What is the Black Country ActivExpression Road Test? 

The Black Country ActivExpression Road Test is an innovative opportunity that focuses upon the effective use and application of the Promethean ActivExpression learner response and voting system. The project is funding twelve sets of ActivExpression for use in Mathematics departments at Secondary level (K.S.3) within schools across the Black Country.  The project has been established in partnership with the Black Country Challenge programme.

The Midlands Leadership Centre, Learning Technologies Team is leading the development and also providing teachers with full training and support to implement the technology effectively. 

Sponsored by Promethean, participating schools have received a free class set of ActivExpression worth over £2000 and have examined how to use it  to support a wide range of classroom activities. The Road Test provides the participating practitioners with the opportunity to introduce a new and innovative piece of technology into their classrooms with appropriate levels of support and guidance.

What is ActivExpression?

ActivExpression is a high specification learner response or ‘Voting’ system that allows traditional multiple-choice and yes/no answers with the added functionality of sequential, numeric and text based inputs. In simple terms, the teacher can ask spontaneous or pre-prepared questions to the whole group, gaining responses and indications of understanding from the pupils. Data can also be exported to a spreadsheet for further analysis if required. Common uses for this type of equipment include Assessment for Learning applications, development of pupil discussion and interaction, summative testing, engagement of pupils and the promotion of higher order thinking.  Typically each pupil has their own handset and the system is controlled through software that runs on any brand of interactive whiteboard or PC/projector combination.

When is the Road Test taking place? 

The Black Country ActivExpression Road Test was launched on 11th November 2008. The project runs until July 2009 with initial findings reported  in Spring 2009. The research team will examine key uses of the  technology and its potential to support learning gains at Key Stage Three and beyond. The team will examine a wide range of quantitative and qualitative data and findings will be used to inform further use and application of this technology in Black Country schools in the future. 

If you would like to find out more then please contact the team via This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it