Students across Texas may be out of school for summer, but teachers in Pasadena ISD were hard at work learning how to bring the world of high-tech into instruction as they participated in an interactive technology workshop recently.

More than 150 Pasadena ISD teachers attended the training at the district’s Guidance Center, which included demonstrations featuring ACTIV boards. Workshop presenters showed the teachers the classroom opportunities that new technology provides.

Pasadena ISD teachers and Promethean representatives hosted workshops to show how the ACTIV boards can be used to make school more interactive and fun. Some of the topics included Math Olympics, how to tell time and group projects using the many features of the board.

“We don’t purchase technology for technology’s sake,” explains Dr. Kirk Lewis, Pasadena ISD superintendent. “We use technology to help our student achieve academic success and be better prepared for the “real” world. ACTIV boards have proven to be an excellent tool for increasing classroom participation and bringing relevant hands-on experiences to students.”

Pasadena ISD already has over 800 ACTIV boards installed throughout the district, but the need for more becomes apparent when one sees the excitement that technology generates among students.

“ACTIV boards make learning fun which, in turn, means that our students learn more,” Lewis said. “With proper funding, by 2010 we will have this tool available in all our classrooms to help students in their learning process.”

This day-long workshop featured Mark Elliott, president of Promethean Americas and Michael McKinstry, president of ProComputing, attended the workshops to see how the technology is being implemented in Pasadena ISD. Elliott and McKinstry plan to share what they learned with other districts nationwide.