Teachers Love SMART Boards

SMART Board Article: Boards Get Brains, Chalk Vanishes

I ran across this wonderful (although slightly dated) article on interactive whiteboards in the classroom entitled, Boards Get Brains, Chalk Vanishes by David Cohn. It comes from Wired online magazine and it does a great job explaining how interactive whiteboards can help differentiate classroom learning to make it more engaging.

Here's a a short piece from the article:

...the real virtue of the interactive whiteboard is in showing students how to use the computer.

"Instead of handing a kid a laptop and saying 'good luck,' it's nice to be able to model something for them," Bang said.

And because the system works like a computer, most teachers have little problem picking it up right away and using it to teach their students.

"That is part of what is ingenious about Smart Technologies' board -- it is immediately familiar," said Columbia elementary school's Mishler.

These articles can be used as great ammunition for making your case of getting a SMART Board in the classroom.

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SMART Board Article: What is A Smartboard Or Electronic Whiteboard?

What Is A Smartboard Or Electronic Whiteboard?

By: Ruca Martin

The SMART Board is an interactive whiteboard that turns your computer and data projector into a powerful tool for teaching and presenting. With the computer image projected on the Board, simply use your finger and press on the large touchsensitive surface to control the computer. This allows your students or employee's to do presentations from the front of the room instead of having to be at the computer.

Using one of the pens from the SMART Pen Tray, you just write on the board and the touch-sensitive screen tells the computer what color pen you are using and your notes are projected onto the screen in the correct color. You can save these notes on the computer or send them to your printer to be given out as a study aid. These are just a couple of the many uses for this wonderful tool.

The SMART Board is an interactive whiteboard. Using the SMART Board, you can:

• Save notes written on the Board to a computer file

• Use your finger to press on the Board to control Windows and Macintosh applications and other multimedia materials projected onto the Board’s touch-sensitive surface. You can then write over top of your applications and save the annotations to a computer file.

The notes and annotated images can be printed from a computer printer, e-mailed, posted to a network, copied and pasted into other applications or saved as an HTML file. SMART Board Software, included with every SMART Board, dramatically enhances group collaboration. Smartbaords are perfect for schools and meeting rooms or any application that needs visual communication or collaboration over the internet. Imagine a workspace where communication flows freely between individuals and groups – whether you’re in the office or thousands of miles away. Collaborate with colleagues or clients by creating a conference session that takes seconds to set up – and you can do it all from your own office, saving valuable travel costs and time.

How does the SMART Board work?

It uses resistive technology, which means there is a small air gap between two sheets of resistive material inside the Board. When you press on the Board with your finger or an ordinary dry-erase marker, a contact point is registered and its coordinates correspond to the same area on the computer screen. Because the SMART Board is based on resistive technology, it does not require a special stylus or pen to perform mouse or pen functions at the Board, only pressure on the Board's surface.

Electronic whiteboards allow users to interact and ouch the Board to control any computer application, create and write notes, draw diagrams and illustrate ideas. One can focus by highlighting key information with electronic ink and also capture images, notes or updates and save, print or e-mail notes. Using an interactive whiteboard helps you to simplify and work naturally at the Board with familiar, easy-to-use tools.

People choose the SMART Board interactive whiteboard because it helps energize presentations and motivate learners. In 1991, it was the world's first interactive whiteboard. Today, it is the world's leading interactive whiteboard. Combining the simplicity of a whiteboard with the power of a computer, the SMART Board interactive whiteboard engages students and audiences around the world.

The touch-sensitive display connects to your computer and digital projector to show your computer image. You can then control computer applications directly from the display, write notes in digital ink and save your work to share later.

Best of all, the full-featured SMART Board interactive whiteboard is incredibly easy to use. If you can use a computer, you can use a SMART Board interactive whiteboard.

Author Resource:->  Adam Webster is author of numerous articles and books in the technology field. His latest project can be found at http://www.TampaSmartboards.com

Article From eArticles

SMART Boards in State-of-the-Art Math Labs

Often times we need to look inside new, successful, innovative programs to help provide the stimulus for action. Forest Trail Middle School in Illinois has developed state-of-the-art math labs that provide teachers and students with a wide range of tools, including SMART Boards, that help "broaden instructional possibilities."

“It is a different way of presenting and teaching mathematics that allows us to incorporate computers and the Internet into the curriculum,” said math teacher Martha Brennan. “This does not take the place of paper and pencil in math, but it does make mastery of higher level math skills available to students who don’t easily master math. I think the technology has made geometry easier to teach. I see a lot of light bulbs going on in the course of a lesson.”

The following article describes the new Math labs:

Forest Trail Features New Math Labs
eNews Park Forest - Thursday, 07 February 2008

© eNews Park Forest

SMARTBoard - Notebook 10 Press Release

Here is a snip-it of the press release for the upcoming version 10 of Notebook™ collaborative learning software:

CALGARY, Alberta --- January 9, 2008 --- SMART Technologies announces the release of version 10 of Notebook™ collaborative learning software, which offers over 30 new features that make lesson creation and delivery even easier, and learning more exciting and fun. The latest version of one of the most popular collaborative learning software products in the world now includes access to more than 100,000 new pieces of educational content and an updated teachers’ resource hub, which connects teachers to hundreds of lesson activities and offers tools that help them use Notebook software 10 more effectively. Version 10 also offers support for 5 additional languages, which brings the total to 41.

