Archive for Software

MyScript for Livescribe: a truly amazing tool!

June 12, 2010 Livescribe, Livescribe, Mathcast, MyScript, Presentations 2 comments

I have been searching through the Livescribe website looking for some great applications for Administrators, since I will be presenting a demo on how to use the LivesScribe Pulse smartpen to the President’s office at my college on Monday.

I’ve had the MyScript application since I purchased the pen over a year ago, but never really tried it since I use my pen to write out math.  I assumed it would not translate it very well.      I was glad tonite to find out I was wrong!    I took a story problem I had written with my pen and “translated” it into text and it came out really close to the original!    I would assume most people would use the translator to convert their hand written notes (no sound or animation) into typed text, and it would be fantastic for that!   But in taking a math problem and converting it, I realize how useful this conversion tool could be for writing a test!   I could take some of the problems that I have posted, and translate them into text to include on my test covering that material.   That would save a lot of time not having to type out the question.   My brain is now buzzing with ideas on how I can use this amazing tool!

I have included a short video and some screen shots of how I converted a story problem using MyScript.

In the video you will see that I started the process by opening up my Livescribe Desktop.  From there I selected a pencast, and then went up to the menu “File” and then “convert to text”:

I found it easier to show the first steps in a movie.  The original pencast (static now) is on the left, and the new typed translation is on the right hand side below.  You can see that the translator did a pretty good job!

Now I can go in, line by line, and edit any of the text that is incorrect

It is really exciting how many new things I am learning about my LiveScribe Pulse smartpen, now that I am starting to teach others about how to use it!  Isn’t that the way it always works?  🙂

 

Getting ready for ISTE 2010 in Denver!

June 10, 2010 Conferences, CPS Clickers, eInstruction Interwrite Workspace, feedback, Mobi, Presentations, Student participation, Technology One comment

Over the next few weeks I will posting about some Educational Technology companies I will be presenting for, and working with, at ISTE 2010 in Denver.

Today I had a chat with some colleagues at eInstruction about my role for them at ISTE.  I was selected to be one of the original cadre of National Certified Instructors for eInstruction, and recently underwent a fantastic 3-day training event in Maryland!   I met some amazing teachers there, and learned more about several educational (and inspirational) products that I am very excited to share with other teachers at ISTE!

I will be working in one of eInstruction’s  “sharing stations” (my terminology, not eInstruction’s)  helping teachers form ideas on how to use the Mobi, the CPS Pulse clickers and Interwrite Workspace, to enhance any classroom activity or lesson.

The Interwrite Workspace software is the “heart” of the collaboration between the Mobi and the Clickers in an interative classroom experience.    This software allows the teacher to present their lesson using any software on their computer or website, and then have students participate with the activity or lesson with both Mobis and CPS Pulse Clickers for immediate feedback.   The Mobi also allows the teacher to walk around the room and engage with their students on a more personal and interactive level.

The Mobi is a mobile interactive whiteboard:

The CPS Pulse clickers work seemlessly to send immediate feedback to the LCD screen on the Mobi, and allows the students to input anything from letters and numbers, to math symbols!

If you plan on being at ISTE 2010 in Denver, please stop by the eInstruction booth and say hi!

 

My Calendar is growing!

June 7, 2010 Animationish, CPS Clickers, eInstruction Interwrite Workspace, Jing, Livescribe, Livescribe, Lumens DC265 Ladibug document camera, Mobi, Presentations, Technology, Training One comment

Just a quick update to share how excited I am at all the invites I am getting to present, give hands-on workshops, and also to train on the technology I am using to teach my math classes!

I added my speaking/teaching/training events to a calendar on the right side of the page.  Check it out!

Just today I  set the date with the administration of my college to train them on how to use the Livescribe Pulse smartpen!  I better get some of the pens that just arrived ready to use!

 

CPS Pulse clickers and Workspace – great for immediate feedback!

May 24, 2010 CPS Clickers, eInstruction Interwrite Workspace, feedback, Mathcast, Mobi, Student participation, Technology One comment

I spent some time today playing with my eInstruction CPS Pulse (clickers) and the Mobi software called Workspace.   I wanted to create a short “how to” video on getting immediate feedback from your students while teaching a class.    One of the best features is that you don’t have to design the questions ahead of time!  In this video I will show you how to ask any question during class, get immediate feedback of your class as a whole, and then be able to look at more detailed feedback from individual students  at a later time.  You can do this at any point during the class, even when the students are asking questions about the homework!

here is a link to the YouTube video

 

Maricopa Tech 2010 conference

May 19, 2010 Conferences, eInstruction Interwrite Workspace, Livescribe, Livescribe, Mobi, Presentations One comment

I had the pleasure of spending yesterday with my colleagues from the Maricopa Community College District at our annual technology conference.   I gave a presentation with another math instructor on how to incorporate technology into our Hybrid courses to enhance the teaching and learning of mathematics.   Donna’s introduced the presentation by describing Hybrid models, and gave details on the model she uses at SCC. She then introduced the Livescribe Pulse smartpen, and showed some sample online lessons she has created for her students.

When it was my turn, my main focus was on using technology both during in-class instruction and outside of class to help the students.   I also included theLivescribe Pulse smartpen in my part of the presentation, along with the  eInstruction Mobi and Workspace software.

