The fabric of the modern day classroom should create a tapestry. This month’s column is confirmation of the right path for companies already weaving classroom tapestries, as well as those companies worried, because they feel their single thread won’t be seen as valuable in the current edtech larger picture — and its iPad frenzy. The key is that you cannot create the best tapestry without the individual threads. All companies need to embrace the full canvas on this digital classroom issue, because there’s room for all — if you understand this classroom tapestry concept.

Today, it’s easy to see the single threads; all you have to do is pick up any local newspaper. Typically, there’s a picture of a young person with an iPad showing school administrators the new App that he/she has created for his iPad program. In most cases, those administrators may only have limited knowledge of that handheld. What they do know is that for all they’ve heard and been told, this is the quickest way to create a digital classroom. Beyond that, it keeps a district in stride with other local schools and districts that may or may not know exactly what they need either. I’m certainly an advocate of getting digital devices into the hands of students, but as an educator you need to look at the complete 360-degree classroom view. An iPad in hand does not a complete classroom make.

In covering education technology at all levels, I’ve met with heads of companies who get this, and have been promoting the classroom as a tapestry for a long time. I’ve also discovered that if you can talk to the heads of companies — you hear the passion. Crestron and Extron are examples of companies that have made it a lot easier to tie all the classroom tech, video, and audio threads together. Many tech plans, and best-in-tech how-tos, include specific references to those companies for that very reason — as part and partners in a solution

Promethean is best known, internationally, for interactive education. Its whiteboards, called ActivBoards, as well as all its digital ActivHardware and ActivSoftware, including response systems — ActivVote and ActivExpression — have transformed teaching and classrooms, at all levels, on most continents. It was one of the first companies to actually understand the importance of creating a place for educators online with its Promethean Planet, a sort of personal and collaborative learning network. I know this last part, because I actually was privileged to hear that idea from Promethean executives — years ago — before its launch. At that time, they asked me what I thought about a place for educators. I think my answer was something like, “I’ve been saying that for years… glad you’re thinking about doing it.”

I may have also said something like it was great to hear something that wasn’t just hardware or software, but really was about teaching and educators. Interestingly, after the Promethean Planet launch, many other companies thought it a good idea, too. Some did it well, and some are still trying. It’s still a great idea. It really is a leap into interactive online self-publishing by users and for users. It certainly beats stale PDFs or product pricing hypes without user specifics.

When I heard that Jim Marshall was moving to Promethean as president, I immediately thought it was not only a great idea, but also a brilliant one for Promethean. I’ve known Jim for some time, and he is widely known and appreciated in the education marketplace. Some of my good friends in the market are his friends. You may know him from past leadership roles at SpectrumK12/Harland Clarke, but you may not know that Jim is one of those who had a chance to attend what I like to refer to as Steve Jobs University. Jim was at the Apple leadership table, as vice president of the education division when the digital world first shifted gears, streamlining clunky devices — and giving us the individualized tech we hand hold today. If you check around, you’d be amazed at how many education-marketplace leaders were influenced by Steve Jobs. Not only did they work at Apple, but many of them also used lessons they learned from Jobs to build their own philosophy for paradigm shifting.

I was supposed to talk with Jim Marshall about the release of the ActivTable. I began telling him about how I learned about Microsoft’s table version long before it was released, and at that time, as an old chalk pusher, I appreciated the collaborative use of a digital table with tracking ability for center use. This table idea isn’t a new thing, for sure, so I was prepared to play devil’s advocate. How would it fit into today’s classroom, where many educators are looking at iPad devices and individualized digital instruction?

Jim had read my reversing the presentation ideas, so I wasn’t sure how he would take my blunt approach to this topic, when I asked, “What’s new or different about this ActivTable? If I’m an administrator, what’s in it for my staff? What approach should I take, especially in tough economic times, where the whole education world is going handheld happy? What’s the fit?” Jim was a guy, who had set out to “crush the digital divide” with Apple, by leading the charge early on to put a digital device in every student’s hand, and later, followed that up with Spectrum, an IEP (Individualize Education Program) company, and turned that into personalized learning and intervention for any child. Jim was quiet for a moment. Had I gone too far?

Jim began,  “At Promethean, we’re trying to be a catalyst to provide a teacher-centric, learner-centric fabric in the classroom. The iPads, which are essentially one-to-one devices, are rejuvenating interest, along with digital texts; authoring, and disruptive budgets have created a perfect storm for digital change, beyond those original, few, 1:1 leadership districts. As we raise the tech in the back of the classroom, what kid with an iPad and the Web at his/her finger tips is going to want to look at a squeaky dry-erase board?” Wait a second; the President of Promethean gets it! And did I hear him say, “fabric?”

