Press Release - Promethean Helps Educate Learners in the World of Work

Blackburn, UK

Educational technology specialist, Promethean, is supporting the Tower Hamlets Education Business Partnership (THEBP) in its aim to bridge the gap between school and the world of work. As part of its Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Programme, a project that provides 14-16 year old learners with an insight into working in the City, THEBP is using Promethean’s ActiVote Learner Response System to improve student engagement and reinforce learning.

Recognising the need to ensure the skills and knowledge gained during compulsory education are more relevant to later life, particularly in the current financial climate, THEBP works with local schools and businesses on a range of vocational learning projects. Each project is designed to raise achievement levels, as well as provide pupils from one of the UK’s most deprived boroughs with the opportunity to develop transferable skills for their future careers. To support one particular project – its Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Programme – THEBP introduced interactive technologies to increase participation and make sessions more appealing to students.
 
From the ActivClassroom suite of collaborative technologies, the THEBP opted for Promethean’s ActiVote system, recognising that the devices fulfilled the project’s criteria and would enhance the learning experience. Since adopting the multiple-choice handheld system, THEBP has incorporated the use of ActiVote into a variety of programme activities. Following talks from City workers on business practices, for example, students now complete plenary review exercises in real-time using ActiVote, answering questions on topics ranging from the use of IT to company structure and operations. The results of these sessions are instantly communicated back to the programme leader via a USB hub, enabling them to determine the students’ level of understanding quickly and identify areas which may require revisiting. ActiVote is also being used as part of group activities, encouraging students to work together to formulate agreed responses.

Commenting on the use of ActiVote in THEBP sessions, Ken McCarthy, MLEE Programme Manager at the organisation, said: “Previously, during paper-based exercises, some students were not engaged and were reluctant to get involved in activities. Since using ActiVote, however, students have commented that sessions are more fun and we are finding that they remember more information.

“As the students enjoy using the devices, they are eager to take part in activities and demonstrate their understanding, and from a pedagogical perspective, because many of our students are kinaesthetic learners, ActiVote helps to reinforce what they have learnt. This helps make sessions more productive, effective and most importantly, ensures attendees get the most out of the programme.

“There are additional benefits of incorporating interactive technologies into these sessions, as a number of pupils come from homes or backgrounds where exposure to ICT is minimal. Events such as this give them the chance to encounter new and innovative technologies, helping students become more digitally savvy and improving their future employability.”

Concluding, Margaret Allen, Head of European Education Market Development at Promethean, explained: “The successful use of ActiVote by the THEBP demonstrates the system’s application beyond the ‘typical’ classroom environment. As well as helping to engage students in more traditional curriculum content, Learner Response Systems provide an effective way to maintain student attention and gauge understanding of more vocational related lessons, which are increasingly common in schools.

“The success of the ActivClassroom in any educational setting hinges on the technologies’ instant appeal to today’s digital learners. In this case, students are drawn to responding to questions using Learner Response Systems, and, as such, wish to take a more active role in the session.”
For more information on Promethean, visit www.PrometheanWorld.com

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About THEBP

Tower Hamlets Education Business Partnership is an independent charity that works with schools in Tower Hamlets and businesses to deliver a programme of activities that raise achievement, aspiration and motivation among young people in the borough. Increasingly its focus is on work-related skills that prepare young people for the workplace and engender an awareness of the career opportunities available to them.

About ActiVote

ActiVote is a simple multiple choice system, which features response keys labelled A to F. Intuitively designed for educational use, ActiVote supports questioning techniques such as using yes/no, true/false and likert scales. The flexible nature of ActiVote means it can be used with a range of activities from formative and self-assessment, to opinion gathering.

About Promethean

Promethean is a global leader in interactive classroom solutions that empowers teachers to engage, educate, assess and motivate learners.  Developed by and for educators, its award-winning ActivClassroom is an innovative and integrated suite of solutions providing time-saving technology for teachers and engaging, informative content for the modern-day classroom that has been proven to significantly raise achievement levels.

Beyond the classroom, Promethean’s integrated learning system also provides comprehensive training and support. Promethean Planet (www.PrometheanPlanet.com) is the largest online teacher forum for premium interactive content. Nearly 350,000 educators from around the world currently access and adapt downloadable flipcharts, participate in conversations on the ActivEducator blog and share best practice to create fun, engaging lessons that capture both the imagination and attention of their students. 

For more information, please visit www.PrometheanWorld.com.

Press enquiries:

Katie Dixon / Jo Hart, Triangle PR
Tel: + 44 (0)161 873 8009 or + 44 (0)7590 046 428
Email: Katie.Dixon@trianglepr.co.uk / Jo.Hart@trianglepr.co.uk

Tracey McLaine
Head of Global PR, Promethean
Tel: + 44 (0)1254 290752
Email: Tracey.McLaine@prometheanworld.com

Julia Landon
UK Marketing Executive, Promethean
Tel:  + 44 (0)1254 290733 or +44 (0)7971 129 850
Email: Julia.Landon@prometheanworld.com