Firstly, a flip-style camera is a video camera that creates digital video files on flash memory than can be downloaded to your computer, put into editing software, uploaded to youtube or simply viewed through your IWB. They are great because they have a USB connection that ‘flips’ out to fit into your computer, they are small (fit into the palm of your hand) and extremely user friendly. The reason they are referred to as “flip-style” is because the first company to make this style of camera popular was Flip.
One of the participants at a session that I ran recently informed me that the company which makes Flip Cameras is shutting down. I did some research I this is what I found:
The Company responsible for the production of the Flip Camera, Cisco is shutting down its Flip camera business as part of a widespread reorganization of the company. According to Charles Arthur (technology editor , guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 12 April 2011); “A spokeswoman for Cisco would not say whether the company had tried to sell the Flip business, but the fact of the closure suggests it was impossible to find a trade buyer. That in turn suggests that the stand-alone movie camera business is effectively dead, killed off by smartphones capable of shooting high-definition video which have seen explosive sales in the past 18 months – precisely the period since Cisco bought Flip”.
This is a shame because Flip is my preferred brand of flip-style cameras. However, there are many more still available on the market you just need to do your research to find one that is good value for money.
If your school purchased SMART boards 7 to maybe 5 years ago, chances are you have some SMART slates lying around somewhere in your school. Years ago, maybe through a SMART promotion, you got a free SMART slate with the purchase of your SMART board. If so and you aren’t using them, blow of the dust and start!( Not pointing the finger at anyone Lee)
The SMART wireless slate enables you to interact with your SMART board no matter where you are in the classroom. It connects wirelessly to your computer and enables you to use a mouse or pen to interact with your SMART board. If you have a SMART board which moves regularly and requires regular orientation or if you have an aged SMART board (5 years old) which is constantly off alignment (usually in the top right hand corner) you can use a SMART slate to do what you’d normally do with your finger (ie close a document which is always on the top right hand side of the board).
The frequency of how often I use a SMART slate depends on a few factors. Firstly, the size of the classroom and the number of students that I have for a particular year plays a contributing factor. If I have a small room or large student numbers I use my SMART slate on a regular basis. I have students positioned in front of the SMART board and I sit behind my class. I’m then able to interact with the SMART board if needed from the rear of the room. This year I am lucky to have a large classroom and a small class size, therefore, I’m not using my SMART slate.
Secondly, I think the age of students is another contributing factor towards the use of the SMART slate. Reception teachers at my school use their SMART slates all the time. All Reception classes have a step so that students can reach the SMART board and a pointer; however, there are often times when students still can’t reach the top of the board. Reception teachers are often seated on the ground with their students and are able to use the SMART slate to assist students when needed. They also teach students how to work in small groups using the SMART slate to interact with the board. As most SMART boards aren’t dual touch, the SMART slate stops multiple students trying to touch the SMART board at the same time. The student who is holding the SMART slate is the student in the group who is having their turn. Furthermore, the SMART slate is great for developing hand-eye co ordination. SMART slates are also used at my school by some Senior Secondary teachers. One of our Year 12 Chemistry teachers found that she was creating these fantastic interactive lessons but students didn’t want to get out of their seats to interact with the SMART board (we guessed it wasn’t a cool thing to do). So, we installed 3 SMART slates which were given to groups of students who were seated at their table. All of a sudden, our Year 12 Chemistry students were interacting with the SMART board through the SMART slate! To make it even more exciting, the teacher was able to write on the SMART board at the same times as a student who was using the SMART slate, creating a dual touch effect.
I don’t sell any SMART board products so if you require further information regarding pricing please contact my friend Maria at M.Vaughton@electroboard.com.au
Inter-tech has just had two days of PD at Rostrevor College (R-2 Maths and Y2-5 Literacy). During the sessions I mentioned the new SMART board 800 series which I’m dying to use. If you scroll down to the bottom of this page and select previous page twice, then scroll down, you will see a video on the SMART board dual touch IWB (posted 21 Jan 2011).
Over the two days the SMART Table was also mentioned. The SMART Table interactive learning centre is a multi-touch and multi-user table for early education students. I’ve posted a short video (couldn’t find a better one) of what it looks like and how students can interact with it. From what I know, it is popular in the UK and a few schools have them in SA. I think they are great in theory for Early Childhood Education but I don’t see them as feasible at this stage for the majority of Early Childhood Educators due to the cost involved. When you compare the cost of the SMART Table to the cost of a SMART board think about how many students can you cater for with each? With a SMART board, the whole class can use it at the same time, whereas, with the SMART Table only a group of students. If you have a SMART board and your budget permits, by all means go for it.
