Classroom Management Platform

Transcription

1 SmartClass+ Classroom Management Platform Any-Time Any-Place Any-Device ipads Androids Windows PCs Macs Smart phones BYOD

2 The 21 st Century Digital Classroom Technology in the Classroom Fifty years ago, teachers could walk into almost any classroom in the world and find their familiar chalk & blackboard teaching tools, and maybe even an overhead projector. By the end of the 20 th century, with computer technology and Internet connectivity widely available, blackboards gave way to smart boards that enabled teachers to display and interact with computer images shared from their computer via a digital projector. Modern classrooms reflect not only the continuing advances in technology, but also the migration of technology into the hands of the student. Twenty-first century educators are embracing a student-centric approach to learning. From a technology perspective, today s students may have personal laptops, notebooks, tablets, ipads, or even smart phones as part of their arsenal of learning tools. Students can connect to the Internet via wireless networks, and in a growing number of situations, schools have even embraced the concept of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). Managing the Learning Process Certainly, the teacher s role has shifted from one of being the sage-on-the-stage to the more challenging guide-at-the-side. But how exactly do today s teachers guide their tech-savvy, computer-toting students through the learning process? How do the teachers orchestrate learning activities that harness the benefits of studentcentric technology? How do teachers prevent the technology in the students hands from becoming an impediment to successful learning? Managing the Technology Progressive schools are using classroom management platforms like SmartClass+ to help teachers manage their classes and keep their students focused on the learning process. SmartClass+ enables teachers to share their computer screen and sound (or that of a model student) with the class for presentations. Teachers can also monitor student screens and audio, and can launch programs, web sites, or other utilities on all student stations. Additionally, SmartClass+ has an available selfstudy module that enables teachers to build multimedia exercises that students can execute in class or outside of class. The SmartClass+ HomeWork module even lets students work on assignments from home, and lets teachers review and grade assignments from home

3 Any-Time Any-Place Any-Device Fixed Learning Labs Portable Learning Labs SmartClass+ Classroom Management Platform Classroom-Based Self-Study Internet-Based Self-Study Any-Time, Any-Place Learning One obvious way of increasing student proficiency is to give students the opportunity to access study materials whenever and wherever they have available time. Philosophically, this means being able to treat any environment as a de facto learning space. SmartClass+ works with: Fixed learning labs, Portable learning labs (mobile carts) Self-study classrooms, Other school areas (offices, dorm rooms) Internet-based home study, Etc. (anytime, anywhere) Any-Device Learning Another way of ensuring that students are given every opportunity to improve their knowledge and skills is by providing access to all learning materials from any device. SmartClass+ works with: Windows PCs and MACs, Laptops and netbooks, ipads, Android, and Windows 8 tablets, Smart phones, BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) scenarios, Wired networks (LANs), Wireless networks (WLANs), and The Internet.

4 The SmartClass+ Advantage Innovative Design Robotel has been working with schools and with teachers for more than 25 years. With SmartClass+, we have used our experience and our technical expertise to define a platform that is refreshingly unique. In fact, the SmartClass+ platform recently won a Gold Award at the ITEX 2013 Invention, Innovation, & Technology conference for outstanding achievement in the Education category. Intuitive & Easy-to-Use SmartClass+ is easy for all teachers to use even those who are not fully tech-savvy. This simplicity is achieved by: Using clear, precise on-screen language, Displaying minimalistic uncluttered controls, Providing step-by-step teacher guidance, Eliminating complex marginal features, Integrating simple exercise templates, and Automating routine tasks (like student response collection). Modular, Scalable, & Integrated Modularity and integration may seem like diametric opposites, but in fact they are both key to an effective classroom management platform. Modularity: SmartClass+ comprises separate modules for managing activities in fixed labs & portable labs, for managing self-study activities in study classrooms, and for managing Internetbased self-study environments. Scalability: The combination of modularity and scalability (10 students to 25,000+ students) allows the system to be optimally and economically configured for K-12 schools, for colleges, for universities, and for adulteducation. Integration: Unlike other systems, SmartClass+ employs a single shared central media library (of lessons and student responses) that is integrated with all system modules. This means that students and teachers have consistent access to all of their work, whether they are in a classroom, in a study hall, or working from home. For example, teachers can directly review and grade student classwork from home via remote Internet-based access.

