mimios & Interactive Whiteboards in the Classroom

Tracing Activities

2011-09-15T14:45:00.000+12:00

The Foundation font is a perfect font for our New Zealand Schools. Download it and use it to make Handwriting activities for your children.

One of the fonts is made of dots.
Make tracing activities for the children of the letters they need to practice.

One of my junior teachers that I work with finds Black and white images on Google Images and copies them onto her notebook software page.

Children use these as tracing activities, great for students who need to practise fine motor control.

Modelling Books

2011-05-18T11:39:00.001+12:00

One of my schools use 'Modelling Books' for teaching writing. One of the teachers (Lisa Pearson from The Gardens) has started using her mimio notebook software as a modelling book.

If she needs to print out any pages she can and it is a record of the work they have done together.

She also uses the mimio notebook software to record the work she does in maths as well.

She has taken screen captures of the activities created in Kidspiration and used those as part of her maths lessons

Inspiration and IWBs

2010-10-16T13:11:00.003+13:00

These activities can be used independently or...


Factor Product Puzzles.ist	Match the decimals.ist

...screen capture parts of them and add to IWB notebook software and turn into teaching activities.

Have several pages of the same activity, so that you can start the children off on it and then leave them to continue. You will be able to keep an eye on what the children are doing by watching the projector. Students could be recording in their exercise books as well.

Adding up to a 100.ink mimio example
Adding up to 100.notebookSmartboard example
Adding up to 100.flipchartActivinspire example

How to record in mimio

2010-10-14T13:04:00.003+13:00

Click on mimio Recorder in drop down panel in your notification bar

or click on mimio recorder in the Applications button

Click on the Red record button to start

Start writing on the mimio page. When you have finished writing/speaking click on the recorder icon in the system tray
Click the Stop button and press the Play button to view the recording. It will open as a movie. When you close recorder, it will ask you if you want to save and it will save as a movie file.
To insert the movie drag onto the mimio page or go to File - Import. Right click on the movie and select Lock. Press the Play button to see your movie.

How could you use this tool?

Record yourself forming letters correctly. Children can practice their letters using the mimio pen and watching the formation of the letters at the same time.

Saving mimio files as templates

2010-08-14T21:41:00.001+12:00

Save your ink file to a folder in your Documents on your hardrive
Open your mimio Gallery.
Click on the folder icon on the mimio Gallery.

Name your folder, click OK

Click on the new folder in the Gallery List and it will appear below. Find the folder on your hardrive with the saved ink file and drag it into the space below

Lifting Student Achievement with Technology

2010-08-04T17:19:00.000+12:00

This is a presentation created by a teacher to present to the Board of Trustees. This teacher is a self confessed Luddite who two years ago did not like working with computers in her classroom. Now she is totally sold. What is so wonderful about this presentation is the evidence the teacher has to how computers and the use of the 'mimio' have 'significantly' lifted student achievement in her class.

Integrating ict into classroom

View more presentations from carolynraewyngrace.

Import PowerPoint into notebook software

2010-08-02T22:12:00.005+12:00

Most notebook software will enable you to import PowerPoint files, (but it is made easier by saving them as PDF files) into your notebook files. Sometimes I prefer to create my activities in PowerPoint because of the templates and designs.

The following is an example of a cloze activity, based on instructional reader. It is created in PowerPoint, I added a template, then saved as a PDF file and then imported into Activstudio (File-Import-From PDF)
where students can use the tools to fill in the words.

and into 'mimo' notebook (File-Import)

and drag the PDF file onto a Smartbook notebook page.

Make a Poetry file

2010-08-01T21:43:00.001+12:00

I remember many years ago as a student teacher having to create a poetry file for an assignment. I cut up cardboard, used fancy felt-tips, wrote a different poem on each cardboard sheet, illustrated them...it took hours and hours.
When I visit junior classrooms, I often see blown up Poem Cards that teachers are using with children. I advise teachers to make IWB notebook files of their poems. Once they have made their poetry files and saved as a single document, they can use them in conjunction with their Poem cards.
They can use all of the tools such as 'highlighter, shapes, pen tool' to teach conventions of text and poetry. The blown up Poem Cards are still used as independent reading activities.