I don’t sell any SMART board products so if you require further information regarding pricing please contact my friend Maria at M.Vaughton@electroboard.com.au
Using a SMART board is the perfect tool to enable students to visualise concepts. However, during NAPLan testing students need to rely on their own visualisation strategies. I found a document on ‘The Interactive Mathematics Classroom’ website which was written by Rex Bloggs, AUSSIE, 2005. It gives you a step by step approach to teaching students how to visualise word problems as a key step to solving the problem.
Whilst you are on the site you may like to check out the interactive math activities for Middle/Upper Primary and Secondary teachers. You can access most of the activities but note, some of them are flp files (.flp) which means they are ActivBoard flipcharts. These can’t be used on your SMART board. There aren’t many of them though.
I’ve uploaded my first public YouTube clip on SMART board basics and some of my favourite tools. I’m a ‘viewer’ not a ‘reader’, so that is why I often use videos instead of written text. This video may be a quick refresher.
I wrote an article for the Southern Cross related to how I use SMART boards to teach elements of RE. They didn’t print it, my friend Carolyn edited for me so I thought I’d share it anyway. I’ve also included a short video with examples for using the SMART board and teaching RE. For DECS teachers, you may like to view the video becuase when I was recording my flash files weren’t working. Instead of starting my recording again I continued and explained what you can do if flash files stop working within your document.
Interactive SMART boards in the classroom have the potential to revolutionise teaching practices in Religious Education. Students’ learning is enhanced through a digital, interactive medium and the sacred and spiritual values which are the core of the Religious Education curriculum are deepened through image and sound. An interactive SMART board in the classroom encourages teachers and students to explore a variety of prayer experiences.
Daily prayer is a feature of all classrooms in Catholic schools. As a classroom teacher and ICT coordinator at St Aloysius College and a SMART board trainer and presenter at Rostrevor College, I have used the SMART board basic tool applications to support the ritual of prayer as well as the reflective and spiritual aspects of prayer. Teachers of young students can use the SMART board to create visual images marking the different stages of prayer: for example, an image of a prayer table with crucifix, candle and Bible is a visual prompt which supports student Prayer Monitors in creating a sacred space; a sacred time may be indicated by music; a reflective atmosphere may be created through sound and image; and a prayer may be displayed on the SMART board for students to read together.
Teachers may further enhance their students’ experience of prayer by the incorporation of video footage or reflection clips from God Tube, Teacher Tube or You-tube. Many of these video files can be downloaded and inserted into Interactive SMART board software. This reduces Internet time-use and eliminates reliance on Internet usage. However, teachers must obtain copy right permission from the author of the original video clip.
SMART board technology is user-friendly. During prayer time, a teacher can touch an object or word on the SMART board and the music for a selected hymn will play automatically– no need for a CD player. The lyrics may also be displayed on the SMART board. This technology may also be used in a class liturgy or whole-school mass. When celebrating a mass, teachers are able to display the selected hymns with their audio links as well as students’ readings and appropriate responses. With the current emphasis on eco-friendly schools, SMART board technology eliminates the need for student mass booklets. During the mass, students can be guided through the celebration via the use of a SMART slate. The SMART slate enables teachers to interact wirelessly with the SMART board from up to 16 m away. This technology allows a teacher to be positioned at the rear of the room, focusing student’s attention on the celebrant.
Interactive SMART board technology also enables students to investigate and compare the sacred spaces of different faiths through online virtual churches, synagogues, mosques and temples. Students are able to touch virtual images which take them into a virtual environment, which they may otherwise not have the opportunity to explore in real life. Alternately, images of school chapels or local churches can be photographed or scanned, displayed on the SMART board and then notes or ideas recorded in digital ink.
The interactive nature of SMART board technology has the capacity to engage students in the RE classroom in a lively and dynamic way, as well as nurture and develop the spiritual dimension of their lives.
I use the SMART Notebook page recorder during a range of lessons. The video below demonstrates how to use the SMART Notebook page recorder with a particular focus on primary art. However, the same technique can be applied when demonstrating Math strategies such as vertical addition/short division, handwriting or anything that involves a visual instructional process.
I’ve uploaded a 3 minute tutorial on how to search the Gallery in Notebook software for interactive and multimedia files. I’ve also included a demonstration on how to use an online site which has loads of flash files for teaching Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
I’ve noticed a marked improvement in students’ computing skills over the years that have used SMART boards throughout their education. Every time a teacher opens, manipulates and closes software or online resources students are watching and learning. SMART boards allow for quick and easy use of the Internet and students are constantly exposed to the Internet throughout the day (more so than students in classes which don’t have an IWB). Therefore, it is important to teach safe use of the Internet. I’ve listed a few Interactive sites below which you may like to use:
I’ve put together a Notebook document on 3D shapes which has NapLan style questions. Using the SMART board and the pen tool is a great way to demonstrate how to ‘shade a bubble’, which is often how students are required to answer questions in NapLan testing. There are also links to Interactive Website for teaching 3D shapes.
