New Location for This Blog

I've been wondering for months why no one seems to be checking or commenting on my blog entries. Now that I've been re-assigned from S-E to Downsville and Walton, I've found out why. It appears that Blogger is blocked by most of the filters in our component districts. To remedy this situation I've begun a new blog on the DCMO BOCES web site, which, hopefully is not blocked.

So if you are visiting this blog as a result of attending one of my summer SMARTBoard workshops, click the heading for this blog entry or point your browser to the following address.

http://www.dcmoboces.com/webpages/trutan

SMARTBoard Software Updates

If you've been off for the summer, you most likely will notice that your SMARTBoard software will notify you that there is an updated version of the SMART Notebook and SMARTBoard Driver software for you to download.

I've noticed a few things in the update that you should be aware of.

1. The "Essentials for Educators" gallery now has a new name, it is now simply called the "Gallery Essentials"

2. The "Lesson Activity Toolkit" gallery has been upgraded to 2.0

3. Some of the icons in the floating toolbar have changed, the pen tools now show a line behind the pen icons indicating the color of the pen and there is no longer a pop-out menu for each pen to indicate which color you want to choose, instead there is a "cog" icon you can click which pulls up a window showing the properties panel that you now use to choose the properties for the pen.

Summer and Fall '09 SMARTBoard Training Sessions

Here are the dates for SMARTBoard training sessions for the summer and fall of 2009
All the following training sessions are single day workshops from 8:30 - 3:00 and will be held at the Support Services Center at the Norwich BOCES Campus.

SMARTBoard Level 1 - an introduction to using the SMARTBoard and the SMART Notebook Software
July 13, 27, 28
August 10, 11
September 21
October 6

SMARTBoard Level 2 - more features of the SMART Notebook software, including techniques for making your own interactive lessons.
July 29, 30
August 12, 13
October 5

We will also be offering the following SMARTBoard workshops for the major curriculum areas. These workshops will be primarily "make & take" sessions in which participants will create lessons and share them with the class.
SMARTBoards in the Math Classroom (w/ Nan Gizowski) September 25
SMARTBoards in the ELA Classroom (w/ Lori Ostrander) November 3
SMARTBoards for LOTE December 4
SMARTBoards for Science December 15
SMARTBoards for Social Studies December 18

Spelling and Vocabulary Games for SMARTBoard

The Merriam Webster people have a super web site with lots of interactive learning activities (a.k.a. games) that work GREAT with a SMARTboard.
Check it out at
http://www.wordcentral.com/games.html

Great Site for Math Teachers Using SMARTBoards

Check out http://www.mathvids.com/
for math videos created using SMARTboards

If anyone finds this useful, please leave a comment!!!
-Todd

Neat Site

Here's a link to a page from the Oswego City School District that allows you to create your own online interactive activities. These are great for use with a SMARTBoard as well. Be sure you read the directions carefully because it's not always obvious how to set up and use these activities.

I'd be glad to hear from anyone who finds this site useful!

http://www.oswego.org/staff/cchamber/techno/games.htm

Planning for Summer 2009

It looks as if this coming summer will be another "Summer of SMARTBoard Training". This summer we will be scheduling both level 1 and level 2 training sessions, then in the fall we'll look at offering more training sessions focused on specific curriculum areas.

I'm also wondering if people would be interested in forming a "SMARTBoard Users' Group". A group like this would meet 3 or 4 times a year as a way to share ideas and techniques. If you or anyone in your district would be interested in joining this group, drop me an email.

More SMARTBoard Training Sessions

Here is the list of SMARTBoard training sessions we have scheduled for the winter/spring semester.
These trainings are very popular so you will want to sign up early!
SMARTBoards in the Family & Consumer Science Classroom - January 13, 2009

SMARTBoards in the Foreign Language Classroom - January 15, 2009

Level 1 Training for SMARTBoard Users, an Introduction - January 16, 2009 or February 10, 2009 or March 13, 2009

Level 2 Training for SMARTBoard Users, Creating Interactive Lessons - January 30, 2009 or February 24, 2009 or March 25, 2009 or April 24, 2009

All these training sessions will take place from 8:30 - 3:30 at the BOCES Support Services Building in Norwich.

Follow-up SMARTBoard Training Sessions

We have scheduled a number of SMARTBoard workshops for the fall that you may be interested in. Each of these workshops has been designed as a follow-up to the introductory training. As you will notice by the workshop titles, each one is geared toward a specific curriculum.
All of the following workshops will be held at the Norwich BOCES campus and run from
8:30 am - 3:30 pm.

SMARTBoards for Soc. St. - Nov. 6
SMARTBoards for Science - Nov. 7
SMARTBoards for ELA - Nov. 18
SMARTBoards for Math - Nov. 20
SMARTBoards for Phys. Ed. - Dec. 2
SMARTBoards for Music - Dec. 6

We will be scheduling more curriculum specific SMARTBoard workshops in the Spring for Foreign Languages and Home and Carrers, as well as some "Level 2" sessions for those who have had the introductory training and want to learn more about creating interactive lessons with the Notebook program.

SMARTNotebook 10 Update

Since the end of the summer training sessions, SMART has released an update to the NoteBook 10 software. If you installed the original version then you should be getting a notification from the SMARTNotebook updater program that the update is available. If not you can still visit the SMARTTech web site to download the most recent version.

By the way, I'm still looking for people who are willing to be contributers to this blog. Just send me an email and I'll make sure you are put on the contributers list.