Moodle on, Janet, Moodle on.
Your proud friend,
Art
Congrats, Janet!
Wow, it's just a big ol' awards fest around there recently, isn't it?
Wow, it's just a big ol' awards fest around there recently, isn't it?
Yes, the end of the year is the awards season.
And Janet is such a class act, it is gratifying to see her being recognized.
-- Art
Congratulations, Janet! I watched the video documentary (wonderful policy of that TV station to highlight education so positively!).
But the technology in Janet's classroom that they referred to was "smartboard". Is that the word you use in Georgia for "Moodle"?
But the technology in Janet's classroom that they referred to was "smartboard". Is that the word you use in Georgia for "Moodle"?
Hah! I will make sure that Janet respinds to this one, Don!
-- Art
The Smartboard wasn't Moodle (that was her "website" that they talked about), but that projector and screen that you saw in the classroom (instead of a "blackboard").
Janet loves to talk about her very cool Smart Board1 Right, Janet?
-- Art
-- Art
Dear Don,
No, the SMART Board is not my Moodle site. I had established my site over a year ago. Just this past April, I finally got my SMART Board! It is a wonderful addition to my Moodle site. I recommend these for everyone. It's not always possible for me to get to a computer lab for the students to use. So, I use the SMART Board in place of that with my middle school students. Then they can practice more at home. The kids love it, I love it, and yes, I love talking about it. Art wants me to present at our next TechFest and show teachers how I incorporate Moodle with the SMART Board. So, I will - he speaks, I listen and do. Also, this fall, I will be teaching a Moodle class at my school for the teachers who wish to learn. I have at least a half a dozen teachers at school signed up for the class. After last night at the ceremonies, a few more teachers at other schools ask if they could take the class - of course, I said, "Come on!" I am really looking forward to do this!
Hope I cleared up some things. And thank you for the kind words. But in truth, Art deserves all the credit for the things that I have done. He is a jewel and has taught me so much. I'm just happy that I can pass some of it along.
Again, thank you everyone for all the kind words!
MOODLE ON !
Janet Marie
Oh, and one more thing - if anyone has any suggestions for me on teaching this course this fall - feel free! I'm going to try to start out with baby steps - for them and me. And then go on from there! I just love this Moodle community! Have a great summer!
Congrats Janet on your award!
I would just like to echo your sentiments about loving Moodle. I sense there are lots of us who have had our teaching reinvigorated by Moodle and the Moodle community that Martin has given birth to
Keep up the great work Janet and all
I would just like to echo your sentiments about loving Moodle. I sense there are lots of us who have had our teaching reinvigorated by Moodle and the Moodle community that Martin has given birth to
Hi Janet, and congratulations!
I too am a fan of SMARTboards, and I'm interested in how you're combining Moodle and the SMARTboard, as I feel there's plenty more I could be doing with this, but haven't quite decided what!
FWIW, all I tend to do at the moment is go through the occasional HW quiz with them on the board, place links to some of the interactive things we've tried out on the board into Moodle for them to try at home, and (when I remember) upload pdfs of the SMARTboard notes for them to look back on.
I too am a fan of SMARTboards, and I'm interested in how you're combining Moodle and the SMARTboard, as I feel there's plenty more I could be doing with this, but haven't quite decided what!
FWIW, all I tend to do at the moment is go through the occasional HW quiz with them on the board, place links to some of the interactive things we've tried out on the board into Moodle for them to try at home, and (when I remember) upload pdfs of the SMARTboard notes for them to look back on.
Miles-
For now that's about all I am doing. Things were kind of hectic here at the end of school so I didn't get a chance to do all the things that I wanted to do with the Board. After I finish this last course with Art (end of next week), I plan on starting to work more with my board. I have the software loaded on my laptop, so I can work on it at home and not always have to go to school. As I start working and coming up with things, I'll be sure to let you know. For now, what you are doing is really a good start. Anything you do will be interesting to the students.
Janet Marie
Janet wrote...
>>So, I will - [Art] speaks, I listen and do.
