Don't use a permanent marker

Lets face it, not everyone knows what an IWB does. Here are some simple posters I've designed to make sure that nobody takes a permanent marker to a 7,000 dollar machine.

Podcasts - connected classroom

I've just finished a series of PODcasts that aim to give students an indtroduction to the connected classroom and the Smart Notebook Software. I also thought it might be a good idea to share them here as well.

These work well with the two introductory Smart Notebook lessons I posted a couple of months ago.

The production is not the best, but I believe they can make terrific additional resources

Here is the link to my public Dropbox folder. Feel free to use or send back any comments.

The Connected Classroom

Introduction to the Connected Classroom

What's in the Connected Classroom

The Interactive Whiteboard

The Hub

Using the Cameras

The Microphones

Making a Call

Getting Started with The Smart Notebook Software

​Getting Started with Smart Notebook

Viewing Tools 1 - Screen Shade

Viewing Tools 2 - Full Screen

Viewing Tools 3 - Split Screen

The Cameras

Drawing Tools 1 - The Select Tool

Drawing Tools 2- The Pen Tool

Drawing Tools 3 - The Creative Pen

Drawing Tools 4 - The Eraser

Drawing Tools 5 - Handwriting Recognition

Drawing Tools 6- The Line Tool

Drawing Tools 7 - The Shape Tool

Creative Tool 1 - Shape Rec Tool

Creative Tool 2 - Magic Pen

Creative Tool 3 - Fill Tool

Creative Tool 4 - Text Tool

Advance Skills with Smart Notebook

​Camera and Linking

Attachments

Lesson Activity Toolkit

Page Recording

Drop Down Menus

Smartboard Tools

Virtual Excursions

One of the most surprising success stories of the connected classroom has been Virtual Excursions. In a nutshell, virtual excursions are done through video connection where students can use their connected class room to visit other places around the globe. When the CCP was first introduced virtual excursion was a extremely 'hit or miss' affair - with some being terrific and others being overpriced and poorly run. This is improving rapidly.



Virtual excursions were also predominately hosted in regional and remote area schools, but this too has now changed. Virtual excursions are a great way to introduce extra activities to your lessons.

Take for instance 'Literature Live - from idea to story' would be terrific to add this to an overall creative writing program. At only $100.00 per school that's less than four dollars per child in a class of 30.

You can head to the website here and start scrolling through the possibilities.

Introduction to the Connected Classroom

The Connected Classrooms Program is a NSW Government initiative to provide the department's staff and students with new opportunities to connect with each other across enhanced technology facilities for sharing resources and data collaboration.

An introduction can be seen below

During my time as a Regional Implementation Officer for the DET we were required to introduce this to a range of schools throughout Western NSW. Cue long trips to Broken Hill and Cobar. However, there was this amazing resource that myself and my old boss slowly refined over the last couple of years.

It's basically two very large Notebook files the comprise two days worth of introduction to the NSW DET Connected classroom. The Notebook files introduce IWBs, Notebook Software, Connected Classroom Hardware and Virtual Excursions.

Follow this link to start downloading them. Be warned - they're very large files.

Day 1 here

Day 2 here

Feel free to copy and paste slides that you like.

Share the love!

Web 2.0 and IWB Resources for the classroom

I've been complying a list of Web 2.0 tools and Notebook software resources.

It's only a small number at the moment - but I hope to add to it over the next couple of months.

http://www.delicious.com/WesternNSWSmart

and yes I know it's delicious, but I've been told that it's going to be around a lot longer.

Social Media in Education

The BX POD held a few workshops this week on Social Media and how it could be used in Higher Education.

We of course went through the serial offenders

Blogger (ping!), Facebook, Wordpress, Youtube etc.

But for the purpose of this post I thought I would highlight some that may not usually get a run.

1. Sound Cloud http://soundcloud.com/
The best way to explain sound cloud is an Mp3 file that also acts as a community forum. The main use for Sound Cloud is obviously music, where it is uploaded and people discuss different aspects of the song. However, from an educational perspective, sound cloud would be terrific as a podcasting tool. Imagine the scenario where a Subject coordinator releases their lecture as a podcast using the soundcloud, then invites students to comment or ask questions. Or, where the subject coordinator releases a piece of audio and students are required to analyse it. Head to sound cloud and check it out.



2. Tumblr http://www.tumblr.com

Sharing and 'liking' aspects of the web is pretty vital for social media. A lot

of people who use social media like to

be defined by what they like. Tumblr infuses all this. Tumblr is a place to share anything

you can think of, photos, music, webpages, quotes, blogs, writings. etc. Your Tumblr can then

be followed by other people. From an educational standpoint - Tumblr would be terrific as a place

where the subject coordinator could 'houses' information they find on the web that relates to a particular subject or topic. Imagine, if you will logging on to a subject and finding that it has a Tumblr with literately 100s of pages of resources that you could use. Tumblr is also a terrific social bookmarking

tool.

3. Micro Blogging - Twitter

Micro-blogging was pretty much everywhere in 2010. The biggest obviously being Twitter.

Twitter is a site where you can relay anything as along it is a in 140 characters or less.

This could mean short updates from the subject coordinator on assessment information, or a new readings that are of interests. Subjects can also establish list of prominent scholars in the field who use the technology.

Cheers

James @ BX POD

www.twitter.com/jamesbrann

Turn it in 2 Introduction

Hello everyone,

Last week I held a workshop on 'Turn It In 2' - It's a web based plagiarism tool.
If you click this link here - S:\Common\ Temp Folder Less Than 90 Days\Turnitin2
I have created a cheat sheet to get you started. It's a simple 'How to guide' to get you up and running using the application.

Cheers James @ BX POD