Ask Slashdot: Alternate Software For Use On Smartboards?

What advice can I offer? by grahamsaa · 2014-09-20 07:27 · Score: 2

To someone smarterthanme?

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Facts have a liberal bias.

Re:What advice can I offer? by webmistressrachel · 2014-09-20 07:45 · Score: 4, Insightful

Believe it or not, I sincerely believe that this introduction was his way of eating the humble pie, in advance - prostrating himself at our altar and asking for help. We should give him a break!

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This tagline was transcoded to result in at least one smirk. If you experience failure to smirk, please consult your Gen
Re:What advice can I offer? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-20 09:37 · Score: 5, Informative

I would like to offer an alternate explanation for why he is here.
As a user of the same hardware and software as the OP, I can tell you in the 10+ years I've been using them, teachers on a whole are NOT the right people to ask. There may be a forum where this is discussed and thoughtful input is shared, but I don't know it. Most of my coworkers in three separate school, both public and private generally barely use the hardware and software. Most use the Smartboard as a glorified projector screen, and those that do use it barely scratch the surface. I use it daily, have years of saved "notebook" files, and still feel I barely scratch the surface. Most of the comments I get from coworkers who have them in their rooms but only use the projector feature, claim they lack the time to explore on their own, and lack the training to do much, or even feel confident doing anything for fear of "breaking" something. This is in a large urban school district that on average has 15+ smartboard in each school, many have a SB in every teaching space, and in a medium sized private school that installed them in EVERY teaching space as soon as they went on sale. I have seen this trend continue for years. i have talked with administrators about the need for training over buying more hardware ad nausium. I suspect this is the case countrywide. So very "few" educators are pushing the boundaries and as such, there can only be a few actively asking for more on the "teacher" forums. But here, you smart folks talk about stuff like this all the time.
Re: What advice can I offer? by SmarterThanMe · 2014-09-20 13:09 · Score: 1

Actually, it's sort of my motto. I work with highly gifted kids who are typically "smarter than me".
Re:What advice can I offer? by SmarterThanMe · 2014-09-20 13:25 · Score: 3, Informative

Yeah, I've asked this on teacher forums. Got exactly the response you expected, despite the shortcomings. Teaching is an exceptionally parochial profession, and I, personally, don't like to be limited to doing things the way that they're usually done.
Re:What advice can I offer? by SmarterThanMe · 2014-09-20 13:50 · Score: 2

Yeah. That's more or less the problem. Most teachers don't use them any more than as glorified blackboard/video projector hybrids. There's very little training available. The schools that are trying to make better use of them set up "user groups", where the teachers who have a bit more ability with them are expected to pass on their skills and knowledge to their colleagues (and be, more or less, completely ignored).
I'm pretty much at the top of the game regarding the use of the standard software, but, as I've got better with it, the clunkiness has really started to grate on my nerves. I know that the things cost a few thousand each, and I want to be able to use them to their full potential.
Re:What advice can I offer? by dreamchaser · 2014-09-20 23:23 · Score: 3, Insightful

It's called 'Ask Slashdot' for a reason. What better group of people to ask than a group of geeks with diverse backgrounds? It's attitudes like yours that keep people from asking for help when they need it.
Re:What advice can I offer? by RussR42 · 2014-09-20 23:57 · Score: 1

claim they lack the time to explore on their own, and lack the training to do much, or even feel confident doing anything for fear of "breaking" something

Those who can do. Those who can't teach.
Re:What advice can I offer? by Fnord666 · 2014-09-21 02:22 · Score: 1

It's called 'Ask Slashdot' for a reason. What better group of people to ask than a group of geeks with diverse backgrounds? It's attitudes like yours that keep people from asking for help when they need it.
Wouldn't it be great then if Timothy would post it into the "Ask Slashdot" section?

