Sharing SMART Notebook files between Windows and Macs

A smarter way to use your SMART Board

For those of you whose school's have both Windows computers and Mac computers remember that you can still share your SMART Notebook files across platforms.

One thing to remember though, is that the Windows version is V.9.1 and the Mac version is V.8.1.4.

So if you want to save a SMART Notebook file from Windows to share with a colleague who has a Mac, you must save the file in version 8.0. This will allow the Mac to read the file.

When Mac users are saving SMART Notebook files to share with colleagues using Windows, there is no need to specify the version. The Windows V.9.1 can read V.8.x files.

Don't forget to post any questions or comments below.

Have a SMARTer day,

Jeremy

Plenty Of Great Maps Of Australia

Digital Elevation Model of Australia

Are you looking for a map of Australia to use on your SMART Board interactive whiteboard? Here is a great resource for maps of Australia, lots of great maps of Australia. Have a look around at Geoscience Australia.

Have a SMARTer day,

Jeremy

A Teacher Shares His IWB Experience

John Pearce teaches at Bellaire Primary School in Geelong, Victoria. He has put together a web log to share his experience of introducing and using a SMART Board interactive whiteboard in his class room.

Hi blog is called Mr P's SMART Board, I'd encourage you to visit his blog and leave comments.

John has another blog called Simply Science, it's a great resource and example for primary school teachers who are looking to introduce more science into their classroom.

At Mr P's SMART Board blog I found a great website that provides a bunch of "Virtual Manipulatives" for mathematics. You can read John's post on how he uses the exercises with his class.

Over the next couple of weeks, I'll create some example SMART Notebook files from ideas at the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives. Keep an eye out for them.

Have a SMARTer day,
Jeremy

Hopes & Fears Using New Technology

Check out this list of Hopes and Fears that every teacher would experience when thinking about introducing new technology in the classroom.

Have a read and then let me know what you think by posting a comment.

Have a SMARTer day,
Jeremy

"Hell! There aren't rules around here!"

Thomas Edison and the phonograph.

You have probably heard the often quoted story of Thomas Edison being interviewed by a reporter who asked how Mr. Edison could carry on with his goal of inventing the light bulb when he had failed with his experiments 700 times. Thomas Edison reponded,

"I have not failed 700 times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those 700 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work."

Well, I came across another great quote from Thomas Edison which a think is so aplicable to where we are at the moment with the use of interactive whiteboards. Here it is:

An interviewer visiting Thomas Edison at his laboratory asked, "What are the rules you want me to observe while I am here?"
"Hell! There aren't rules around here!" replied Edison. "In this laboratory, we're trying to acomplish something."

I want to encourage you to think like Thomas Edison, focus on feedback not failure and forget the rules, take a chance and experiment a little. Who knows, maybe both you and your students will learn something.

By the way, I found the 'Rules Story' in a book written by Robert K. Cooper called 'The Other 90%'.

Have a SMARTer day,
Jeremy

A New IWB Resource Site

Here is the link to www.interactivewhiteboard.net.au, check it out and let me know what you think.

Have a SMARTer day,

Jeremy

Golden Square Secondary College Using SMART Boards

Allan Martin shares his class notes.

I visited Golden Square Secondary College this afternoon to provide some familiarisation training on their newly installed SMART Board interactive whiteboards and projectors.

It was great to see a lot of interest and 'buy-in' from the teachers. We had a packed room, ranging from teachers who had already started using the boards and software in their classes to teachers who still classed themselves as 'technophobic'.

After the scheduled session had finished, I hung around to go over some more examples with a handfull of super-motivated teachers.

Allin Martin, who teaches Maths at Golden Square Secondary College shared a few examples of how he uses the SMART Board interactive whiteboard in his classes.

One example really stood out to me. Allan had a number of student visiting Germany on an exchange program and to ensure that they could keep up with his lessons, Allan would convert his SMART Notebook files to a PDF document and then email them to his students in Germany. The world really is getting smaller.

Keep an eye out for future posts where I provide instructions on 'how to's'.

Have a SMARTer day,
Jeremy

Do You Teach SMART Arts?

A classic image to display perspective.

The great thing about using a SMART Board interactive whiteboard is that the technology is applicable to any subject or KLA.

After speaking with an Arts teacher today, I promised I would post some resources and examples of how interactive whiteboards are being used to teach perspective.

I found not only an example of how interactive whiteboards are being used to teach perspective but notes on how the teachers actually uses the boards in class.

Check out this example of 'LOOKING AT PERSPECTIVE IN RENAISSANCE PAINTINGS (YEAR 8)'.

The above example also links to a great resource site, Leonardo's Perspective.

