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D6.2
iTEC Environments’ Manual
Promethean
By Gill Leahy
May 2013
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1. The Promethean Environment
1.1. A Suite of Tools and Services
1.2. ActivInspire
1.2.1. ActivInspire as an iTEC Shell
1.2.2. How to Install the ActivInspire Software
1.2.3. How to Install the ActivEngage2 Software
1.2.4. How to Embed an iTEC Widget in ActivInspire
1.3 Promethean Planet
1.3.1. Registration Process
1.3.2. Professional Development Resources
1.3.3 iTEC Promethean Planet Community
1.4 Emerging iTEC Learning Stories from the Classroom
1.4.1 Learning Story Activities
1.4.2 Learning Activities Examples
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1. The Promethean Environment
Promethean’s integrated technology works to spark inspiration and collaboration,
bringing 21st century learning to life—in classrooms, training rooms, conference rooms,
and beyond. Promethean creates, develops, supplies and supports interactive learning
technology and solutions that work together seamlessly to create an interactive and
integrated environment.
Promethean’s integrated environment is comprised of interactive whiteboards, learner
response systems, software, training and professional development, resources and
teacher communities, all proven to improve educational results.
Since its inception, Promethean has focused on understanding how to engage minds and
inspire ideas, and has designed ingenious technologies that transform the way we learn,
teach and collaborate. Promethean believes learning never ends—neither does the need
to inspire and be inspired.
1.1. A Suite of Tools and Services
Promethean provides a whole range of tools and services. Apart from the interactive
whiteboard itself, Promethean provides a suite of tools and services to allow users the
full benefit of the IWB hardware.
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You can learn more about the Promethean tools in the following list:
Software
Hardware
ActivEngage2
● Promethean World
● Composer Tool
ActivBoard
● Promethean World
● Composer Tool
ActivOffice
● Promethean World
● Composer Tool
ActivExpression
● Promethean World
● Composer Tool
ActivInspire
● Promethean World
● Composer Tool
ActiVote
● Promethean World
● Composer Tool
ActivProgress
● Promethean World
● Composer Tool
ActiView
● Promethean World
● Composer Tool
ActivTable
● Promethean World
● Composer Tool
ActivSlate
● Promethean World
● Composer Tool
1.2. ActivInspire
Promethean’s award-winning ActivInspire software is available in multiple platforms
(Windows, Mac and Linux) and in 36 languages. ActivInspire is the function for any 21st
century learning experience. Designed for use in the classroom, it enables teachers to
create new lessons filled with rich, powerful activities, and support Assessment for
Learning tasks with students, groups and the whole class.
With a choice of age appropriate interfaces, ActivInspire gives teachers the ability to
access a wealth of teaching activities, tools, images, sounds and templates, with a world
of additional resources available on Promethean Planet - the world’s
largest interactive whiteboard community.
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1.2.1. ActivInspire as an iTEC Shell
In the iTEC project, Promethean pilot teachers are using the shell of ActivInspire and
Promethean Planet. As the project progresses, the tools and services being developed to
support the iTEC Environment are being trialed within this shell.
The flipchart document offers an environment to create lessons, using many tools and
services.
For some examples please download the flipchart at the following link:
http://bit.ly/16zsK7N
The Tools of the IWB
ActivInspire has fully functional, integrated tools like set square, spotlight and revealer
– to help teachers deliver more effective lessons. The toolbar can be customised for the
user. Tools can be dragged onto the flipchart directly, e.g. in the Learning Story,
Designing a Maths Game, the dice or the equation editor may be required.
Whole Group Tools
It is quick and easy to instantly create question sets across multiple pages and flipcharts.
Teachers and students gain immediate feedback on Assessment for Learning activities,
via meaningful data.
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These tools can be used for feedback and assessment in real time throughout, e.g. to
gather ideas for the design brief activity or during the participatory design or for the
reflection activity.
