Getting Started with Smartboards April 25, 2008
Posted by quirkytech in Uncategorized.trackback
As we work to place Smartboards in our elementary classrooms, it will benefit all of us to share our learning and our new ideas. This blog will be a point from which we can begin.
So, to get us started here are a few links you’ll want to explore:
http://www2.smarttech.com/st/en-US/Support/SBS/
This page contains links to the Smart Notebook software which you’ll be using to create “Smart” lessons. The software can be downloaded to your own personal computer for you to begin to explore the tools. I believe we’ll eventually be using version 1o of the software but it requires a serial number from the Smartboard. Since ours aren’t installed yet, you can use the link for versions 9.7 and 9.5. You’ll see that the software can be used on either a Mac or PC.
http://education.smarttech.com
On this educator’s portion of the Smart Corporation’s website, you’ll be able to explore already created lessons. The lessons contain links to download the actual files you would need for the lesson. Since these will only run in the Smart Notebook software, be sure you have that on your computer first.
http://csdsmarties.blogspot.com/
This is a blog that is maintained by some folks in the Concord School District in New Hampshire and was the inspiration for this blog. They are sharing some great ideas with their teachers. Be sure to take a look at the entry for March 20, 2008. It contains a short movie made by a student showing his demonstration of how to add fractions using tools for the Smartboard – it’s really cool!
Mrs. Quirk – It has been mentioned that new computers will be placed throughout the district. Should we plan to use the MAC or PC versions of the SMARTboard? Do you know if the documents are easily transfered from MAC to PC (like WORD documents)? THANKS!
Diane,
Amy makes a good point. What will the transfer over to PCs mean for the material that we create next year? I know Palmer isn’t getting the PCs yet. Are there any plans in place yet for training or does that come after the budget vote?
Materials created only require the Smartboard software so it doesn’t matter if you’re using a Mac or PC. The files save in a format that opens with the Smartboard software.