Teachers are pivotal to students’ success. That’s why the introduction of new smart boards into classrooms must prioritize ease of adoption for teachers while facilitating growth in their teaching methods and engagement among students. Without features and tools centered around teachers’ needs, organizations risk overwhelming educators and hindering their effectiveness. When Crandall ISD in Texas embarked on its quest for a classroom smart board, they did so collaboratively with input from their teachers and staff. They sought a solution that would empower educators to teach in their own style, engage diverse learners, and remain easy and cost-effective for tech staff to set up and maintain. After thorough testing of leading smart boards, the BenQ Board emerged as the clear choice, meeting high standards and expectations.

Crandall ISD serves 6,500 students across seven K-12 schools. The district’s decision to upgrade its classroom technology was driven by the need to replace end-of-life projectors in two elementary schools and establish a new edtech standard for a brand-new middle school. Ensuring a smooth transition for teachers was paramount. The evaluation process, spearheaded by Executive Director of Technology & Innovation Amber Teamann, involved input from IT administrators. Ultimately, Crandall ISD selected BenQ for its comprehensive features, user-friendly interface, and robust management capabilities.

“I didn’t want to provide a smart board where 90% of the features are never touched because it doesn’t make sense for teachers,” said Teamann. “We wanted them to be able to jump in and use it immediately. But we were starting from zero, where they had been working off of PCs with CRT monitors and in some cases old lamp-based projectors. We had to ensure this change felt seamless and supported their existing workflows.”

BenQ Boards are designed to meet teachers where they are, enabling them to teach in their preferred style while expanding their skillset with intuitive smart board features. Google EDLA-certified BenQ Boards offer teachers flexibility in their teaching methods. They can utilize the whiteboard, screen sharing, or access lessons from their Google cloud drive, all supported by BenQ’s powerful, intuitive tools tailored to their teaching needs without incurring yearly licensing costs.

Personalized sign-on is a hallmark feature of BenQ Boards. Each teacher receives their own personalized account, accessible across any BenQ Board in their network with a simple swipe of their NFC card. This seamless integration allows teachers to access their settings, bookmarks, and folders instantly upon logging in.

BenQ Board’s award-winning EZWrite software enhances teaching efficiency and engagement. With features like whiteboard, annotation, and screen recording, teaching becomes more dynamic and effective. Teachers can write, draw, or present on an endless canvas, enriching lessons with links, photos, and videos. EZWrite also supports importing existing teaching materials, including documents, slides, and even scans from books, which can be converted to editable text using BenQ’s AI tools. Cloud storage integration further empowers teachers to access and present their materials seamlessly from the board or connected devices.

Comprehensive training sessions facilitated by Crandall ISD familiarized educators with BenQ Board features and functionality, ensuring they felt confident integrating the technology into their instruction. Special education classrooms served as the initial rollout phase, demonstrating the effectiveness of BenQ Boards in engaging students with diverse learning needs. Subsequent implementation across campuses, prioritizing older facilities, addressed longstanding technology deficiencies.

“My teachers are the drivers of learning, and BenQ is the gas that can accelerate that process,” said Teamann. “They make their world — their work — even better. We have all kids using the boards. Teachers can engage everyone from nonverbal students to those as little as kindergartners to high schoolers over six feet tall. It’s incredible how, with one solution, all these teachers can use their materials and know-how combined with the features of the BenQ Board to get results efficiently and more effectively.”

The teachers at Crandall ISD have embraced the BenQ Boards, citing the smart board’s features as a way to foster all learning methods and create successful learning experiences.

“Having the BenQ Boards has changed our learning,” said Sally Brock, Crandall ISD elementary teacher. “Students absolutely love getting to manipulate on the big screen! We use the BenQ all day everyday— from brain breaks to stations to whole group sorts. It is an essential part of the learning experience. From my perspective, I love being right where my students are learning and having everything accessible on the screen. In the past, we had to use our computers and were stuck to the side of the room, which lessened engagement and student attention. With the BenQ Board, I am easily able to facilitate learning with high engagement.” 

“The best part of the BenQ Board is the interaction and the opportunity to allow the student to become the teacher,” said Crandall ISD elementary teacher Julia Tyndall. “Interactive systems give students more chances to participate and be in control, while supporting student engagement since students love to shine and be ready when called upon.”

Finally, BenQ Boards made the transition for its tech staff simple and much more efficient. They’re no longer tasked with maintaining a stock of projector lamps and buying pieces of software and hardware that requires hours of oversight to integrate and manage. With BenQ’s license-free DMS Account Management System (AMS) and Device Management System (DMS) the staff can efficiently manage their new smart board assets.

Crandall ISD’s adoption of BenQ Boards was so successful it attracted attention from neighboring school districts, including Celina ISD and other Texas districts, seeking to emulate the model in their classrooms. The district’s proactive approach to technology integration positioned it as a regional leader in educational innovation, with Teamann and her team advocating for best practices in instructional technology.

By embracing BenQ Boards, Crandall ISD has not only revolutionized classroom technology but also empowered teachers, engaged students, and elevated educational standards across the district without incurring yearly subscription fees.