual learning; the idea that children | | | | the ELMO acts to support lessons with its |
| respond to visual stimulation. After comparisons | | | | multimedia and interactive capabilities. It produces |
| with other products on the market, Albert Park | | | | a large image that can capture moving pictures at |
| Primary School trialled the whiteboard over a | | | | 20 frames per second. The camera is positioned |
| period of two months and found that teachers | | | | above an A3 sized capture area where you can |
| were able to develop engaging lessons through | | | | undertake science experiments, present maps, |
| Promethean's award winning suite of hardware | | | | diagrams and hand written work to students. |
| and software. | | | | 'It's terrific, says Di who believes the ELMO |
| The Interactive whiteboard comes with many | | | | complements the Promethean Interactive |
| tools that bring lessons to life. The Activboard, | | | | Whiteboard, 'I use it regularly. Usually I'll draw |
| where all content is displayed is available in 95", | | | | something on a sheet of paper and then use the |
| 78" and 64" sizes with an adjustable height | | | | ELMO to project it while I'm still drawing or writing |
| function. Albert Park Primary School purchased 17 | | | | on that same piece.' |
| 78" whiteboards in total, positioned at the front | | | | Teachers can also connect the ELMO document |
| and centre of the classrooms. Di found students | | | | camera to teaching tools other than Interactive |
| were drawn to the whiteboard and managed to | | | | whiteboards, such as computers and microscopes. |
| focus on lessons with ease. | | | | Its numerous interfaces (USB, XGA, Video out) |
| The battery free pen known as the Activpen, | | | | and SD memory card availability, means that |
| writes like a pen but functions as a mouse. It is a | | | | teachers can generate lessons for their students |
| supplied tool that initiates all the action; its use also | | | | at home and can re-use and adapt these lessons |
| helps the development of children's handwriting | | | | for classes in years to come. |
| and motor skills, a key factor in Albert Park | | | | With the ELMO product new forms of media can |
| Primary School's selection of the Promethean | | | | be used to reach students, rather than just old |
| product over its competitors. | | | | videos, DVDs or CDs. Learning becomes a |
| The interactive software means that teachers | | | | refreshing experience for both teacher and |
| can create, save and share lessons. The teachers | | | | student. |
| at Albert Park Primary School appear to be | | | | The interactive nature of the ELMO also increases |
| enjoying this aspect of the product, as Di | | | | opportunity for more teacher/student interaction; |
| highlights the freedom of the flipchart software: | | | | communication is becoming a two-way |
| 'the flexibility in using the flipcharts makes lessons | | | | experience, rather than the old one-way model of |
| more accessible.' | | | | information exchange from teacher to student. |
| The flipchart is like a blank artist's canvas, where | | | | 'The general feedback on the Elmo camera from |
| the teacher can create a lesson plan that Picasso | | | | teachers at Albert Park Primary School is very |
| would be jealous of 'we are more in control of | | | | positive ' says Di. Their observations include: |
| what we can actually do and are not limited by | | | | 1 Increase in pupil concentration |
| software.' | | | | 2 Instructions quickly learned |
| This is significant for teaching difficult concepts, as | | | | 3 Ability to absorb and retain information |
| complicated lessons can be simplified and then | | | | 4 By enlarging objects, pupil's understanding is |
| shared amongst teachers, furthering the possibility | | | | improved and academic curiosity is noticeably |
| of student understanding. | | | | increased. |
| Di has also recognised a shift in the attitudes of | | | | Conclusion |
| her students who are showing a new enthusiasm | | | | The Promethean Interactive Whiteboard and |
| to learn. Students at Albert Park Primary School | | | | ELMO iTeach Document Camera has positioned |
| relish in the opportunity to use the whiteboard | | | | Albert Park Primary School at the forefront of |
| and the tools it boasts. | | | | leading edge teaching techniques. |
| With its basic suite consisting of the Activboard, | | | | More time is spent on the learning process itself, |
| the Activpen and the Activstudio lesson creation | | | | involving Kinesthetic learning with leading |
| software, the Promethean interactive whiteboard | | | | educational technologies. Students are generally |
| creates a vibrant and energetic learning | | | | more interested in the classes where the |
| experience. Other tools are the Activote, the | | | | Interactive Whiteboard and Document camera |
| Activslate, the Activtablet, the Activpanel and the | | | | are used, and get a real buzz from this real time |
| Activwand. | | | | method of teaching. |