The Observer: Promethean boards add to excessive screen time

the observer: Prometheans add to excessive screen time

March 22, 2010 • written by Spencer Easterbrook Staff Writer   

...Before we had Prometheans, many teachers explained the lesson plan for the day and then allowed students to break up into groups to work on class assignments. Now, with the Promethean boards in our classrooms, some teachers spend nearly all of their instructional time at the front of the classroom lecturing while students take notes. This environment doesn’t allow students to work together collaboratively. Students experience the classroom differently with a Promethean board as the center of instruction. It stands between the students and the teacher as a third party in the room.

The Promethean board allows for the occasional YouTube video and PowerPoint slide that might liven up an otherwise boring class. A good teacher, however, can keep their students interested and engaged without technology. The excitement of a teacher who is passionate about their subject will never be replaced by a piece of new technology.