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'The tyrant will always find pretext for his tyranny.' - Aesop's Fables
Re:What advice can I offer? by uniquegeek · 2014-09-21 03:56 · Score: 1

I work in IT in a school, and the biggest problem I find is that those who teach, can't (or won't?) be taught. Teachers really do make the worst students.
In our environment:
5-10% of teachers are able to take the vendor's training and apply it close to its full potential,
20% explore with some of the tools but tend to use the very simple tools (i.e. writing).
40% use the basic tools only and are blissfully ignorant of the rest
and 30% of them forget what button to press to do X, which is something they've been shown ten times - though they insist you've never shown them and it's your fault you're holding up the class because of the #%@!%#@! technology that "doesn't work".
The software actually has more features on here than people seem to indicate. The libraries of static images is nice, but there are non-static items such as counters, video, other flash gadgets. One of the coolest things is the 3d cube with the document camera - you can load up a sample such as the human heart - and when you hold the cube under the document camera the heart rotates as well. Great for inspecting and showing things that are 3D.
I see other complaints on here about lack or training materials - but that's plastered all over their site, as well as a community of other teachers who share their saved files of lessons and notes.
At our school, every couple years we also get a trainer to come in to do a two day session with a few of our teachers who are more tech-literate. They are then responsible for holding a training session with the other teachers during a PD day.
Re:What advice can I offer? by pspahn · 2014-09-21 06:50 · Score: 1

I'm guessing that some over sensitive teachers modded me down because they thought I was ripping on them. I'm not, simply making a statement that it is unfortunate that our education system is in a state where a teacher has to go to these lengths to find the answer they need. This should be a solved problem already.

Teaching is an exceptionally parochial profession, and I, personally, don't like to be limited to doing things the way that they're usually done.
I commend your effort to stick with it. Teaching (or rather, the political side of the teaching profession) doesn't really encourage maverickism.

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Someone flopped a steamer in the gene pool.
Re:What advice can I offer? by DoctorBonzo · 2014-09-22 01:18 · Score: 1

... or teach gym.

... or run for office.
Re:What advice can I offer? by RockDoctor · 2014-09-22 22:55 · Score: 1

I don't think you'd ask this on a teacher's forum
Do teachers have forums? Considering all the constraints that they face about the commercial confidentiality of their schools and their customers/ product/ victims (however they classify the kids), what would they be allowed to talk about?
It's been a few years since talked to (knowingly) a teacher, so I genuinely don't know. But you do see frequent enough news reports of teachers getting sacked for talking about the kids online that I'd expect them to treat the whole topic with a ten-foot bargepole.

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Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"

Game/Set/Match by DontScotty · 2014-09-20 07:27 · Score: 4, Informative

http://alternativeto.net/software/smart-notebook/

And, you can also use the question as a reading/research/teach Google excercise for your students, which would allow them input and to feel a sense of ownership in the Learning Process (tm).

Re:Game/Set/Match by webmistressrachel · 2014-09-20 07:56 · Score: 1

Agreed, game / set / match, and helping him use the advice you have given to teach the class as well, earns you extra points.
Even with points deducted for smugness...
You win 1 internets.

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This tagline was transcoded to result in at least one smirk. If you experience failure to smirk, please consult your Gen
Re:Game/Set/Match by webmistressrachel · 2014-09-25 23:35 · Score: 1

I only joked about being smug because of the game/set/match concept, I'm not that cruel, and yours really was a very constructive comment!

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This tagline was transcoded to result in at least one smirk. If you experience failure to smirk, please consult your Gen
Re:Game/Set/Match by DontScotty · 2014-09-26 11:10 · Score: 1

Thank you for letting me off the hook.
On re-reading my reply to yours, I was like - Um, that may have gone beyond the realm of asking for consent... deep into Snark-Land (tm)... (and double hella creepy)
Have a good weekend (if you choose to)
LOL

Honestly? by danknight48 · 2014-09-20 07:29 · Score: 1

Without naming this particular piece of software, and highlighting its shortfalls, has anyone got any suggestions on alternatives

What does the smartboard run, windows/linux/amiga os?
Is it a locked down custom embedded OS?
Whats the CPU/RAM/HDD specs of the smartboard?

Without any of this information, we (or i) cant assist you.

Gold Stars by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-20 07:30 · Score: 1

http://www.alfiekohn.org/parenting/tcags.htm

You really need to offer the make/model of smartboard for your request to be acted upon, not gold stars.