The entire press release Notebook software 10 raises the 21st-century teaching and learning standard can be found on Smart Technologies website.

You can see ten short video demonstrations of the new features on my TeacherTube site or by using the video player below:

SMART Board Newsletter: Who's Listening?

Smart Technologies has just released their first EDCompass newsletter of the new year entitled "Who's Listening." Read about the the new voice amplification system which will be released at the FETC (Florida Education Technology Conference) on January 22-25, 2008.

In addition to the announcement of SMART's new audio system, here's what else you'll find:

• Three Notebook lesson:

1. Geography Key Word Lesson for grades 4-6
2. Origin of the Atmosphere for grades 7-9
3. Area of a Polygon for grades 10-12

• Great Online Resources:

1. Exploring the Secret Life of Trees
2. Project Gutenberg
3. NASA Education

• School Spotlight: Read about Bellevue School District's installation of over 1000 SMART Board Interactive Whiteboards

• New SMART Exchange membership badges for your website or blog

The newsletter also includes another wonderful article by Heather Ellwood entitled "SMART Champions". What is a SMART Champion?...

When it comes to innovative interaction in the classroom, SMART Exemplary Educators are setting the bar higher and higher. The common trait among these teachers is their willingness to go above and beyond the standard level to better present the curriculum and better reach their students. They are, in a word, champions.

The EDCompass newsletter is a must read for all present and future SMART Champions! Please check out this great issue as well as other past issues. In addition, you can subscribe to the newsletter to receive an email notification of the newsletter when they get released!

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Notebook Activity Guide

Smart Technologies has a great document for teachers who are just beginning to use their SMART Board interactive whiteboard and aren't quite sure what to do next. The Notebook Software Activity Guide gives an overview of how to create engaging lessons using the Notebook software.

The document is a great way to learn about various techniques for creating interactive lessons; it highlights creating erase and reveal activities, using labels to reveal answers, using the infinite cloner, using sound as a reinforcement tool, and using the shade screen.

Please print this document and share it with the other Smartboard users in your school!

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SMART Board Newsletter: Contest Winners and Holiday Resources

This month's EDCompass newsletter is now available. It's a great issue that focuses on differentiating instruction. I enjoyed the newsletter this month and was excited to see the list of Lesson Activity Contest Winners. I highly recommend that you download and review all the lessons to see how other teachers are using Notebook. In addition to the contest winners, the newsletter also includes information on seasonal resources in their Classroom Content section. Here's a summary of what's included in the newsletter:

Celebrate the season with the following Christmas lesson activities. There’s also an activity to help you practice differentiation.

Christmas Activities: Language arts students in grades 1–3 can complete Christmas word games and crossword puzzles, and even build a snowman!

Christmas Math Fun: Math students in grades 4–6 can practice addition and subtraction, money, and time word problems.

Four Key Events in the 20th Century: Social studies students in grades 7–9 can identify the main causes of four key events in the 20th century. Differentiation can be achieved by adding various website links and customizing the questions to help students explore the different historic events.

Thanks to all the wonderful people at SMART Technology who continue to bring us these wonderful resources!

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EDCompass Feature Article - Measuring Up the Senteo Interactive Response System

Heather Ellwood writes this week's featured article Measuring Up the Senteo Interactive Response System. She provides a wonderful analysis of how the Senteo can benefit teachers in the classroom and help them meet the federal government's increased demands for accountablilty.

Because the feedback with the Senteo is instant, I am able to address any errors or misconceptions immediately. This is so effective. The old expression ‘nip it in the bud’ certainly rings true here. I find I can put a stop to misconceptions while they are still in early development, and so many of the errors that often occur later, will disappear.

Caleb Courtney, senior high computer engineering teacher

Find out where the future of assessment is heading and how the Senteo works seamlessly with your SMART Board and Notebook software.

EDCompass Newsletter November 2007 - Best Practices

This week's EDCompass newsletter focuses on Best Practices in using the SMART Board Interactive Whiteboard in the classroom. Personally, I find that documenting and sharing best practices in the classroom the best method of improving your ability to instruct. Learn how one teacher scans homework so correcting work becomes an interactive while another teacher uses the SMART Board to change the way she teaches vocabulary.

Also included in the newsletter are three in-depth case studies that are sure to inspire creative and effective uses of SMART Boards in the classroom.

A note from the editors:

Educators employ best practices every day. In this issue of EDCompass™ newsletter, we’ve gathered best practices from teachers like you on how they are using SMART products to achieve teaching and learning goals. You’ll also read about a new research study that concludes the use of interactive whiteboards positively impacts student achievement. And learn how to start using the SMART Learning Marketplace, our new content subscription service.

As usual, this month's EDCompass newsletter is packed full of wonderful information and outstanding resources for all teachers who use SMART Boards.

SMART Board - Mathematics Teaching Tool

I ran across a great article about math and Smartboards that I thought I would share with everyone. It's very short but has some great ideas on how a Smart Board can be effective in the classroom.

Mathematics Teaching Tools: Using SMART Boards With Computers by William De Salazar