This day in History

2010-03-04T14:22:00.000+13:00

One of the activities I timetable children to do each day before school is to find out what happened on this day in History. Some of the sites I had been using were American (and were the day before, because of time difference).

Sometimes the information on those sites were not really appropriate for children in New Zealand. I came across this site New Zealand History online. What a great way to teach our students New Zealand history.

How to use in the Classroom
IWB or mimio
Make a file using the notebook software of the IWB you are using. Add the links to the first page.

I also link to a weather site and current news site.

Students are timetabled (3 a day) to click on a link, read the page, decide which item they are going to copy and take a screen capture to a new page.
This becomes part of our oral language time in the morning where all 3 students have a chance to report back to the class what they have found out. They particularly like using the IWB/mimio to navigate to their pages and we always take the opportunity to use the highlighter pens to identify key words, nouns, great adjectives etc( what ever happens to be our focus at that time.)

Graphic Organiser pack (mimio)

2009-11-06T12:22:00.000+13:00

The mimioconnect site has just added a new content pack to add to their mimio notebook software. It is worth a download. It is called Graphic Organisers. It has some of the standard

Cause and Effect
Concept Wheel
KWL chart
Venn diagrams

and a few extra ones that can be adapted for classroom use.

Telescopic Text, Magnetic words and Editing Writing

2009-10-08T08:34:00.001+13:00

Teachers want to know ways to engage students in editing their own writing. If you have a projector, whiteboard (or even better an IWB) try this.
Start off with Joe Davis's site http://www.telescopictext.com/
I ask students to describe what the tea could taste like, write some answers above the text, then click on the word 'tea'. New text will be inserted into the sentence.

We carry on in this mode predicting, describing and analysing the new edited text until we can go no further.

The next day we can look at this website which is based on Joe Davis's site http://basseq.com/fun/telescopictext/
Now we can add our own words by replacing the text that is already there by highlighting the word to be changed, click on Replace, type new word and then click on Submit changes.

The third day can then be spent looking at Tripticos Word Magnet site.
Type in a sentence. When you type in the full stop make sure there is a space between it and the last word.
Click Next.

In the next window you can choose from many different backgrounds but for my editing lesson I will keep to a blank page

Click on Done and the next page will appear with your text broken up into text boxes. Click and drag them up to make a sentence.

Now start adding new words by typing in the 'Add new magnet box', once you have clicked the + symbol, click on a colour to change the colour of your text box. Drag it into the correct place. Use the colour coding to identify adjectives, conjunctions etc.

This is a great way to get students interested in editing their work and to see how a sentence can come alive. These are the type of activities that I like to use with children as part of my modelling and teaching.
This will work well with just a projector and computer, but the Interactive Whiteboard would allow students to take over the manipulation of text and objects.
Smartboards 'Ink Aware' software allows you to edit in Word. So this activity could be carried on in Word, using the Smartboard software that will recognise your ink writing, turn it into text and insert into your sentence. This is demonstrated in the Youtube movie below

Which IWB?

2009-08-23T14:56:00.000+12:00

I keep being asked which is my favourite out of all the IWBs I have used. I can't say I have a definite preference for one particular model as they all have features I like (and don't like) so here is where they stand at the moment as of August 2009!

If I was choosing for Software - Activboard
If I was choosing for Price - Mimio
If I was choosing for interactive features (uses both hands and pens) - Smartboard

I can't ultimately choose one product!
Now, if only somebody could come up with a product that incorporated all three...

Intelliboard IWB

2009-04-30T21:56:00.000+12:00

I worked on an 'Intelliboard' IWB today. The Intelliboard software is very basic with only some of the features we see in other IWBs but some of the things we expect like convert ink to text are not there. The basic manipulation of images is cumbersome. Instead of being able to select, resize and move in 3 movements, those changes triple. You need to click on the select button, then select the shape by clicking on it, then go and select another button to resize, go back and click on edge of the shape, then resize, go back and click on movement button, then click on the object and then click and drag...phewwww! Now if you even want to change the outline colour of a shape or fill it with colour, then you just know that is going to take many steps.
There were some features I liked in the software, the automatic recording for each page was good, and the Reveal feature was clean, but the Spotlight was messy and tricky to use and the clipart was limited and very few backgrounds and templates were available.
The board itself though worked fine with other software and the Internet.