Ah, ha! Now we know what the real Art Lader is like. A hard taskmaster. A heartless commander. The ruler of Aiken. Not the gentle, sweet fellow he appears like in these forums. Not the pitiful, "below-plankton" innocent we feel sorry for.
So, what is Smartboard? What does it add to Moodle? And how do you add it?
>>So, I will - [Art] speaks, I listen and do.
Ah, ha! Now we know what the real Art Lader is like. A hard taskmaster. A heartless commander. The ruler of Aiken. Not the gentle, sweet fellow he appears like in these forums. Not the pitiful, "below-plankton" innocent we feel sorry for.
So, what is Smartboard? What does it add to Moodle? And how do you add it?
>>So, I will - [Art] speaks, I listen and do.
But does he scream like James Brown?
But does he scream like James Brown?
I taught a section using a smartboard few semesters back, and it was wonderful. The only drawback is that it was a bit small, so it was hard to read from the back of the room. It looks like Janet's is much larger. I'm envious....
In Aiken, we are *all* envious of Janet's whole setup!
Of course, here's what happened: She began looking into an available position at our school and her principal just started giving her very cool teacher-stuff (stuff she needed and deserved, of course) .
Very mysterious...
-- Art
Of course, here's what happened: She began looking into an available position at our school and her principal just started giving her very cool teacher-stuff (stuff she needed and deserved, of course) .
Very mysterious...
-- Art
Thanks, Art. I went to smarttech site and their products page does not work. Amazing, after spending 20 minutes looking at the whole site, I still don't know what a smartboard is. Is it hardware? Is it software? Lots of testimonials--I love it, we love it, they love it. Very frustrating when basic questions go unanswered. How does it work? How do you add it to Moodle? If I have only a Mac, what do I do?
In the UK smartboards are the current 'in thing' in education. Basically they work when a computer screen is projected onto them and they act as an INPUT device (my pupils find this hard to grasp as they see it as an OUTPUT device due to the fact they are SEEING the enlarged computer screen). One of the main supppliers in the UK is Promethean:
http://www.prometheanworld.com/home.html
Drew
Okay, back from dinner...
I think this link will help:
http://www.greece.k12.ny.us/taylor/topics/smartboard/
-- Art
I think this link will help:
http://www.greece.k12.ny.us/taylor/topics/smartboard/
-- Art
Yes, Art, very useful link and yes, amazing in my view. I use Moodle in blended learning (classroom+online), and I am always brainstorming, listing things with students--then manually copying the stuff into the computer. This is an auto-group-brainstorming tool, among other things...
>>From the greece site: You can brainstorm ideas with a class and write them on the Notepad. Then you can "tear off" the page and save for future reference. We have done Venn diagrams on this. Word lists. Character analysis.
So how much do it cost for a hardware/software setup?
>>From the greece site: You can brainstorm ideas with a class and write them on the Notepad. Then you can "tear off" the page and save for future reference. We have done Venn diagrams on this. Word lists. Character analysis.
So how much do it cost for a hardware/software setup?
Aah, yes...
Considerably more than Moodle.
XGA 2000 Lumens projector , eg HP6220 + the biggest of the Smartboard (SB-580, I think a 70" diagonal, and seriously it is worth getting a bigger board), £2764 at SRP from our suppliers (ex VAT), although I have seen cheaper. We do the installation ourselves, but it's also worth getting a ceiling bracket for the projector, long VGA and video leads, and a few bits of AV kit to use it as a big screen TV. Training is probably not necessary, as they are really very simple to get started with and the UI is pretty intuitive.
The software is available as a free download from http://www.smarttech.com/support/software/index.asp
But will only work in a limited mode until you plug a board in.
You can do this for less, by going for an SVGA projector, a smaller board, or by exploring a thing called Mimio which converts an ordinary whiteboard into a computer input, using RF pens - see http://www.mimio.com/
There must be some local suppliers, but I'd be happy to put you in touch with our chaps if push comes to shove.
They are as you say v good for brainstorming type activities - the handwriting recognition is actually pretty accurate these days and can produce a not unreasonable set of notes. Also, SMART have their own brainstorming software (SMARTideas), again free for use with their boards, which you might like to explore.