If you missed it, my presentation was shown on an earlier post.  Here is a link to it

I sat at a table with many of my tech friends.  As we looked around we realized we probably had more tech toys at our table than the rest of the room put together!  One of them took a pic of SOME of the toys we had:

The really funny thing was there were more cell phones in the pile than people at the table!     I’m looking forward to hanging out with my tech friends and colleauges again soon!

 

Welcome to the NEW domain for Tech4MathEd!

May 10, 2010 Camtasia, eInstruction Interwrite Workspace, Flash, Flash, Jing, Livescribe, Livescribe, Mathcast, Prezi, Software One comment

Welcome to my new “home”

I gave in…I became aware today of the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org

I was using the FREE WordPress.com, but was not able to embed any of the flash based files I wanted to.   So I took the plunge over to WordPress.org and got my own domain for a WordPress blog so NOW I can embed Flash!

I am still trying to decide on a theme, because the theme I was using there isn’t available here.   I also need to straighten up some of the blog postings that got messed up in the transfer, but I WAS able to go ahead and embed EVERY file I had wanted to earlier, including:   Livescribe pencasts, YouTube videos, Prezi presentations, Jing and Camtasia videos!   Deep sigh of relief!  I hope you will join me on the new site for my blog!   I could use some suggestions on the theme, too 🙂

Sue Glascoe

~following my North Star!

 

Creating a Prezi for teaching Hybrid Math classes

May 9, 2010 Presentations, Prezi Comments Off on Creating a Prezi for teaching Hybrid Math classes

I started using Prezi about a week or so ago, and this is my first attempt at creating a presentation with it. I LOVE the fact that is so non-linear!  Normally, being in math, I like things very linear.  However, a friend of mine has been using Prezi for her math presentations and they are really fun.     She uses a lot of fun artwork in hers as well.  I hope to do that with my next one.  I have a live-in artist (my son), who has already been hired to illustrate a children’s book at age 13!

In about 10 days I am presenting with a colleague of mine on teaching Hybrid Math classes at the community college level.   She and I are both avid  users of the Livescribe Pulse smartpen to help our students outside of class, so we thought we would present together.

If you get a chance, take a look at my presentation (knowing I will be talking through it – so there is no sound) and If you have any suggestions please let me know!  Thanks!

MaricopaTechPresentation on Prezi

I finally had to get my OWN domain so I could embed flash into WordPress!

 

Teaching with the Mobi

May 6, 2010 Bio, eInstruction Interwrite Workspace, Mobi, Student participation One comment

Here is a video of me teaching with the Mobi (recorded by my students)

Here is a link if you want to see it IN YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_ftSlZ-UVA

I recorded this as part of the interview process for becoming a Certified National Instructor for eInstructor.  I was accepted into the program and the training is in MD next week!  I can’t wait to learn even more about all their products and how to use them to enhance my own classroom and online experiences for my students!

 

Learning to use Camtasia (by TechSmith) – a great way to record my desktop!

May 4, 2010 Camtasia, eInstruction Interwrite Workspace, Helping students, Mathcast, Software 2 comments

I just downloaded Camtasia for both Mac and Windows.  I happened to be on my Mac when a student emailed me with a homework question, so I thought I would respond and try out Camtasia for Mac at the same time!   Here is the result.

I still need to learn to edit the video and add cool comments and arrows and all the other great stuff I “know” Camtasia can do.   But I am willing to go ahead and share my very first screencast with you to show you how easy it is to get started!

Here is the link:   http://www.screencast.com/t/MjQzMTA5ZGQt

I finally have my OWN domain so that now I CAN embed Flash!  * added May 10,2010

 

One of the best FREE tech tools – Jing

April 26, 2010 Jing, Mathcast, Software Comments Off on One of the best FREE tech tools – Jing

* I used Jing to crop out a graphic from their website!


Yesterday I finished grading a test that the students did poorly on.   I wanted to show the students that the questions were ALL really covered both in class and on the homework, so I went about making a key to the test using materials from both!  This is where Jing entered the picture…

Jing is an amazing FREE online application that you download to your computer for taking screen shots of part or all of your computer screen. It will also capture video with sound!   I use it all the time when students email me with questions from the homework.  I will open up their HW question on my computer, crop only the portion I want and write the answer on it (Jing allows you to annotate before saving your screen shot!) and then paste that back into my response email to them.  I can even record my voice and send them a link to the recording that has me working out the problem!  Back to the test key…

Well, I was so discouraged yesterday after grading their tests that I

1) scanned in my test key and made a PDF

2) opened up the online homework assignments from that chapter (I use course compass)

3)  opened up ALL the daily in-class lessons from that chapter.   I was able to save every example I did in class because I teach my courses with an eInstruction Mobi, and use their Interwrite Workspace software, which allows me to save my entire lesson for each class!

4) I then proceeded to crop each test question and place them onto a blank document, followed by my written solution, and then followed by EVERY related question cropped out of the homework, in-class lessons and also any online examples that I created.

I don’t think my students will question that every single question on the test was both taught in class and assigned in the homework now!   It at least made ME feel better!

Here is one question from the test key:

The five page test became a twenty-three page online answer key, thanks to Jing!

To download your free copy of Jing, go to http://www.jingproject.com/

I do pay the $15 a year for JingPro, since it lets me record as an .mp4 file and it gets rid of the logo when you record.   Worth every penny!  Especially the free version 🙂

 
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