"Smart" is a misnomer by KalvinB · 2014-09-20 07:45 · Score: 4, Interesting

A "smart" board is just a touch sensitive surface that is recognized by the computer as pretty much a standard mouse. It plugs in through USB. The only thing "smart" about it is that there are a few extra sensors on the board that identify which color "marker" you're using (simple IR sensors in the holders) and a calibration button.

It's no smarter than the touch surface on your tablet or phone.

It's pretty much the worst investment a school can make, but the alternatives somewhat require a resident nerd willing to put in the effort to assembly them. I'm checking the price on Alibaba for a 48" x 96" infrared overlay. If I can get it for $300 a less I'll buy it and see how it goes with my own set up at my house.

Frankly, a $100 document camera and a simple whiteboard are perfectly sufficient for 90% of what a "smart"board is used for.

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Work Safe Porn

Re:"Smart" is a misnomer by janoc · 2014-09-20 08:20 · Score: 1

If it is the SmartBoard, then these things are usually connected to a Windows PC that runs the software and feeds the image to the projector. Most people run PowerPoint slides on these ...
Otherwise it is either a resistive touch sensor + projector and a few sensors (RFID or even magnets) for the markers. The newer boards use a camera instead of the resistive system.
Re:"Smart" is a misnomer by SuricouRaven · 2014-09-20 18:10 · Score: 1

The Smarrtech ones are not simple IR sensors. I tried to duplicate their pens. IR cameras, yes - including a DSP processor. The patent outlines some of the maths involved in determining if pen or finger is poking at the board - the preprocessing part I can just about follow, but then it uses a neural network as a classifier.
I failed. I don't know how it identifies a pen from a finger - according to the patent it's on shape alone, but I tried both 3D printing and plaster-casting an exact replica without succeess, so I think there's another element I'm missing.
Re:"Smart" is a misnomer by fermion · 2014-09-21 15:01 · Score: 1

Honestly, Smartboards in modern use case is a scam. It is essentially a big mousepad. The reason that most people buy it is because they do not understand basic computer/physics/electronic stuff. I am serious here, some don't understand that they can project on a normal whiteboard. Now one can use a smartphone as a remote mouse to control whatever you want to better than the board.
About the only reason that the smartboard is useful is because administrators like teachers to stand in front of the class and pretend to teach. Although writing on a slate or ipad and having it show up on the board can be better, the teacher standing in front of the room is still seen as the old fashion as the better solution.
If I am honest, though the smartboard software is bloated, there are some things it does very well, although it is still better to not use the smartboard. There was a time when the board itself was interesting to kids, but now they all have smartphones.
So to answer the question, if there is not something in the software that you absolutely have to use, like the math symbols, then don't use it. Download mobile mouse or something like it to control the computer. There are many drawing apps that will allow you, or any student, to write. I have a slate.

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"She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black

Far too open question by tapi0 · 2014-09-20 07:47 · Score: 1

What make/model is the smartboard? A 'smartboard' is a name that can be applied to many a device with varying different capabilities, plus varying interfaces. Asking for software that will run with yours is difficult to answer without knowing what you have.

Use a wii remote control and Wiimote Whiteboard by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-20 07:58 · Score: 1

The wii remote connects via bluetooth to your laptop or desktop, the Wiimote Whiteboard
software uses the infrared camera on the wii remote to track an infrared light (pen that you are holding which has a momentary switch). It works surprisingly well and allows for drawing on projection screens, annotating projected power point slides, etc. I have no affiliation with any of these products, see Wiimote Whiteboard at http://www.smoothboard.net/wiimotewhiteboard/

Re:Use a wii remote control and Wiimote Whiteboard by pspahn · 2014-09-20 08:39 · Score: 1

Are the wii controllers still as clumsy as they were when they first came out? If they are, I can't imagine trying to actually use one to draw things on a wall from a distance.
Of course, I'm basing this on a recent experience with that Big Buck Hunter arcade game. It used to use the standard IR sensor at the muzzle like any shooting arcade game. Now it uses something that feels exactly like a wii controller and it's totally awkward and frustrating to play.

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Someone flopped a steamer in the gene pool.

Ditch the smartboard by ixtapa · 2014-09-20 07:59 · Score: 3, Informative

Teacher here. Smartboards are like Apple computers. If you want to do exactly what they want you to do, they are great. If you want to tinker (let alone be actually creative with technology), you are using the wrong device.

