I have heard some tech people arguing back and forth about whether SMART Boards or iPads are more effective in the classroom. I have even heard of schools taking down interactive whiteboards after getting iPads and Apple TVs. Is this warranted? Which technology is more beneficial in the classroom, and how can we implement it effectively? I would like to explore these questions in this week’s post. Do iPads Replace SMART Boards? I frequently hear Continue…
Several teachers have requested a blog post on QR codes, so here it is: an easy definition of QR codes, how they can be used, and how you can use them with SMART Notebook and iPads. What are QR Codes? QR codes are quite simply two-dimensional bar codes that contain information. They are most often used to connect the real world with the digital world through mobile devices. The devices use their built-in camera to Continue…
One issue I have seen several teachers request help with recently has to do with using Power Point on the SMART board. What is happening on the newer version of Power Point (mostly on PowerPoint 2011 for Mac) is that when you start your slide show and your laptop is plugged into a projector, it changes your display setting from mirrored to extended. It does this so that you can have your laptop in front Continue…
SMART released an update to Notebook yesterday: Version 11 SP1 for both Windows and Mac. Typically SMART releases updates on the web a few weeks before your automatic software updater finds it. I usually prefer to download the new versions from the web once they come out. You are not required to uninstall the previous version to install the new one, but if you are having problems you may want to. This is especially important Continue…
The last word shared on this blog concerning SMART Ink was how to turn it off and back on again. Let’s take a step back now and take a good look at SMART Ink: what it is, how it differs from Transparent Background and Floating Tools, and the basics of how it works. So, what is SMART Ink? If you watched the video tutorial on the Transparent Background or if you have used the Floating Continue…
Doing so much training and professional development throughout the state of Utah, I have learned a lot about how teachers learn to use technology. What really strikes me is that most of the technology training offered to teachers does not fit the best way for them to learn. What I have found is that teachers do better with smaller amounts of technical training conducted more frequently, and spread out over a longer period of time. Continue…
Some teachers are having this issue with the SMART 800 series multi-touch boards: when they upgrade their computer to Smart Notebook 11, the board doesn’t respond correctly: the pen will only work on a diagonal plane, or on the board it will appear the pen is being used instead of the finger (see this youtube video). What has happened is that when the teacher upgraded to Notebook 11 the firmware on the board was also Continue…
Did you know that all of the tools found in Notebook software are available to be used with any other program on your computer? This tutorial shows one way to use the transparent background with a video in your web browser. How many other ways will you find to use this tool in your classroom?
SMART Ink One of the new features in Notebook 11 is SMART Ink. This tool is always available while connected to a SMART Board. With SMART Ink you can annotate over a web page or another program and Notebook doesn’t have to be running! No, board tools do not need to be running, but you must be connected to a SMART Board. You can choose the pen color and you also have the option use the Continue…
Sound and music are known to be powerful tools for focusing attention and enhancing memory and learning. One of the reasons technology is so invaluable for educators is its ability to integrate media into lesson plans, but doing this often requires knowing how to prepare certain types of media for your software to use. That’s why I’ve created this tutorial. Whatever music or audio you wish to use, this short video will help you convert Continue…
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