Family Planning more effective with ActivBoard

Nationwide not-for-profit organisation Family Planning has chosen a Promethean interactive whiteboard system supplied by ActivBoard New Zealand. The device replaces a previous projector and screen setup in Family Planning’s adult education and training classes. The system provides for learner interaction, annotation of presentations, and printing and sharing of notes. The result is an improvement in knowledge sharing, with class attendees consistently complimenting Family Planning’s use of technology.

Family Planning Organisation

Operating for over 75 years, Family Planning is a not-for-profit charitable organisation that promotes a positive view of sexuality to enable people to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health.

Family Planning provides a range of services including sexual and reproductive health information, clinical services, education and training, and research. It works with people of all genders, ages, nationalities and  sexual orientations.

In addition to the 30 clinics and 32 school-linked clinics that it operates around New Zealand, Family Planning has a Clinical Training and Development (CTD) division. This provides doctors and nurses with the opportunity to learn new skills and continue their professional development, explains division head Amy Curry.

“Prior to the introduction of the ActivBoard system, training was supported by a standard projector and screen. The major limitation with that, of course, is that it just wasn’t very interactive at all,” she says.

Furthermore, Curry says lighting was a problem with the projector, with images and information not sufficiently bright for learners to see clearly.

Interactive Whiteboard Solution

With the introduction of the Promethean interactive whiteboard system, Curry says a step change to the classroom situation is made. “Firstly, the interactive board is bright enough to ensure clarity, regardless of the ambient lighting of the room,” she notes.

That’s a minor problem instantly addressed; but since the purpose of a whiteboard is to aid knowledge transfer and support effective learning, Curry says the real difference lies in the ability to engage and interest the learners. “For example, the ability to physically draw on the board through the ActivInspire system makes it easy to point out specific elements of coursework, draw attention to details, and include notes and explanations where necessary.”

ActivInspire software works seamlessly with Promethean’s ActivBoards and Learner Response Systems, creating a fully integrated, interactive environment. With an embedded web browser, it provides the ability to instantly stream content and data directly from websites. This adds a further dimension to interactive learning, as internet resources can be accessed and shared with a class with no delay or hassle.

Leaner Response Systems -  A step further

Curry says the recent introduction of ActivExpression goes a step further. ActivExpression equips each learner with a handheld device (resembling a smartphone) which provides learners with the ability to directly interact with their instructor. The system is designed to promote full-class participation and engagement throughout lessons while encouraging ongoing, real-time assessment of student progress. 

“We’ve just received ActivExpression and intend to use it for ongoing quizzes to monitor the learning level of course attendees,” says Curry. “Our assessment of the system shows that it will give us the ability throughout the course to understand where more attention might have to be focused, or where comprehension is sufficient to move on.”

As Family Planning’s classes are comprised of adults, she says the anonymity which comes with ActivExpression is invaluable. “Adults often will feel insecure or ashamed to speak up if they don’t understand or have missed something. ActivExpression directly solves that problem, letting class members directly indicate how well they understand any particular coursework.”

Increased efficiency and 

Over the course of two years, Family Planning has had ample time to assess the efficacy of the ActivBoard system. Curry puts it plainly: “Once you’ve used an interactive whiteboard, there is no way you could go back to the old projector and screen.”

While she says actual measurements of improvements are difficult to ascertain – since there isn’t a ready metric for ‘learning efficiency’ – Curry says there is an intuitive sense of the improvement. More than that, learners love the system. “Our course attendees, especially those who haven’t seen an interactive whiteboard in action, are very complementary about our use of the technology. We have feedback forms that follow each class, with specific questions on perceptions of the value of the ActivBoard system. The responses indicate practically universal appreciation of the system.”

From a presenter’s perspective, she says the ActivBoard system is easily understood and used by anyone with a reasonable level of computer literacy. “It is a long way away from a flip chart or a chalkboard, which does make it a little intimidating for the older generation. However, with adequate training provided as part of the system, it doesn’t take long to start using it effectively – and see the benefits in for the learners.”

She notes that one of the few things the ActivBoard has in common with the chalkboards of old is their resilience. “You can’t break them, which makes ActivBoard ideal for any learning environment, even  a primary school.”

Curry says recent advances in personal technology, including laptops, show that touchscreens and interactivity are the way forward. “Technology and the world are moving forward. If we don’t use technology such as the ActivBoard system to teach the class, we will get left behind.”

For more information

Visit www.activboardnz.com 

About ACTIVboardNZ

ACTIVboardNZ is a well-established technology vendor and the exclusive distributor for several leading international manufacturers of interactive and audiovisual display technology.

Based in Auckland and with representatives around New Zealand, ACTIVboardNZ supplies and supports a range of ICT and audio visual solutions for educational, corporate and government establishments. They have been working with Architects, Engineers, Project Managers and School Leaders for over fifteen years and their experienced team is able to provide advice and guidance on all aspects of interactive and collaborative technology solutions.