Last year I switched to a LCD projector coupled to a tablet (Surface Pro 2) displayed on a dry erase whiteboard. Despite the MS hate, OneNote on a tablet is an absolutely killer app. My instruction has been forever changed for the better. I now write on my tablet at my desk rather than writing at the board, allowing students to view the information unobstructed by my body. Each lesson is saved in OneNote, so if I ever want to recall an earlier idea for review, it's just a matter of pulling up that lesson. Just yesterday, I pulled up a Geometer's Sketchpad animation seamlessly during my lesson by simply switching tabs. I frequently pull up a TI emulator so I can live demo keystrokes for the kids. In future lessons, I will be pulling up some Mathematica workbooks I made. Interacting with worksheets as a class is so much easier when I can simply display a Word document, directing my students' attention to key phrases, augment diagrams, etc.

Finally, with software such as Camtasia Studio, you can even record each lesson and post them online for students' later use. See vimeo.com/hillercalculus for some Calculus lessons demonstrating the aforementioned functionality.

Ditch the SmartBoard. They are about as useful in a classroom as an iPad - maybe better than nothing, but there are far superior solutions out there.

Re:Ditch the smartboard by KingArthur10 · 2014-09-20 09:40 · Score: 1

I'm a OneNote convert myself. I find it useful to embed photos and audio directly into lecture notes, and you can synchronize audio with the notes and post them online easily. This allows students to reference not only the notes from within class, but the context of the notes from the audio spoken in class. You can also record video in OneNote and embed it within the notebooks.
I personally use a tablet (Samsung Ativ 500T) and screencast to a projector. If for some reason something is done on someone's pen/paper or the physical whiteboard, just take a quick photo and add it to the notebook. When the lecture is finished, it's automatically synchronized to a shared OneDrive notebook that the students can view in browser or via their own OneNote desktop, Android, iOS, or WP applications. The only big thing they need to fix is that viewing OneNote in the browser can cause hand-writing to not be perfectly aligned with photos, so it can make it annoying on my Linux box if I have too many photos in the page (the effect amplifies the further down the page you go).
I would be interested to see someone do a smartboard setup with OneNote, but I've not researched to see how well it works. Mostly, you just need cursor tracking and some way to know when contact has been made.

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I came, I saw, She conquered.
Re:Ditch the smartboard by KingArthur10 · 2014-09-20 11:23 · Score: 1

Try OneNote with the smartboard. It sounds like others have done it successfully: http://shc-edutech.hct.ac.ae/p...
http://blogs.office.com/2014/0...
http://emrefirat.edublogs.org/...
One problem that I have read is that OneNote's hand-writing recognition is not as good on smart boards as it is on a tablet (especially one with a Wacom pen), but it still works relatively well. Set OneNote to automatically index all handwriting, photos, and audio, and it can make it easy for students to search the notebooks if they are looking for a specific topic that was discussed. You insert your existing Word/Writer/othertextfile into the Notebook before class and have students go to the board to answer the questions, etc (my brain thinks from the Mathematics/Sciences, but if you have another subject, I'm sure you can still come up with novel ways to utilize the technology.

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I came, I saw, She conquered.
Re:Ditch the smartboard by bangular · 2014-09-20 12:58 · Score: 1

I hate our smart boards. They are so clunky the only think I use them for is to underline things I feel are most important. The overhead document camera is so much more effective. It also has the added bonus that my writing is much much much more legible.
Re:Ditch the smartboard by edremy · 2014-09-20 15:14 · Score: 4, Insightful

Don't diss the Surface Pro. Yes, it is *absolutely* a better solution. No, you can't replace it with an iPad- the iPad is like fingerpainting compared to the fine detail you get on a Surface. And why would you want to buy an additional Wacom tablet when the Surface uses a Wacom digitzer in the first place? You can write directly on the Surface rather than trying to master the blind writing skill you need with an external tablet. And if there's a tablet+pen interface better than OneNote on a Mac or Linux let me know, because I've yet to see it.
We've been buying more and more of them lately simply because they work so bloody well for this sort of task.
/Waiting for the "Troll" downmods I get everytime I mention that they are far nicer than most people realize.

