Mathematics and Science
The ActivClassroom by Promethean

Technology integration has become a salient part of the mathematics curriculum.  As mathematical paradigms change from the “depositing” of information to authentic learning experiences, the role of technology has become increasingly important.  No longer will the student be a passive “recipient” of information, but will become a contributor and active participant in the learning process.  In addition, teachers will no longer dispense information to be memorized and regurgitated, but will serve as facilitators to guide students through processes of inquiry and discovery.

At Promethean, we believe education should be firm but never stand still.  As such, we have developed state-of-the-art tools that not only facilitate students’ understanding of math and science, but also provide teachers with a rich educational toolset. 

Described below are four curriculum foci the National Council for Teachers in Mathematics (NCTM), the National Science Education Standards (NRC) and the National Education Technology Standards (NETS) have suggested improve curricula in mathematics and science.  Additionally, we also describe how the ActivClassroom can promote high student achievement and help teachers develop technology-rich curricula.

Student understanding is actively constructed through individual and social processes.
The ActivClassroom solution provides students opportunities to interact with a dynamic surface and manipulate objects, run and save data real-time and use innovative software to build, organize and compare ideas.  In addition, Promethean provides exemplary professional development opportunities to facilitate the creation of inquiry-based curricula for teachers.

Students must learn with understanding, actively building new knowledge from experience and prior knowledge.
The ActivClassroom supports student engagement by providing a robust set of tools and resources to help students build upon prior knowledge to construct authentic learning experiences.  Additionally, Promethean Planet is one-stop resource and professional learning community where students and teachers can collaborate and communicate with educators from all over the world.  Planet also offers thousands of ready-made lesson plans, resource packs and professional development opportunities.

Students should become problem solvers and critical thinkers.
“Beyond repeating theory and formulae, students need to understand how to apply math and science knowledge to different situations and challenges.” 
Using Promethean’s award-winning ActivInspire, teachers and students can create digital models to represent abstract concepts, thereby giving them an opportunity to move beyond superficial comprehension of ideas to deeper, more complex understanding and applications.

Teachers design, develop and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context.
The ActivClassroom provides a plethora of resources and templates that seamlessly integrate with our Learner Response Systems (ActivExpression and ActivVote) to help teachers incorporate formative assessment into their lessons.  Moreover, teachers can receive immediate feedback from students and “in-the-moment” be able to tailor their instruction.  The data can be captured, archived and retrieved to monitor student progress, analyze student or class trends and reflect on instruction.

The ActivClassroom coupled with evidence-based instructional best practices and standards can facilitate 21st century education. Our solution also provides opportunities for students to construct, manipulate and assess their learning in math and science.  More importantly, it provides a collaborative, engaging and interactive authentic learning experience for all.