5 Powerful Learning Activities Live Activities Also known as synchronous activities, these involve multiple participants (teacher and students) interacting in real time. SmartClass+ live activities are managed from a user interface called the Live Activities Dashboard (or LAD), and include: Presentations (teacher or model student) Monitoring (multiple or single stations) Pairing (Groups of 2, 3, or 4) Live Testing (e.g. respond to questions) Launch Media Exercises (e.g. multiple-choice) Making Presentations Blank Screens: Blank student screens and lock all keyboards and mice to focus student attention during oral presentations. T T T Media Activities Also known as asynchronous activities or selfstudy activities, these comprise interactive, selfcontained, computer-based exercises that students are able to complete on their own. SmartClass+ media activities are managed from a user interface called the Media Activities Dashboard (or MAD), and include: Open text Question & answer Multiple choice Fill-in-the-blanks Listening/Viewing Monitoring Students Monitor: Monitor individual student screens and sound to provide one-on-one help to students having issues. S2 T T S2 T Broadcast: Send the instructor s screen and sound to the class for teacher presentations. T T T Model: Send any student s screen and sound to the class for student presentations. S1 T S1 T S1 T Remote Control: Take remote control of any student station using your keyboard and mouse to demonstrate an idea or a solution. S1 T S1 T T Mosaic: Monitor all students concurrently to proactively ensure that everyone stays on topic. Pairing/Partnering Partnering: Organize students into pairs or small groups for collaboration or role-playing activities using random or teacher-selected partners. T 1 T 1 T

6 Live Activities Dashboard (LAD) Teacher Workstation The Live Activities Dashboard, (shown above), runs on the teacher s workstation. It can be displayed in a window on single-screen teacher stations, or it can be displayed full-screen on dual-screen teacher stations Student Workstations Live Activities Dashboard Student workstation icons are displayed with student names immediately below. Icons do not appear until the student logs in at his station. Teachers are able to position student icons to match the actual layout of the classroom and create a seating template. This provides a simple, clear, on-screen model of the class for teachers. Differential Teaching The class can be partitioned into multiple sections, (up to 5), and different activities can be run concurrently in each colored section. Student jerseys reflect membership with a specific color section, (e.g. advanced learners). Workstation Management Teachers are equipped with a number of utilities for managing student workstations: Power-on student computers Power-off student computers Reboot student computers Launch an application on student computers Block access to other applications

7 Media Activities Dashboard (MAD) Courses & Classes Self-study materials are organized first by teacher, and then by course, and finally by class. The image at right shows a teacher s English 101A class with assigned media exercises on the left and students on the right. Media Files Media files include video clips, audio clips, images, and text documents; (WAV, MP3, WMA, MPG, MP4, FLV, JPG, and PNG). Teachers can add new media files by: Importing existing digital files Digitizing new materials Copying files from a colleague s class Exercises The MAD includes exercise templates for: Open text Question & answer Multiple choice Fill-in-the-blanks Listening/Viewing Media files are transformed into exercises using the Exercise Wizard, which guides teachers through the process in a simple stepby-step fashion. Review, Grading & Feedback Multiple-choice and Fill-in-the-blanks exercises are automatically reviewed and graded by the MAD software. Teachers can review student responses to all exercise types, add or modify grading, and leave written and/or oral feedback. MAD Teacher s English 101A Class Home Page MAD Question & Answer Exercise MAD Fill-in-the-Blanks Exercise MAD Multiple-Choice Exercise

8 SmartClass+ System Modules SmartClass+ Computer Lab This is the main software module used for both fixed and portable computer labs. It includes support for Live Activities (LAD) and Media Activities (MAD). MAD support for Media Activities can also be extended to self-study classrooms connected to the school s local area network. The SmartClass+ Computer Lab module is 100% software-based, and includes software-based audio intercom and screen-sharing modules. The intercom system uses high-fidelity audio sampling and delivers excellent sound quality with minimal network bandwidth. The screen-sharing system uses an intelligent compression algorithm that optimizes screen reproduction and screen refresh for LAN and WLAN environments. SmartClass+ HomeWork The HomeWork module extends access to MAD self-study activities outside of the school by providing Internet-based access to language materials for students and for teachers. Robotel is represented by: EBI Electronics, Inc. 621 Lincoln Street Seekonk, MA sales@ebisys.com Hardware VS Software For most educational applications, softwarebased audio and screen-sharing modules provide the most cost-effective and flexible solution. However, there are certain applications that require higher performance than can be achieved with a pure software solution. SmartClass+ uniquely offers both software and hardware options for such clients. Hardwarebased systems use dedicated switching modules and cabling to offload high-bandwidth data from the school s data network. Transparent to computer operating systems Transparent to all application software Works with virtually all computer types Optional Hardware Screen-Sharing: In applications like Computer Aided Design, where students are running very high-resolution fullscreen graphics often with 3D shading the available hardware-based screen sharing module provides uncompressed image quality with a full color palette. Single-Link DVI-D or VGA screen connection Adapters for Display Port and HDMI Resolution up to 1920 x 60 Hz Single screen & Dual screen variations USB keyboard/mouse connections Optional Hardware Intercom: For applications like Language Learning, where sound quality is paramount, the hardware-based intercom module provides pristine sound quality and eliminates the slight sound delay associated with software-based intercom communication rue Delaunay Laval (Québec) CANADA H7L 5A4 Toll Free (North America): (800) Telephone: +1 (450) Facsimile : +1 (450) sales@robotel.com Printed in Canada SmartClass and Robotel are registered trademarks of Robotel Inc.