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"Seven Deadly Sins? I thought it was a to-do list!"
Re:Ditch the smartboard by enderwig · 2014-09-21 02:42 · Score: 1

Add another vote for using a tablet! I use a Win8 tablet (Dell Venue 11 Pro 5130 BayTrail) with digitizer. I can write directly on PowerPoint without having my back to the classroom. The software and hardware for smartboards and other edutech peripherals like mobis are clunky and out of date. Game level editors are easier and more intuitive to use than the software that is provided.

I run my tablet through Air Parrot and Reflector running on an ancient desktop hooked up to the projector. This implements AirPlay (wireless mirroring) and allows me to unplug and walk through the class. Due to the Bay Trail CPU and the ancient desktop (AMD 3800+ X2), my framerate is pretty low (5-10 fps). It's good enough for PowerPoint, but I have to go to the desktop to run videos. If needed, I can use miniHDMI out and output directly to the projector through VGA/DVI/HDMI. I can even replace an ELMO since the tablet has cameras. I just place my tablet on a stand and switch to the camera app.

Tablets are SO much more versatile than a smartboard, and way easier to use.
Re:Ditch the smartboard by qpqp · 2014-09-21 21:05 · Score: 1

First, please check out what a Cintiq is.
I didn't know that the Surface has a built-in digitizer, but anyhow, a Cintiq will be better in any case, just because you can connect it to whatever you choose and have different choices of size, as well as run it with any program you'd like, be it OneNote or something entirely else.
Re:Ditch the smartboard by zukakog · 2014-09-28 12:03 · Score: 1

I still have my old Fujitsu Lifebook convertible 'tablet'. It's got a nice Wacom digitizer, so I can write with the precision needed for teaching math. I've used various brands of smart boards, and provided support for them. I'd take my tablet any day. The only thing I like about most smart boards is the short-throw projectors, which tend to work better in a well lit classroom than the ones mounted in the middle of the ceiling. I also hate being in front of the board, blocking my students' view.
I use OneNote, since all of my kids have access to it. Each class has a read-only notebook that can be accessed from my school-provided website. As I write, it's available to them online without any additional effort on my part or theirs. If a student is absent, they have easy access to the notes. I am _far_ from an MS fanboi, but I just haven't found an app that works better for what I need to do. I've seen a few teachers use OneNote with their smart boards in lieu of the software that came with the board.

Keeping it discreet by jones_supa · 2014-09-20 08:32 · Score: 4, Funny

Except the software that comes bundled with this particular brand of smartboard is ridiculously clunky. Without naming this particular piece of software, and highlighting its shortfalls

I have a particular plan which involves some unnamed hardware and software. I won't go into details, but let's just say that everything of it is implemented through some specific steps. It allows the users to leverage various possibilities. Maybe this could be the solution?

Regular boards are a lot smarter by CptJeanLuc · 2014-09-20 09:20 · Score: 1

Smart boards can be useful for businesses. The people who manage schools want the schools to have the same stuff as the businesses, so they end up investing in smart boards. Unfortunately, they are not all that useful in school.

Students quickly get tired of powerpoint slide shows (which is how smart boards would normally be used, run some type of slide show and draw circles and stuff as you go), and most presenters tend to overload slides with information - because they can, and because they are bad at organizing and prioritizing information. School is not about putting content before students, it is about students actually learning. Using a regular board is a great learning tool, because it forces the presenter to pace himself to a speed which students can follow. Plus you actually have to prioritize a bit.

Smart boards are usually a bad replacement for regular boards. Why? Because they add little value. I have not heard about any great smart board apps that are actually being used in class, it is all about the "possibilities" which never quite seem to actually happen in real life. But are there any disadvantages to smartboards? Yes, instead of a nice and big board which you can structure into segments and organize lots of content, you are now limited to this tiny little smart board. Plus you have to fire up the computer, and there are all sort of technological pitfalls.

The best type of board; an old style board for using with chalk. Extremely low tech, and as long as there is any tiny piece of chalk around, you have a functional setup. No PC to boot, no spending time getting the smart board set up - you just grab the chalk and start the lesson.