Libraries
Used for locating resources, personalising resources, sharing resources with others
within ActivInspire or through file sharing facilities such as Dropbox or the school VLE.
Activities and Templates
There is a vast assortment of backgrounds, images and activities already included and
ready for use. There are many templates in the shared library that can be used for
thought sharing, collaborating, collecting ideas for design brief, reflection and
participatory design activities. Many exist within the resource libraries of the software.
Media Tools
Camera, sound recorder, screen recorder, ActiView for animation.
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Embedded Web Browser
The new Embedded Web Browser allows you to stream content directly from websites
into a flipchart using the “embed” functionality many websites offer. The advantage is
that you now have an option to “stream” content and data rather than downloading it
and storing locally. This feature opens a window to royalty-free content. Once
embedded, you can control height, width and placement of the resource in the flipchart.
This is how Promethean iTEC pilot teachers can explore and use the iTEC widgets that
have been created for the project directly in the ActivInspire shell.
1.2.2. How to Install the ActivInspire Software
First of all you need to download and install the Promethean ActivInspire software. You
can find and download a copy of the software for multiple platforms (Windows, Mac and
Linux) and choose from 36 different languages here:
www.prometheanplanet.com/activinspire
Once you have downloaded and started the installation of the software, all you need to
do is follow the onscreen instructions to install the software. Next you should download
and install the resource packs you require.
To use ActivInspire as an iTEC shell teachers and students will require access to
Promethean ActivInspire on school computers and at home. The Professional Edition
will require a licensing code. If you don’t already have a licensing code for the
ActivInpsire software, please contact iTECExpert@prometheanworld.com to discuss
iTEC trial licensing options.
A free ActivInspire Personal Edition that will play and edit flipcharts is also available to
download.
1.2.3. How to Install the ActivEngage2 Software
ActivEngage2 is a virtual Learner Response System and a server. For three clients for both PCs
and MACs you are able to download ActivEngage2 from Promethean Planet. However, if you
would like to use more than three clients please contact iTECExpert@prometheanworld.com for
a free trial licence.
For Android or iOS devices, the free client software can be found using the links below:
iTunes App Store - http://appstore.com/prometheanactivengage2
Google Play Store - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.activeengage2
1.2.4. How to Embed an iTEC Widget in ActivInspire
The Promethean ActivInspire software (version 1.6 and beyond) has the option to embed
Widgets from the iTEC widget store into the flipchart document. These widgets will then appear
as part of the flipchart presentation.
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Example of an iTEC widget embedded in an ActivInspire document
On the iTEC Widget Store
Step 1: Locate the widget you want to embed on the ITEC widget store
Step 2: Locate the “embed code” for the widget and copy it
In ActivInspire:
Step 3: Go to the page or part of the flipchart where you want the widget to appear
Step 4: Use “Insert > Link > Embedded HTML” from the menu
Step 5: Paste the code you copied from the ITEC widget store into the space for HTML and press
OK
The widget should then appear in the page and will appear there in the future if you save the
flipchart and return to the page.
Note: You can move the widget on the page and/or copy it to the resource library so you can reuse
it in other presentations and to avoid going back to the ITEC widget store and HTML insert options.
Promethean Templates & Widgets
The Promethean ActivInspire resource library also contains a very large number of templates
and interactive widgets. These include a variety of times, clocks, random number generators
and student pickers and other tools that are on the ITEC Widget Store.
Widgets can also be combined with templates referenced later in the learning activities and
learning stories in a large variety of ways to create activities that would not be possible to be
done with a web page, including drawing and real time student quizzes and feedback
Note: iTEC widgets can be converted to Promethean Library Widgets by simply dragging them
from the flipchart page to the library
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1.3 Promethean Planet
Promethean Planet is the world’s largest interactive whiteboard community with more
than 1.6 million educators from all over the globe connecting to share free resources,
tips, access premium interactive lesson content and a wide variety of professional
development materials.
