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INTRODUCTION

Interactive whiteboards with voting systems are another tool that can give students some control and input into what is happening in the classroom. Usually interactive whiteboards come with software that is installed on a computer connected to the board. This software allows the teacher to interact with their computer from the board, work with software installed on their computer, and create presentations that take advantage of the functions of the board. Voting systems integrated with interactive whiteboards allow students to answer questions posted and then display those results immediately. It is a great way to do formative assessment during the class.

21st Century Skills, Themes, and Characteristics

  • Interactive content
  • Group collaboration
  • Formative assessment
  • Student ownership

There are four adventures you can take at this station. Start with Adventure 1 to get a feel for the software and then have fun experimenting and trying the other three adventures. If you have any questions, look for a docent or just ask the person next to you. Learning is a social activity. Feel free to socialize as you explore the world of interactive whiteboards and voting systems.

Adventure 1: Investigate the tools of the Activstudio software
Adventure 2: Investigate the resources provided in Activstudio and then add your own resources
Adventure 3: Interact with a website and see that the Activstudio tools work there too
Adventure 4: Build a multiple choice slide that could be used with the Activotes

ADVENTURE 1

Objective: You will investigate the functions of Activstudio and see how a flipchart can be built to be used on an interactive whiteboard in your class.

DIRECTIONS

Activstudio is a software program similar to PowerPoint, but it is made to be used interactively using a pen and an Activboard (an interactive whiteboard). In Activstudio, you create flipcharts. Flipcharts are blank pages on which items can be written, drawn, or placed. In this adventure, you will open Activstudio and use some of the tools that make an interactive whiteboard so powerful.

  1. Double click on the Activstudio Professional Edition V3 icon that is on the Desktop.
  2. Click on the I Agree button if the Hardware not present box comes up.
  3. Click OK if the Did You Know? box comes up.
  4. Under Create click on New Flipchart.
  5. Start with the Pen Tool on the Tool Bar. Choose a color and thickness and then draw on the screen. Change colors and thicknesses.
  6. Switch to the Highlighter Tool and notice that it works just like a highlighter. Change colors.
  7. Use the Eraser Tool to erase some lines.
  8. Use the Text Tool to add text to the screen.
  9. Click on Next Page to get a new blank page.
  10. Click on the Power Tools button and a new tool bar will appear.
  11. On the Power Tools Bar, click on the dice. Choose the number of dice and click on the dice cup to roll the dice. If you click on =, the answer will appear on the page behind the Dice Roller window in the middle of the flipchart. You may click and drag the answer because it is now a text object that may be moved to another area on the page.
  12. Bring up the Compass Tool. Highlight the pencil holder until you get an upside down V, and then click and drag to expand the compass. Now grab the pencil and drag to make a circle. Notice the data at the top of the Compass Tool changes for you as it moves.
  13. Get a new page and draw a couple of angles on the screen. Click on the Ruler Tool. Move the ruler. Notice that if you move the cursor to the numbers, you can rotate the ruler.
  14. Play with the Protractor and the Clock Tool.

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ADVENTURE 2

Objective: Investigate the resources provided in Activstudio and how they could enhance your classroom.

DIRECTIONS

  1. Get a new page by clicking the Next Page button on the tool bar.
  2. Click on the Resource Library button and click on Shared Collections.
  3. Pick a folder of your choice and drag a piece of clipart on to your flipchart. Notice you can resize, rotate, and move the clipart.
  4. Click on Shared Grids and drag the grid of your choice on to a new flipchart page. There are many choices that work well for math and science.
  5. Click on Shared Sounds and drag a National Anthem to your page. To be able to play the sound, make sure the curving arrow in the top right had corner of your flipchart is not crossed out. Click on the sound to play it.
  6. Click on Shared Activities and drag a game onto your flipchart. Click on the game to see what happens.

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ADVENTURE 3

Objective:To use the Activstudio’s Annotate over Desktop tool to interact with website or other documents.

DIRECTIONS

  1. Click on the Annotate over Desktop icon on the Toolbar.
  2. Open your web browser of choice, go to Wikipedia, and search for the topic of your own choosing.
  3. Choose the Highlighter Tool, the color, and the thickness and then highlight some text.
  4. Choose the Pencil Tool and underline some text.
  5. Choose the Text Tool and add notations to the page.
  6. Choose the Camera Tool and Window. Now click on the Wiki page and choose To Clipboard.
  7. Unselect the Annotate over Desktop Tool.
  8. Click on the Show Flipchart button and right click on the blank page. Choose Paste > From Clipboard > Image. Notice that the page along with your notations is now part of your flipchart.
  9. Be aware that this can be done in Word or other applications, including videos.

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ADVENTURE 4

Objective: You will find a couple different ways to create slides that can be used with the Activotes during a class.

DIRECTIONS

  1. Get a new page by clicking the Next Page button on the tool bar.
  2. Open the Resource Library and choose Shared Images > Lesson Building Tools
  3. Click on ACTIVote Question Layouts and drag onto your flipchart.
  4. Write a question above the layout, enlarge the layout as necessary, and fill in your answers. You have now created a multiple choice question that can be used with the ACTIVotes during class.
  5. Sometimes you don’t have a question prepared when you would like to use the ACTIVotes. Get a fresh page and write your questions and answers on the blank page. You can create questions on the fly and attach the ACTIVote results to the page.
  6. Now click on Annotate over Desktop, open Internet Explorer, and go to Wikipedia. Search for the topic of your choice.
  7. Use either the Text Tool or the Pen Tool to write a multiple choice question on the page somewhere. You don’t even have to be on a flipchart to use the ACTIVotes in class.

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