Re:Regular boards are a lot smarter by ray-auch · 2014-09-20 11:59 · Score: 1

Smart boards can be useful for businesses. The people who manage schools want the schools to have the same stuff as the businesses, so they end up investing in smart boards. Unfortunately, they are not all that useful in school.
It's funny, I've never, ever (in 20+yrs in IT including plenty of travel to client-sites) seen a smartboard used in business and only once seen one (possibly broken, never used) in a business at all. On the other hand I have seen loads and loads of them in schools.
In business it's always a flip chart and/or whiteboard, if you're lucky some pens that work, plus a projector - probably vga and lo-res only, but generally you think you are lucky if it actually works, projector screens are optional, frequently just a bit of wall, white if you are lucky. Only schools seem to have the $$$$ smartboards.
Re:Regular boards are a lot smarter by CptJeanLuc · 2014-09-20 20:23 · Score: 1

It's funny, I've never, ever (in 20+yrs in IT including plenty of travel to client-sites) seen a smartboard used in business and only once seen one (possibly broken, never used) in a business at all. On the other hand I have seen loads and loads of them in schools.
Good point, they are not as widespread as I projected they would be at this point (I've left business to do other things the last 4-5 years). Though in a business, it could actually be useful. Not so much for interactive apps, but for interactive presentations, and for note keeping. I've had countless meetings using whiteboards, and at some point "invented" (locally in my company) the technique of using the cell phone camera for taking pictures of the whiteboard. It was quite frustrating having to work with regular whiteboards, because in a previous job they had these fancy boards which you could just push a button and the board content would be printed to a sheet of paper. Which was absolutely brilliant.

genericized trademark. by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-20 09:24 · Score: 1

Unfortunately (unless this changed), they aren't multi-touch.

Multi-touch models have been available for a few years now.

Smartboard with Linux by Anonymous Coward · 2014-09-20 09:24 · Score: 5, Informative

I use a Smartboard in the classroom with Linux. The pens don't work, but I don't really care. It is basically just a touch screen for me. Here are a few tips.

-Our Smartboards were mounted by the custodian using angle iron. Alignment does not work. You will have to reposition the projector to align everything. Mock up the position of the projector and make sure that it has a versatile mount.

-Compiz works great with the Smartboard. All of the effects work, including writing with fire. You may need to get a faster graphics card though.

-Physics programs like Phun work great. Even flash games and Angry Birds work fine.
http://phun.en.softonic.com/

-DrGeo is similar to geometer's sketchpad, and works fine with the Smartboard. You can do all sorts of measurement with it. For instance, I use it to teach the difference between area and circumference.
http://www.drgeo.eu/ (installable through repositories)

-Cisco Packet Tracer works well with a Smartboard (if you teach networking).

-My Smartboard is not multitouch. Get a Wii remote and a light pen if you want to use it for that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s5EvhHy7eQ

-There are plenty of good handwriting recognition pieces of software for Linux, but Smartboards smudge and get dirty.

-Use Google Drive as a school (FERPA compliant) and organize assignments and student work into shared folders. Everything is at hand, instantly updated, and easily managed.

Conclusion: My Smartboard is a convienient novelty at times. I could work just fine without it.

InterLACE by coop247 · 2014-09-20 11:14 · Score: 3, Informative

It doesn't do handwriting recognition, but InterLACE (int.erlace.com) is awesome on a smartboard/projector, especially for comparing student ideas. You can overlay sketches from different students, really good for graphs and diagrams.

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//TODO: Insert catchy phrase

SMART? by SmarterThanMe · 2014-09-20 13:23 · Score: 1

Yep. *Like* that. :)

Hello Mr. SmarterThanMe! by SmarterThanMe · 2014-09-20 13:34 · Score: 1

Sure. Can you write something about the difference between descriptivism and prescriptivism? Cheers. :)

InterLACE by SmarterThanMe · 2014-09-20 13:39 · Score: 1

That's been suggested to me in another forum too. I'm taking a look. Cheers! If I had mod points...

genericized trademark. by SmarterThanMe · 2014-09-20 13:40 · Score: 1

Yeah. The 800 series are great. I've had a play with one at a colleague's school. They're still limited by the software used with them.

Google Chrome by SmarterThanMe · 2014-09-20 13:41 · Score: 1

You wouldn't believe the battle I had to fight to get Google Chrome installed on my classroom computer and the bank of laptops that I use with my students. If you can believe it, the preference was for IE9.