Promethean Planet’s 75,000+ free downloadable teacher resources and online
professional development courses offer teachers everything they need to easily create
more active, inspired and engaged classrooms. Created by teachers, for teachers,
Promethean Planet is a unique community where educators converge to share, connect
and collaborate—all in the spirit of creating inspiring interactive learning environments.
Promethean Planet is a growing, active community where teachers from around the
world share lesson resources and content as well as advice and best practices. Teachers
can access thousands of fully customisable, free resources, all searchable by grade,
subject and keyword and download content easily to enhance lessons instantly. They
can post a question on the Planet Forum and receive thoughtful responses from around
the world or the classroom next door at any time of day. There are Blogs to check out
and to participate in lively discussions and gain valuable insights and creative ideas to
enrich interactive classrooms.
The Promethean Planet website brings content and community together in one online
location.
1.3.1. Registration Process
By joining this online community, you can quickly access content that can be modified to suit the
needs of any classroom. You’ll also be able to connect with colleagues locally or around the
world to exchange lessons, ideas, insights and classroom success stories. Membership is free, so
sign up today.
Becoming a member is quick, easy and free. Simply visit the Promethean Planet website to
create your free account.
Go to and select Register in the upper right: corner of the screen.
Enter the data required:
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Once you have filled out all the required information hit ‘register’.
1.3.2. Professional Development Resources
Find your inspiration and get motivated with Promethean Professional Development resources,
from free training webinars and short video tutorials to advanced courses that enable you to
apply the latest educational research findings and best practices in your classroom.
Free ActivInspire Skills Training Courses:
It is recommended that any student and teacher using ActivInspire complete the basic
ActivInspire course and if using ActivExpression or another Promethean LRS, the appropriate
course for those.
Inspiring Ways to Use a Promethean Response System:
The Ron Clark Academy ActivClassroom - Top Ten Ways to use ActivExpression
ActivTips:
Welcome to ActivTips! Here you'll find short video tutorials on how to complete a variety of
functions in ActivInspire, from creating containers to working with Magic Ink. Also available as
podcasts.
Flipchart Fundamentals:
Building a better flipchart begins with having the right tools. Here are six simple steps to help
create great flipchart lessons for your students.
1.3.3 iTEC Promethean Planet Community
Promethean Planet has a dedicated homepage for iTEC.
www.prometheanplanet.com/iTEC
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From this page, you can:
● Find resources from previous cycles
● Learn about future cycles
● Meet Promethean's iTEC experts
● Send the experts your iTEC questions
● Link to the iTEC EUN community group
● Link to the iTEC Promethean teacher’s forum
The iTEC Promethean teacher’s community group is where Promethean will provide its latest
information on the project. It contains a blog, a forum, file gallery and wiki. All the information
in this document can be found in the wiki.
For teachers to add their voice to the conversations by commenting on a blog article or posting
in the forum, they first need to join the group. Joining the group will also allow you to download
files stored in the gallery.
Joining couldn't be easier:
1 First, make sure you're a member of Promethean Planet and signed in to the site. You'll
find the 'Register' and 'Sign in' links at the top-right of any Planet page.
2 Once your account has been verified and you've signed in, visit this group and click the
'Join Group' link on the right of the header bar.
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1.4 Emerging iTEC Learning Stories from the Classroom
Here is the link to the themes emerging from the iTEC Promethean classrooms in the
project:
Emerging Themes from the Promethean iTEC Classroom
1.4.1 Learning Story Activities
Here are links to exemplification of some of the learning stories.
● Create an Object
● Create a Game
● Tell a Story
● Visualising the Planet Surface
● Redesigning School
● Designing a Mathematics Learning Game
● Designing a Physics Simulation
1.4.2 Learning Activities Examples
You can discover currently uploaded exemplifications of the iTEC Learning Activities and
Learning Activities how they can be implemented in a Promethean classroom in the wiki.
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