Institution
Established in 1884, Spartanburg School District Seven is a small urban school district located in the heart of upstate South Carolina. The district has an average enrollment of 7,300 students and employs nearly 1,200 education professionals that make up an early learning center, six elementary schools, two middle schools, one K-8 school, and a flagship high school (with a new building opening in August 2019). Additionally, the district is home to several schools and programs that serve the entire county including an adult learning center, a school for children with special needs, and an alternative education school.
“
The district has been able to truly give our students the tools to be agents of their own learning.”
The district also shares a career and technology center with a neighboring school district and has dedicated technology facilities and an early college preparatory program.
Situation
In 2013, District Seven implemented a digital conversion program that provided equitable access to technology tools through a dynamic 1:1 program that put mobile devices in the hands of every student from grades 6-12. In 2017, the program expanded to all students in grades 2-12. As a more tech-focused and collaborative environment began to develop, existing whiteboard display technology wasn’t keeping up with the district’s needs.
During several listening sessions with teachers, district officials identified the top needs from educators as being increased mobility, compatibility with current 1:1 technology, reduced calibration issues, and higher screen quality. Promethean was selected as the top education technology provider that could address these challenges. With fervent support from the superintendent and school board, District Seven implemented Promethean’s ActivPanel and additional technology solutions to classrooms across the district.
Interactive Solutions
According to Dr. Eric Levitt, Assistant Superintendent for Planning & Innovation, “It has been transformational. These panels, from day one, have been used in all content areas and all grade levels. The district has been able to truly give our students the tools to be agents of their own learning.” The district leadership team found that Promethean’s ActivPanel offered key components that they needed from a new front- of-classroom display, including:
- High-quality panel – The panel has a large, clear, and sharp screen that does not have diffused light like one would find in a projector- based board.
- Collaborative software – Connection of
1:1 technology to the ActivPanel that allow both students and teachers to create hands-
on “teachable moments” through easily incorporated solutions. - User-friendly interface – App-centric layout has “low barriers for entry” for teachers to feel empowered with the technology both during and after professional training sessions.
- Ongoing support – Partnering with Promethean, both before and after the
roll-out, was hands-on and helpful.
Student Engagement
By using the ActivPanel alongside solutions like ActivInspire lesson delivery and ActivCast wireless content mirroring solutions, educators across the district can now engage students utilizing the 1:1 technology infrastructure. The portable nature of the ActivPanel allows for learning on the go, letting teachers create alternate classroom set-ups, moving lessons around the campus, and facilitating work in smaller groups during a single class period. “If you were to take my ActivPanel out of the room, it would be like losing my right arm,” said District Seven teacher Meredith Lockamy. “I feel that it plays a very important role in getting students engaged, creating a dynamic classroom, and simplifying the utilization of technology in different ways.”
District Seven has seen a noticeable difference in their classrooms with more collaboration, sharing, and student-led learning. Identifying technology for District Seven’s digital conversion transformation was vital for the district, and they feel confident that they placed the right technology in the hands of their teachers and students.
