May 27 2021
Classroom

Promethean Releases Product Enhancements for K–12

Hardware and software updates accompany a new distance learning bundle from the interactive whiteboard company.

Promethean announced the release of three product enhancements on May 12. These include ActivPanel software and hardware updates as well as a distance learning bundle.

“We engaged with customers to identify that need of really connecting technology that already existed and making it easier for teachers to have that in-classroom experience,” says Lance Solomon, chief product officer at Promethean.

The distance learning bundle, which will include a webcam connected to the ActivPanel and an extendable tripod for desk and floor mounting, was created to help remote learners view their teacher and the ActivPanel at the same time. It also allows teachers to interact with students at home to provide an experience similar to a face-to-face conversation.

“We’ve definitely seen that it supports pure distance learning as well as the hybrid setup because the teacher has one focus point while at the front of the classroom,” Solomon says. “It does help the workflow of the teacher quite a bit.”

The company also announced updates to its ActivPanel software and hardware. The software update includes training for educators using the product and support resources. The goal is to decrease the time a teacher spends learning how to use ActivPanel and lessen the strain on IT teams in schools where these tools are being implemented.

“It’s the first step in our journey and in how we make our products easier for customers to use so they don’t have to contact support,” Solomon says. “The best support is actually no support. But this doesn’t mean we don’t offer support — it just means that the customers find things on their own.”

Solomon adds that the company will continue looking out for key areas in which educators need support. Promethean will use that information to update and improve its new software application.

READ THE REVIEW: Educators can interact seamlessly with the Promethean ActivPanel.

The hardware update, meanwhile, “includes a single USB-C cable that provides power, data, and video to the ActivPanel,” according to Promethean’s press release.

The cable will also charge devices plugged into it, supporting the shift to USB-C from traditional USB technology.

“It’s bringing the hardware up to the most recent technology that’s available and allowing teachers to get the convenience of those features,” Solomon says. “We’re doing that almost as a running change, as opposed to having to release a whole new panel.”

The company hopes these updates will simplify the workflow of the educators and IT leaders in K–12 districts moving forward, no matter what learning looks like in the future.

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