eARNING TRICK: interactive whiteboards

Let's face it, as wonderful as interactive whiteboards are in the classroom, with shrinking school budgets it is getting harder and harder to install these tools in each and every classroom. But with the range of students in classrooms with various learning styles having access to an interactive whiteboard to craft lessons can be advantageous to teachers trying to meet the needs of all students. With this in mind, I was really excited to try out the recently released solution from <a href="http://ipevo.com/" target="_blank">IPEVO</a>, the IPEVO Interactive Whiteboard System. The IPEVO Interactive Whiteboard System is a cost effective way to turn any whiteboard or flat surface into and interactive whiteboard. The IPEVO Interactive Whiteboard System works with both Windows and Macintosh computers and the system is comprised of a small camera, stylus and supplied Annotator software. Teacher will need to <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4dCK5ARS2J57whinoWLerSA2YMrzuk7PowpmSz186rqyd6N3L9XSXfTWXbs2e7gXLEsRfn5fwrWymZOTtO-XwhAgA1JDm2tKjGPo-FjmIODw4PRwIE3ncS0zgkKeTQbG_3djYDOtrJg/s1600/ipevoiwb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4dCK5ARS2J57whinoWLerSA2YMrzuk7PowpmSz186rqyd6N3L9XSXfTWXbs2e7gXLEsRfn5fwrWymZOTtO-XwhAgA1JDm2tKjGPo-FjmIODw4PRwIE3ncS0zgkKeTQbG_3djYDOtrJg/s1600/ipevoiwb.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> IPEVO Interactive Whiteboard System</td></tr></tbody></table>also have access to a LCD projector for the classroom to use this solution. Setting up my computer to use the IPEVO Interactive Whiteboard System was straight forward and easy to accomplish. First, I installed the Annotator software and drivers from the CD, then plugged in the camera to my computer and calibrated the system with the stylus and in less then 5 minutes I was up and running. While I had a chance to use it on a whiteboard which was fantastic, I recently used it in another classroom at the college which only had a traditional blackboard which worked just as well. In any case you are going to want to use this solution on a surface that is flat and smooth for best results.  The Annotator software gives teachers the ability to use the stylus as a mouse to control any computer application on the computer with complete control to mark up the computer screen using a number of different annotation tools. Teachers can select from lines, squares, and circles to mark up the screen. I found the software to be intuitive to use and changing color of the ink and the width of the stroke was straight forward. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4E7hNMDt_97YYmRCJAQ0gEztU6K9oxl4-TADFtOJEtzXDFp-lWLPTNGdgYf0rOF8MzjDq1WU8gxzBT9TvHLL1_qOllst5Hg-d_-XPWwhZrJGjkWYwhfu3xEx6xWmA67Z7SlYlPxmiXg/s1600/ipevocontrols.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4E7hNMDt_97YYmRCJAQ0gEztU6K9oxl4-TADFtOJEtzXDFp-lWLPTNGdgYf0rOF8MzjDq1WU8gxzBT9TvHLL1_qOllst5Hg-d_-XPWwhZrJGjkWYwhfu3xEx6xWmA67Z7SlYlPxmiXg/s320/ipevocontrols.png" width="84" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Annotator App</td></tr></tbody></table>The IPEVO Interactive Whiteboard System was very responsive to the stylus and worked as a mouse even when the targets were small. The Annotator software also integrates with any of the IPEVO document cameras, adding more functionality to the system and giving teachers a way to bring in images to your computer that can be marked up. The folks at IPEVO do understand classrooms and realize that in some instances small children will have a hard time using the smaller stylus and includes an extension that attaches to the stylus giving students the opportunity to use the interactive system. Teachers can also access the Web and use the in-screen keyboard for inputting text as well as using the Screen clipping tool to add screen captures to the IPEVO notebook. As if this wasn't enough, the IPEVO Interactive Whiteboard System lets teachers bring up a virtual notebook that they can write on and bring in graphics from captured screen clippings or from your hard drive. Teachers can create multiple pages in the notebook and go back and forth within the notebook to review the material. I can only imagine where IPEVO will take this product as it continues to add enhancements to the Annotator software.  The <a href="http://ipevo.com/" target="_blank">IPEVO </a>Interactive Whiteboard System works as advertised and gives teachers an inexpensive solution to utilize their computers and projectors as an interactive whiteboard in the classroom. If you are looking to create more interactive lessons and you are on a tight budget then you have to take a look at the IPEVO Interactive Whiteboard System. If you are using the IPEVO Interactive Whiteboard System I welcome your comments.

IPEVO Interactive Whiteboard System- Simply Affordable!

Let's face it, as wonderful as interactive whiteboards are in the classroom, with shrinking school budgets it is getting harder and hard...