Smartboards in the Classroom

Hi, everyone!

I've attached an agenda for the new SmartBoard 1 course we're giving, using the latest version of SmartBoard Notebook software.

Enjoy! 

Interactive Whiteboards (Smartboards and other brands) have become increasingly common in our schools.  Unfortunately, they can be intimidating devices to many teachers.  This course explores how to use the device and its software resources to create interactive, engaging lessons that address specific academic needs of our students.

This session focuses on:

• A discussion of Howard Gardner's book "Theory of Multiple Intelligences"
• A review of recent research on the "Effectiveness of Interactive Whiteboards on  Learning"
  
• A discussion of the teacher's role in utilizing the tool through the eyes of a teacher

In this session, each participant will learn how to:

• set up the SmartBoard
• connect it to the laptop
• connect it the projector
• position the projector cart in the classroom
• orient the SmartBoard
• reorganize the classroom so that:
• all students can see the whiteboard
• there is adequate space in front of the whiteboard to allow student movement
• wires are safely secured
  
• utilize the pens and other tools
• project from a PC tablet or laptop
  

Each participant will end this session after he or she has personally assembled the board, projector and laptop.

See categories on the right for supporting materials.  How-to's and Basics 

In this session, the participants will explore an existing SmartBoard lesson.  They will:

• assume the role of their students and tactilely complete the lesson
• use the pens, screen shade, camera, highlighters and magnifying glass
• discuss the use of colorful backgrounds and font colors

In this session, the participants will create their own SmartBoard lesson utilizing the "Essentials for Educators" session of the Gallery as well as online resources.

They will:

• Create a six slide lesson
• Insert templates onto the first and last slides
• Add textboxes to both templates
• Create a Vocabulary slide
• Add textboxes and boxes to this slide
• Learn how to change the background color of the box
• Place the textbox on top of the colored box - Order
• Group the textbox and the colored box so they move together - Grouping
• Explore a multimedia SB lesson in their content area and insert it into their lesson
• Add a Journal page
  
• Adding a Word document to an SB lesson
• Adding an Excel spreadsheet to an SB lesson
• Adding a PowerPoint presentation to an SB lesson

See How-to categories on the right.