Learning and Leading - November 2009

AVer Pen Cave dwellers carved pictures on the walls with a sharpened stone. To increase portability, clay tablets were developed around 8500 BC so writ- ings could be transported. Over the years, inks, wood-fiber paper, quill pens, and the printing press made communication easier. But even in the 20th century a device such as the AVer pen and AVerPlus software would have been considered science fiction. This pen is like an interactive white- board, but without the whiteboard, the installation, calibration, and align- ments required. The image can be projected on anything in a room, and pens can write on almost any surface. The AVerPlus software includes interactive tools, image capture, video recording capabilities, and a variety of activities. Each pen has a built-in answer selection keypad that acts as a group response system that displays poll results as graphs and tables. The pens use radio frequency and can operate within a 100-foot radius. A teacher’s pen can interact with up to six student pens simultaneously. COST: PPENSTAPK AVerPen Starter Pack ( 1 teacher + 4 student pens) $799.99. Up to 60 student pens can be registered to a single teacher pen. Bulk dis- counts available. MORE INFO: www.avermedia-usa.com/ presentation/ product_averpen.asp

Smart Table

Smart Technology’s Smart Table is much more than a whiteboard. It is a multitouch, multiuser, interactive learning center with customizable applications. The Smart Table Toolkit includes ready-made lessons that allow you to substitute your own images and content.

The multitouch technology allows up to eight children to work together. Some applications require the sophisticated response system. Other activities may not require a Smart Table but are enhanced by it. For example, though traditional plastic tangram pieces can be manipulated easily, moving the pieces electronically on the Smart Table is a phenomenon that fascinates and motivates children.