You can also find example of different images, pantings and drawings by doing a search at Google Images. Just be carefull aout what you ask Google to look for.

And for one more example of teaching perspective check out this site. Although the lessons here aren't designed specifically for use on an interactive whiteboard, you can easily adapt it to a SMART Notebook file.

By the way, if you have any requests or comments please let me know by using the comments buttons at the bottom of each post.

Have a SMARTer day,
Jeremy

Roll The Dice

Try your luck, roll the dice.

For some ideas for using interactive dice (whats the plural of dice?) in SMART Notebook, download this Notebook file.

To download this file click on the link and then scroll to the bottom of the page. Select Free download and then scroll to the bottom of the new page. You will see intructions to wait 20-50 seconds, at which time a new link will appear and you can simply right click and then select "Save Target As..."

Not only will you get some great ideas, you can save the dice as flash objects by simply dragging them into the 'My Content' folder in the Gallery tab.

Let me know what you think of the download process by leaving a comment below..

Have a SMARTer day,

Jeremy

Globetrotting With A SMART Board

Travel the globe with your SMART Board.

One of the greatest benefits of using a SMART Board interactive whiteboard is that it literally makes a bunch of resources available at your finger tips.

The internet has now opened up a whole world by allowing you and your students to access satelite imagery to view almost every corner of our planet.

Think back to the start of this year when the tragedy of the Tsunamis hit Indonesia. Using Google Maps or Keyhole.com, your class could view live satelite images. An exercise like this helps to put some scale to the event, lets your students realise how close to Australia this was happening and is a good introduction into studying natural forces such as tidal waves, hurricanes, earthquakes and volcanoe eruptions.

When I think back to my childhood I can't decide which subject I found more exciting Dinosaurs or Volcanoes.

A couple of other sites that you can have some fun exploring, wether it be for use in the classroom or to take screencaptures for use in your SMART Notebook files (or maybe just to waste some time) are http://www.googlesightseeing.com/ a blog put together by a group of people as a collection of popular tourist attraction in North America.

Or have a look at http://c2c6.earthinsite.com/city2see/index.htm, this site will let you look at your own backyard.

Have a SMARTer day,

Jeremy

Remember To Upgrade Your Version Of SMART Notebook

I'm not sure if you are aware but version 9 of the SMART Notebook software has been released now since February 2005.

If you're still using version 8 or maybe even version 7, then you're missing out on lots of extra features. Features such support for Flash content, convert to PDF and mail to recipient with one click, movable toolbar, easy access to page templates & clipart, new pen features and lots more.

Still not sure if you should upgrade to version 9, then have a look at these 'Ten Reasons to Uprade Today'.

Here is an 11th reason why you should upgrade. All the examples, lessons and hacks (hints & tips) that I share at this blog are all for version 9.

Remember, SMART Notebook software is free for all users and it costs nothing to ugrade. So go ahead a download version 9 now.

Have a SMARTer day,
Jeremy

Teachers Vote SMART Number One

Recently eSchool News magazine published its Readers’ Choice Awards for projectors and interactive whiteboards. The survey indicated 75.8 percent of respondents selected the SMART Board interactive whiteboard as their preferred interactive whiteboard.

You can read about the survey and it's results here.

Clearly the teacher's choice

Have a SMARTer day,

Jeremy

EdCompass Newsletter Subscribe Today

If you want to stay updated about the latest versions of SMART software, get access to free resources and see how others are using their SMART Board interactive whiteboard then you need to subscribe to the EDCompass newsletter. Subscribe now!

You can also check out the archive of previous issues by clicking here.

Have a SMARTer day,
Jeremy

Time To Start Growing SMARTer

Welcome. I've decided to start this blog to provide teachers and users of interactive whiteboards, specifically the SMART Board interactive whiteboard a resource to learn how to better use this exciting learning tool and to stay up to date with how the boards are being used around Australia.

A bit of background on myself. My name is Jeremy Radovcic and I work for Electroboard. I have been with Electroboard since November 1999 and I am the Education Account Manager for Victoria.

Prior to starting with Electroboard my background was in the fitness industry working in every facet from running gymnasiums and personal training through to selling sports supplements wholesale and managing retail fitness stores.

One point I want to make clear about this blog and the views, opinions and information that I will be sharing. Everything that I post at this site is my own views and do not represent the views of either Electroboard or SMART technologies. I post to this site in my own time (as you can see by the date and time stamp) for the benefit of the education community at large.

Please visit often and better still, save this site's RSS code in your RSS feed notifier so that you can be notified of any posts automatically.

I look forward to sharing my experiences and discoveries with you and welcome your comments.

Have a SMARTer day,
Jeremy