The strongest feature of the board was the one click buttons on both sides of the board. You could move from page to page, stop any action you had performed, choose 3 different coloured annotation tools, highlight tool, reveal, spotlight and a screen clipping option. The most bizarre button was the Applause button, click it with the pen and you hear applause over the speakers. There was a button that opened up an Internet page, a button to open the board software 'Intelliboard Whiteboard' and a button to calibrate.

Overall Assessment
As an Interactive board it worked fine, the authoring software was the weakest part of it, the buttons down the side the best feature. I think this board is perfectly adequate for corporate use but schools demand authoring software that enable you to create your own activities with a variety of features. The Intelliboard software does not provide this.

Using a 'Wii' as an interactive whiteboard

2009-03-22T12:18:00.009+13:00

I have been experimenting with a Nintendo 'Wii' to see how I could use it in the classroom I am going to be demo teaching in a week's time. All you need is the Wii console, sensor bar and handset, connect it to a projector and project onto a clear surface (whiteboard) or connect to a TV (then there is no need for a projector). The Wii can connect wirelessly to the internet, so I have been trying out a few websites to see how interactive you can be. It works perfectly! I am writing a maths unit on perimeter and volume for a year 5/6 class and the first site I came across was the BBC skillwise. Once I got used to the controls I decided this would be an excellent student lead group maths activity.

It has fact sheets that the students read through first. Then they go to the Quiz site of which there are 3 levels to choose from. My instructions to the students will be to work their way through the activities, recording their answers and the process they went through to the get the answer in their maths books at the same time. At the end of each level they will find out the answers so they can correct their work. When they next meet with me for group instruction we will go over the activity together working on any problems or wrong answers they may have encountered.
Save the games you want your students to use by storing them in the Favourites page.

I then tried it out on my PSP and it works well. Save the games to Bookmarks so that they are easy to find. Two students could use a PSP at the same time.

Using game consoles opens up loads of new possibilities for classroom teaching and learning!
The only problem is that I need two projectors in the classroom now!

A hurdle to get over

2009-03-19T17:45:00.008+13:00

I ran a mimio course the other day, and by the end of it I realised what the 'big hurdle' teachers have to get over! Replace what you do on the whiteboard in your classroom with your mimio/IWB software! If you are modelling your story writing, use the mimio/IWB so that you can save what you have done and revisit it the next day. I remember a few years ago it was custom to write your daily stories on large sheets of paper, fasten them together and they would become a reading activity for students. Do the same with your day to day modelling, save it as your 'Writing Modelling' file, add a few graphics or photos and turn it into a reading activity, or save it as a proof reading activity.

I was in a classroom the other day and saw that the teacher had drawn a numberline on her small whiteboard that was at her teaching station, and written the exercise.

I suggested to her that she create a numberline suitable for her children's level in IWB software, save it to a gallery, and start a numberline file that she could archive and use over and over again (and add to). It is simple enough to create your own numberlines (if there is not already one in the clipart libraries, check Mathematics, or check online in the Softwares website) by using the tools that come with the software. Once you have created the numberline, group it so it won't come apart and add it to your Maths Library in your IWB software. Turn on your Grid (usually in the View Menu) to make it more precise.

Individual photos and Visual Roll

2009-03-05T07:04:00.006+13:00

An interactive early morning activity that I read about in 'Dragonsinger's blog is to have all the photos of your children in a grid and their names in another grid. Children as they come into the room in the morning can drag their name and place it on their photo. The names left are the children that are probably away for the day. This is a particularly good activity for young ones as a practice in using the IWB/mimio everyday and sets the routines for the day.

It is a good idea at the beginning of the year to take head and shoulder photos of your students and place them in an easily accessible folder both on your computer and in your IWB/mimio software.

