HAVING led the way by setting up one of the country's first Education Action Zones that boost links between schools and colleges and local business, Blackburn with Darwen today advances further into 21st-century teaching -- by getting ready to introduce 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" technology into classrooms.

Coming in the wake of the interactive whiteboard revolution that towns' schools helped to pioneer soon after the Zone was established two and a half years ago, the newest development -- unveiled to education delegates at a special conference in Blackburn recognising and celebrating the EAZ's success -- will bring instant push-button responses to question-and-answer sessions in lessons.

The electronic whiteboards already allow teachers to project computer-screen images on to a wall and, using special pen, write on the screen, make use of special programmes and access the Internet or multimedia softwear to help with their tuition -- stuff that impressed Prime Minister Tony Blair when he came to see our EAZ schools in action. Now, the technology is being developed to embrace pupil-input -- with them being given special keypads allowing them to respond to lessons and questions in a similar way to the watchers in the studio in the now-familiar "Ask The Audience" spells in the Famous "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" TV quiz show.

But it is not just that this forthcoming add-on is another useful and convenient step in the advance of computerised teaching technology, it should also prove a boon to the pupils who are at present squeezed out in classroom question-and-answer periods.

The scene is, after all, familiar: the teacher puts a question to the class and hands go up to give the answer -- usually, the same ones, belonging to the more confident pupils who, as a result, tend to get more encouragement than more reserved ones who fail to get the recognition and stimulus that comes with being one of those ready and eager to answer. Now, all will be on an equal footing -- including the clever, but shy.

And as the chalk 'n' talk tradition in teaching is eroded by new technology, we have the prospect in East Lancashire of those previously left behind being helped to catch up.