One of the more memorable things I saw at ISTE was a press conference with Promethean, the neon orange-themed maker of interactive whiteboards, response systems and assorted accessories. The company was announcing a new content partnership with Channel One, the ubiquitous television news source designed for high school students and shown in schools all over the country (and first broadcast gig for CNN star Anderson Cooper!).
The partnership is more than just an exclusive agreement to show the news on interactive whiteboards, however, creating a new platform altogether that engages students in what they're watching, using assessments, pop quizzes and collaborative activities during and after broadcasts. I thought it was a pretty slick use of the capabilities of these systems. It's a good idea since useful content, in the minds of many, has been sorely lacking in the world of interactive whiteboards, and far too many teachers have been left to their own devices, so to speak, to figure out how to use the things effectively. You can see a video about it here.
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