Have you got a particular extension in mind? I have looked...

The SMART Notebook software does that already. by j741 · 2014-09-20 16:29 · Score: 1

SMART Boards can be used with SMART Notebook (for Education) or SMART Meeting Pro (for business) software from the company that makes the SMART Boards, or they can be used with any software that can run on your computer; if you can control the software with a mouse, you can also control it with a SMART Board.

With both the SMART Notebook (for Education) and the SMART Meeting Pro (for business) software from the company that makes the SMART Boards, handwriting recognition is already included as a default feature. A quick internet search for 'handwriting recognition in SMART Notebook" will reveal many documents and many videos demonstrating this. The SMART Notebook software also supports templates and grids too, a quick internet search reveals many documents and many videos demonstrating this.

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- James

Re:The SMART Notebook software does that already. by SuricouRaven · 2014-09-20 18:15 · Score: 1

SMART boards are very nice hardware-wise, but their software is less than reliable. The service keeps stopping - we had to set up a login script that restarts it each session.

There's an app for that! by supercrisp · 2014-09-21 00:35 · Score: 1

I'm assuming the question is Windows specific, and I use MacOS and Ubuntu, and haven't really had to use Windows since Windows 3.... So I'll just be only marginally helpful and say/ask, "Aren't there a ton of apps out there that do that already?" I know on Mac there's lots of little doodads that pop up a ruler. And doesn't OneNote, and a lot of other stuff, do that handwriting recognition? I know it's baked-in on MacOS; isn't it on Windows too? And doesn't any app, really, have the ability to make a template when it has "Save as", or if the file-system can lock a file? I'd bet Windows even has an equivalent to the Mac stationery file-attribute. Me, I get by with TextEdit (rtf editor), Keynote (presentation), and a free app called Highlight that throws a transparent drawing layer over my screen. I know everyone's uses are different, but--just to be clear--can't most of your problems be solved with some screen mirroring and a regular app? The bonus then is that you can transport your stuff to machines that don't have that bloated piece of Smartboard excrement on them.

Thanks by jpellino · 2014-09-21 04:13 · Score: 1

I believe you've answered this in the spirit of the OP - this teacher came to a site that's well-versed in FOSS and asked a simple question. Mileage varied.

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"Win treats sysadmins better than users. Mac treats users better than sysadmins. Linux treats everyone like sysadmins."

I havn't been in a classroom in a loooong time... by ToddInSF · 2014-09-21 12:41 · Score: 1

How nice to see that teachers aren't skilled enough to do on their own what their students do every day -

Figure out how to use new software by going on-line to the appropriate sites and using search engines to answer questions.

This doesn't surprise me; most of the teachers I've had just plain sucked.

ClassFlow rocks! by tracer818 · 2014-09-21 13:17 · Score: 1

Have you looked into ClassFlow? It is a cloud-based presentation software geared toward classroom whiteboards. Some key features include: 1) Presentations are stored online, so you can access from work or home 2) Interacts with student devices including iPads, Nexxus tablets, laptops, etc for interactive features including polls, question/answer, and more. 3) It's FREE (for now) 4) It meets your requirements for handwriting recognition and and the ability to create templates. I've been using SmartNotebook and ActivInspire (from Promethean) for years, and I think ClassFlow blows them both away.

Ok. by kuzb · 2014-09-22 05:34 · Score: 1

What an arrogant start to a summary. People who need to go out of their way to seem smarter usually aren't.

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BeauHD. Worst editor since kdawson.

MyPaint and a tablet with a stylus by gr8dude · 2014-09-22 19:24 · Score: 1

I use MyPaint with my Lenovo X201 tablet, it supports touch and stylus input. The machine is connected to a regular projector and my students and I are very satisfied with this.

Here is an example of a discussion about hash functions in Python; it is a screencast where you can see me doing stuff in the terminal as well as sketching explanations on a blank canvas.

MyPaint is cross platform, it is designed for artists and painters, but I am happy with it as a teacher. I used to rely on OneNote in the past, but I've moved away from Windows quite a few years ago and never looked back.

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The saddest poem

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