Bring Learning to Life with Annotate

Sometimes the most powerful teaching tool isn’t a brand new app or a complicated piece of software. Sometimes it’s simply the ability to write, highlight and explain exactly what’s on your screen in the moment.

That’s where Annotate on the Promethean ActivPanel comes in.

Whether you’re modelling a maths strategy, highlighting key features in a text, analysing a historical source or capturing children’s ideas during a discussion, Annotate lets you write directly over anything displayed on your screen. It’s quick, flexible and designed to support those valuable teachable moments that happen every day in the classroom.

What is Annotate?

Annotate is Promethean’s built-in annotation tool that allows you to write over websites, documents, images, videos and apps displayed on your ActivPanel. Think of it as a transparent layer that sits on top of your screen, turning any content into an interactive teaching resource.

With Annotate, you can:

  • Write notes directly onto displayed content
  • Highlight important information
  • Circle, underline and emphasise key features
  • Capture learning through screenshots
  • Annotate over connected devices and applications

Why teachers love it

One of the biggest strengths of Annotate is its simplicity.

There’s no need to import files into a separate application or prepare resources in advance. Simply open a webpage, PDF, PowerPoint or image and start writing.

This makes it ideal for:

  • Modelling Thinking
  • Show pupils exactly how an expert approaches a task
  • Annotate a reading passage and identify evidence
  • Solve calculations step by step
  • Highlight features of effective writing
  • Label diagrams in science

Because pupils can see your thinking unfold in real time, learning becomes much more visible.

Creating Interactive Discussions

Use Annotate to collect ideas from learners during class discussions.

For example:

  • Circle pupil suggestions on a mind map
  • Sort ideas into categories
  • Highlight common themes
  • Vote on answers by marking directly on screen

The ability to instantly capture and respond to pupil thinking helps create a more dynamic learning environment.

Make Videos and Websites Interactive

Rather than simply watching a video or viewing a website, Annotate allows you to interact with the content.

Pause a video and:

  • Label parts of a diagram
  • Predict what might happen next
  • Highlight evidence
  • Mark important vocabulary

This transforms passive viewing into active learning.

Useful Tools at Your Fingertips

The Annotate toolbar includes several easy-to-use tools:

Pen: Perfect for writing notes, drawing diagrams or modelling solutions. Teachers can choose different colours and line thicknesses to make annotations clear and visible.

Highlighter: Ideal for identifying keywords, highlighting evidence or drawing attention to important information without obscuring the original content.

Eraser: Made a mistake? Simply erase individual parts of your annotation without removing everything.

Undo and Redo: Quickly correct errors or revisit previous annotations with a single tap.

Hide Annotations: One of the most useful features is the Eye icon. This temporarily hides your annotations, allowing you to interact with other applications, then instantly bring your notes back when you’re ready.

Snapshot Tool: Capture the screen, complete with your annotations, and save it for later reference. This is a great way to record learning, share notes with pupils or add evidence to digital learning journals.