Considerably more than Moodle.
XGA 2000 Lumens projector , eg HP6220 + the biggest of the Smartboard (SB-580, I think a 70" diagonal, and seriously it is worth getting a bigger board), £2764 at SRP from our suppliers (ex VAT), although I have seen cheaper. We do the installation ourselves, but it's also worth getting a ceiling bracket for the projector, long VGA and video leads, and a few bits of AV kit to use it as a big screen TV. Training is probably not necessary, as they are really very simple to get started with and the UI is pretty intuitive.
The software is available as a free download from http://www.smarttech.com/support/software/index.asp
But will only work in a limited mode until you plug a board in.
You can do this for less, by going for an SVGA projector, a smaller board, or by exploring a thing called Mimio which converts an ordinary whiteboard into a computer input, using RF pens - see http://www.mimio.com/
There must be some local suppliers, but I'd be happy to put you in touch with our chaps if push comes to shove.
They are as you say v good for brainstorming type activities - the handwriting recognition is actually pretty accurate these days and can produce a not unreasonable set of notes. Also, SMART have their own brainstorming software (SMARTideas), again free for use with their boards, which you might like to explore.
It's a large projection screen, and so is used with a LCD projector, the latter making your computer display something you can share with the whole class and use as the medium of instruction.
The screen tracks the position of your finger (or a special pen) which turns into mouse input for the PC, so you can work at the board to demonstrate software (they work very well with interactive geometry software, FWIW), run powerpoint presentations, do MC quizzes, whatever.
They also have proprietary software :SMART call theirs Notebook, Promethean (who produce ActivBoards) ActivStudio. This final piece of the jigsaw allows you to use all this kit as a, err..., whiteboard. So you can write and draw on the screen, and more importantly prepare board work in advance by judicious use of file imports, copy and past, clipart, and screen captures. There's a further portfolio of tools available such as special backgrounds (graph paper, music notation etc), rulers & protractors, coins and notes etc. It's also possible to export the files produced on the board in html or pdf, which is how we link ours in to moodle usage. As well as Windows, the software is available for the Mac, and in the case of SMART for Linux too (!).
There has been a huge investment in the UK state sector equipping schools with these. Impact has been greatest on pupil and teacher motivation, rather than attainment per se. My own feeling has been that they've resulted in far better integration of IT into subject delivery, make better use of IT infrastructure as they make computers and the net a tool for whole class teaching, and they have re-legitimized interactive whole class teaching.
The screen tracks the position of your finger (or a special pen) which turns into mouse input for the PC, so you can work at the board to demonstrate software (they work very well with interactive geometry software, FWIW), run powerpoint presentations, do MC quizzes, whatever.
They also have proprietary software :SMART call theirs Notebook, Promethean (who produce ActivBoards) ActivStudio. This final piece of the jigsaw allows you to use all this kit as a, err..., whiteboard. So you can write and draw on the screen, and more importantly prepare board work in advance by judicious use of file imports, copy and past, clipart, and screen captures. There's a further portfolio of tools available such as special backgrounds (graph paper, music notation etc), rulers & protractors, coins and notes etc. It's also possible to export the files produced on the board in html or pdf, which is how we link ours in to moodle usage. As well as Windows, the software is available for the Mac, and in the case of SMART for Linux too (!).
There has been a huge investment in the UK state sector equipping schools with these. Impact has been greatest on pupil and teacher motivation, rather than attainment per se. My own feeling has been that they've resulted in far better integration of IT into subject delivery, make better use of IT infrastructure as they make computers and the net a tool for whole class teaching, and they have re-legitimized interactive whole class teaching.
I do not have a Smart Board, but one feature that seems very interesting to me is that you can easily save screen shots of the work you are doing in class. I can think of many uses for this.
-- Art
Nice! Congratulations, Janet!
It's always a joy to find an educator who is doing an exemplary job to help his/her students.
Way to go, Janet! We are proud of you! Moodle on!
--Mary