SMART Boards

Administrative AirLiner Use

A SMART AirLiner can be handy in unforseen ways.  Because of Ink Aware, the AirLiner can be used to quickly cut and paste information into Microsoft Excel.  We are currently doing a list management project, and we're using Excel to invite school staff to our upcoming SMART Board seminars.  This information is spread about and we're consolidating it in Excel (bottom window).  One school librarian just registered for a seminar on our website and the website triggers a registration email (top window).  Open the email and the Excel file, position and size them where you desire on your desktop.

  With Ink Aware (part of SMART Notebook software) you point the AirLiner stylus to the text you want to copy.  "Huck" is highlighted. ..... ...... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ......

Drag the highlighted text down to the Windows XP program bar, dragging it into the Microsoft Excel tab.  Wait a couple seconds (you may see the Windows hourglass) and the Excel file you originally created will pop up on the screen.

Using the AirLiner stylus, drag to the Excel cell you want to paste into.  Hover over the cell, and you will momentarily see the cell frame turn to dotted lines (showing that you have selected it).  Lift the AirLiner stylus off of the AirLiner surface to drop the selected text into the cell.  You will then see the hourglass (telling you to wait for a split second) and then the placed text will appear in the cell.

This is what the cell looks like when you first drag the text to it.  The cell frame turns to a dotted line, to show you where you are placing the text, and the hourglass is displayed, signaling you to wait.

If you are manipulating A LOT of information, such as if you were going out to a lot of websites and datamining contact information, using an AirLiner Wireless Slate can save you a lot of time, as well as reduce arm, wrist and hand stress.  In this project, we collected over 500 contact names, and then used Excel, Outlook, Word and the AirLiner together to do a 1,000 piece individualized e-mailing.

SMART Masters & Subject Matter Training

SMART Technologies has a low cost training program, called the SMART Master's Event.  This day long course is designed for new SMART Board interactive whiteboard users, experienced users who want to find out about new features and learn how to use a SMART Board more effectively, and teachers who want to find out how to integrate SMART Boards into their curriculum in new says.

This session is led by a SMART trainer.  Participants will receive a SMART Master's Interactive Whiteboard Learner Workbook, which includes reference material, step-by-step activities, and review exercises.  The course fee is $149, with a 10% discount to districts who sign up three or more participants at the same time.

The next local session will be in Madison, Wisconsin on May 1 (other locations in North America).  SMART is also offering $199 half-day subject specific courses in Math on March 14 (1-5 PM) and in Science on May 2 (8-Noon) in Madison (other locations in North America).

To register, download the registration form.

Apply for 6th Grade Connections Program

SMART Technologies just announced they are accepting applications for the 2007 Connections program.  Connections is a collaborative learning and exchange program for sixth-grade students and parents from across North America.  Under the program, the selected schools receive a FREE SMART Board and floor stand, SMART Ideas concept-maping software, and AirLiner wireless slate and a two-year subscription to BridgIt conferencing software.  Selected sixth-grade teachers travel to Calgary, Canada in July for professional development, with all transportation costs paid by SMART.

  Learn more about this program: eligibility, student visit, online application, professional development, products.

SMART Senteo Response System

  SMART Technologies introduced the Senteo interactive response system last week at the BETT international educational technology show in London.  As a big fan of educational technology, I heard rumors about this handheld assessment tool for a few months now.  Schools won't be able to purchase Senteo until June 2007, but you can start learning about it today at SMART's website.

I started experimenting with handheld response devices three years ago, because I believe in the power of getting feedback from EVERY student in the classroom.  What I read about Senteo really looks good.  The USB receiver plugs into the teacher's computer and students hold the two AA battery powered Senteo response pad in their hand.  Because Senteo is RF, it's not necessary for students to aim it at a receiver, making it a more reliable answer gathering tool.  The batteries should last about a semester.

Senteo is built heavy-duty to withstand classroom uses and has 21 buttons, to allow students to enter numeric data (including decimals).  It's also possible to enter multiple answers.  The RF range is 98 feet, and there are icons on the remote to show battery power status, signal strength and network location.  In the test mode, students can page through answers to make corrections before submitting the results.

You don't have to assign a specific numbered handheld transmitter to a particular student, which makes the system easier to manage.  You can use SMART Notebook software to easily create answers, either ahead of time or on the fly.  You can use Senteo with just a computer and projector, or in conjunction with a SMART Board, AirLiner or Sympodium. 

  Teachers will appreciate the ease of using Notebook software for question creation, and its ability to integrate graphics and Flash animation, as well as hyperlinks to the Internet.  As media resources proliferate on the Internet, teachers can take students to informational websites and then using Senteo to reinforce learning concepts.

  Students get immediate feedback of right answers as part of Notebook software and on a LCD display on the Senteo handheld.  Questions can be imported from Microsoft Word and answers can be exported to PowerPoint.  Senteo can also be used with other third party software (e.g. PowerPoint).  As a teacher, it's nice to get immediate visual feedback, such as shown in this pie chart.  It lets you know what percentage of the class mastered the content you are presenting, and if you need to go back and reteach the information in a slightly different way.

Senteo information includes: general product info, interactive demonstration, literature, notify me form.

More on PC Projection

Getting laptops to display can sometimes be very challenging.  The problem may be in the video display driver settings.  Manage this through the Windows XP Control Panel.  Go to the XP Start menu at the menu bar (usually on the lower left of your screen) and highlight "Control Panels."

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Here are some Control Panel icons.  Double left click on the Display icon to open it up. 

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Left click on the Settings tab at the top of the Display Settings window.  On the lower left corner, choose the resolution you wish to display (typically 1024x768 or 800x600){whatever the native resolution of your projector is}.

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  Using the Adapter tab, choose the refresh rate {typically 60-75 hertz} to match the signal speed of your projector.  Most of the remaining settings you don't want to change, because it's possible to goof up your display drivers by making too many changes, and then your computer and monitor won't work together at all.

Update Your Gallery

  The Flash Card Generator is a new Flash item in the recently expanded SMART Notebook Gallery (now containing 4,922 items).  Some new templates include: monthly 2007 calendars, chemistry periodic charts, more earth science and biology diagrams and additional graphics in many categories.  Flash animations include a real time clock and new timers, Math 100 Squares, and a Flash Card generator for basic math operations.  Here we are showing the new Flash Card generator, on the left, where you select operations, difficulty level and number of problems, and on the right, where students use the SMART Board to write in answers.

  You can easily upgrade your SMART Notebook to version 9.5.78.4 by opening Notebook, pulling down on the Help menu to "Check for Updates."  You can automate the process by clicking on the "Check for Updates Box" and entering how frequently you want to check for updates. 

  Other tips: You can resize any Flash Gallery item by dragging it into a Notebook page, then use the hand tool to "click and drag" on the "bubbles" on the lower right corner of the Flash animation.  To lock in place, select the Flash animation, pull down on Format, drag to Locking, then Lock Into Place (Window users can also select the Flash animation, right click to get a Properties menu, drage to Locking, then Lock Into Place).