Marshall continued, “Teachers are always going to make their points, teach the curriculum, do what needs to be done, but now, with the whiteboards, the tech level goes up in the front of the class, and when we add these small group instructional devices –tables — we weave all the modalities or pieces together into a single fabric in the classroom — a teaching and learning-technology-centered fabric. That’s taking it up a level from individual devices — whiteboards, tables, and 1:1. That optimal fabric might be a couple of tables for group instruction, a large computer board/whiteboard at the front, which is just a portal to the digital world, when teachers want to take the class on a single-focused journey. From there, the class might break up into small groups and then individuals — there’d be a flow. Software is our backbone to link all the devices. We think there needs to be a whole class instructional device, an individual instructional device in every child’s hand, as well as a collaborative, kid to kid device — digital table.”

I’m thinking this concept is something every company leader should be hearing, saying and promoting. There is space for all devices, software, audio, video and classroom management solutions in this classroom tapestry, which most educators will agree, has all the components necessary for full-bodied lessons, and enhancing individual student digital learning.

I sometimes tongue-in-cheek my own tech observations, but I really get what Jim was saying. One device alone does not cover all the educational-learning real estate. That would be like carrying a golf bag with one club in it. The biggest drawback may be the difficulty districts have in finding the funds to cover all those tech bases. What usually happens is an either/or approach. Maybe one tech-teaching device can be purchased, but asking for more, or even all, isn’t likely to happen. Daily, I’m reminded that the majority of educators don’t have the tech tools necessary for this digital learning tapestry — nor do their students — yet, and that the ones who do, don’t have all the skills to create this technological concert — yet.

I shared my thoughts with Jim about teachers without tech, and he understood it as a problem he faces daily as well. We both agreed, though, that the conversation, the publication of new ideas and the classroom as a complete learning and tech-woven environment are the goals. Four teachers that maybe have one document camera, projector or whiteboard shared between them is a problem still needing a solution — no matter the economic times. What may be the biggest concern, though, is that those four educators may think what they have is great, because they don’t know what else is possible. Now, that’s where I believe the marketplace can be helpful — in sharing the possibilities. Administrators and educators will ask for what they need but they need to know what’s in it for them — and their students. Call that marketplace lessons, or simply a field trip to what’s classroom-possible. If not, educators may continue to be satisfied with sharing one device beyond its tech obsolescence.

I know that this may get easier with the new Common Core, where students need to back up ideas, thoughts, hypotheses and answers using technology. Districts will have to get onboard, and it won’t be just words this time — there will be pressure. Sad to use that word, but it’s true. Pressure to join the 21st Century — where teachers teach with tech, and guide kids, who control their own learning with tech — and together, they all collaborate, create, manipulate and transform is necessary. So, how can individuals and companies get involved?

Jim Marshall’s plans, with Promethean, include enlisting university and community college students to help share new learning ideas within their communities. This giving back to the community idea isn’t new, but hasn’t been taken to its fullest potential yet. It seems Jim and his education and marketplace colleagues are headed in that direction. This sort of community involvement spreads the word, revitalizes education at the grassroots level, and gives young people a challenging purpose for creating positive and change. That fresh energy tapped is essential — and young people are passionate. It also can promote a company as leader. I know there will be plenty of stories there, and companies that get involved in community will get rewards beyond their expectations — or press release.

This isn’t about one device in a classroom. The right thing for the times — for education — and for students is weaving all the human, digital, wiring, audio, video, infrastructural and structural components into a seamless tapestry — to create the digital learning classroom.

Find out more about the Promethean ActivTable here: http://www.prometheanworld.com/en-us/education/products/interactive-displays/activtable

ActivTable Quick Specs:

 

• 46” Full HD LCD display
• Individual tool library including keyboards, maths tools, web browsers, etc.
• Easy table access for chairs and wheelchairs
• Embedded sound system for multi-media lesson and voice recording
• Connectivity: 4 x USB-A ports, 1 x 3.5-mm mic in socket, 4 x 3.5-mm stereo headphone sockets, DVI, 1 x Ethernet port and Wi-Fi

Ken Royal is a teacher/education and education technology blogger/reporter, video interviewer, podcaster, education event news commentator with 34 years of classroom/school and instructional technology experience. His teaching accomplishments include being four-time district teacher of the year, Connecticut Middle School Teacher of the Year and Bill and Melinda Gates award for Technology School of Excellence. Reach Ken at ken@ravepubs.com or on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/kenroyal   ;