To further extend this idea each photo can have an hyperlink to their own page on a wiki.

Smartboard concept writing software

2009-03-01T20:18:00.007+13:00

I am a big fan of Inspiration and Kidspiration and use them for all curriculum areas. But if you have a 'Smartboard' then you will have similar software called 'Smart Ideas Concept Writing' that works seamlessly with the Smartboard touch technology.
Pluses
- easy to add more symbols
- easy to move symbols around
- has a note feature
- uses symbols for hyperlinks and notes
- remembers the changes you made to the symbols (such as colour and shape)
- software is easy to use and navigate around
- the strongest feature for me was the converting of ink to text and inserting into a symbol

Minuses
- less graphics available, can download more from website (Inspiration accesses internet for more)
- can only change colour of symbol outlines (can't adjust thickness)
- doesn't show spelling mistakes

The first example shown below is Smart Ideas and Inspiration below that. Overall I was very impressed with Smart Ideas, so if you have a Smartboard in your classroom, use it for all curriculum areas as I use Inspiration or Kidspiration. Here are some Kidspiration and Inspiration examples. WeeMee Character Graphics created in Weeworld

Setting up your mimio and laptop from scratch

2009-02-17T08:16:00.010+13:00

Steps to setting up your mimio

Connect projector to laptop, turn on the Projector and the laptop

Stick the mimio to the whiteboard with the suction cups (there are plastic clips available that enable you to have a permanent place on the whiteboard, just clip the mimio into them)

Plug in the wireless receiver or connect the USB end of mimio to your computer

Press the power button on the mimio
Press the calibration button

Use the pen to click in the centre of each circle (there are nine)

As long as your projector or screen doesn't move the calibration should stay the same.

Hint #2 pens and batteries again

2009-02-17T06:48:00.004+13:00

Check to see if your pen's battery is 'still alive' by pushing the tip, you should hear a buzzing noise. If you hear that, your pen is working! If you hear nothing then change the batteries. Invest in some rechargeable batteries and always have a spare set available for your pen and your mimo. There is nothing worse than going to start your lesson and you have to find batteries before you even begin! Just a note for NZers, if you break the pen a new one is going to cost you NZ$100

Things I like about the mimio #1 Converting ink to text

2009-02-10T16:58:00.008+13:00

I have had a mimio to play around with for the last month and have now written a 'mimio Manual' which is available on my Website. I am also going to be offering mimio specific courses so keep an eye out on my course page. There are many specific things I like about the mimio so I am going to itemise them in this blog. The first one is 'Converting ink to text', and 'Converting writing to text. Unfortunately this is not available for Mac yet, but it works well on Windows.

Converting ink to text
Click on the Ink Pen . Write your text. Click on the Selection tool. Click and drag around the ink text. It will turn into this

Right click on the selected text and select Recognise Ink or go to Tools in the menu and select Recognise Ink. . The ink is converted into text.

Converting writing to text
Before you start you need to activate your computer keyboard.
Click on the Applications button and select Text tools

A keyboard will appear that you can use with the mimio pen.
Close it by clicking on the . It will appear in your system tray.

Using the mimio pen click on the Text button, click on the page to place the text box.
Right click on the Keyboard in your system tray. Click on Write Anywhere or Writing Pad (Write Anywhere is not available on Vista)
If you are using the Write anywhere, you can write anywhere on the screen (make sure the cursor is in the Text box first) when you stop writing it will appear in the text box. If you use the Writing Pad then you have to write on the line in the pad, again every time you stop writing with the pen the ink will convert to text.

What I particularly like the most about Converting Writing to text is that you can use it in other applications as well such as Inspiration, Kidspiration, Word and PowerPoint. Just open the mimio Tools and then the Application you want to use.
Remember it will not work until you place your cursor in a text box, symbol or a page.

mimio Pad

2008-12-19T13:49:00.008+13:00

Judy Bentley from Watermans demonstrated the mimio pad to me and I loved it. So what was so cool about this technology?

you don't have to have all of the other mimio gear, it operates as a mimio itself, all you need is a projector, whiteboard and laptop
With a mimio Pad, you can walk about the class or work with students individually while still being in control of what is on the Whiteboard up to 10 metres away. All the mimio tools are on the pad, and you use a pen as a mouse to activate them. As a Facilitator this will be invaluable for me in my courses as I will be able to walk around looking at what teachers are doing on their computers and instead of rushing back to the laptop I can stay there with the mimio Pad and continue to demonstrate what I need to show them
It can be passed around to students to use, and if your projector still is not suspended from the ceiling but sitting on the desk, then you won't have to worry about students standing in front of the projector casting shadows on the Whiteboard
It does not need software, all it uses is a small mimio wireless receiver (looks like a memory stick) that plugs into your computer's USB port. The integrated rechargeable battery provides up to 16 hours of wireless operation and the mimio Pad can also be USB charged.

Hint #1 pens and batteries

2008-12-19T11:22:00.003+13:00

Check the batteries in your mimio and IWB pens on a regular basis! I had a leaking battery in mine and discovered it before it did too much damage. If you are not going to be using them for a long time then it could be a good idea to remove the batteries until you do need them.

Planning, linking, websites and mimios/IWB

2008-12-17T22:19:00.002+13:00

With mimios and IWBs comes a huge amount of activities already created for you. Plus there are all the other activities that are teacher made in Kidspiration, Inspiration, Word, PowerPoint etc. And then I see that teachers have found all these wonderful websites but are not fully utilising them to their full potential. How can we manage all these websites and activities we may have stored on our computers?
Answer: Incorporate it into your planning. Hyperlink the activities, websites, or teaching resources into your planning and launch the sites from there. This is a perfect way of managing all of these links and it is all in one place plus you are able to see what resources you are mainly using. In this example I have colour coded the activities, red for Flip charts, orange for PowerPoint, green for Inspiration, blue for websites and black for book work.

Proofreading using mimio or IWB

2008-12-17T22:11:00.002+13:00

Choose a student's story that has been drafted on the computer and use that as a proof reading model at the beginning or end of a writing session
Have the whole class or maybe a targeted group discuss what changes need to be made and let the children take charge of the proofreading
use an example of drafted writing as a proofreading activity to be completed while waiting to conference (several children can be working on this activity at one time)
have a child drafting using the mimio/ IWB instead of in their books
have two children drafting on the mimio/ IWB creating a collaborative story, print out and they can proofread, edit and publish on their own
use the mimio/ IWB as one of the activities on your developmental circuit

mimios...some beginning thoughts

2008-12-17T22:02:00.003+13:00

There are many mimios out in schools. A lot of teachers are not using them to their full potential, mostly because of technical issues of calibration, software and hardware conflicts, setting up problems and most of all lack of professional development.

In this particular school the mimio is attached to a LCD TV. This works well with small groups or the whole class on the mat in front of the TV. The mimio image was TV quality.

I would use the mimio attached to a TV screen more in the Junior school. It is least distacting for the whole class as it is smaller and could be used unobtrusively with small groups.

Activboards beginning thoughts

2008-12-17T21:49:00.002+13:00

Many schools are investing in Interactive Whiteboards. A lot of teachers are not using them to their full potential, mostly because of technical issues of calibration, software and hardware conflicts, setting up problems and most of all lack of professional development. Then there is the issue of 'Which should we buy for our school?'

Here is one example of Activboards being used in one school. The Activboard has the projector attached to the screen. (Big tick here, no projector or wires hanging from ceilings or sitting precariously on tables).
The screen can be moved up and down according to the child's height. The screen is large and can be seen by the whole class right to the back of the room. Teachers have very little problems calibrating because the projector is fixed to the screen. There is a wireless keyboard that children or teacher can use anywhere in the classroom. The only down was maybe the clarity, the room needed to be darker or the projector needed to have higher lumens, but it was a minor point as it made no difference to the children.

The Activboard works well in the Senior School because it can be seen from the back of the room and when you have big children sitting in a classroom with all your furniture, there is not a lot of room for sitting up the front. I also liked how you could direct student's attention to it while they are working at their desks and they could all easily see it.