Updated Link to Workspace 8.0 Training Videos on Website

We've updated our website link to the new Workspace 8.0 training videos on eInstruction's website. While you're there, be sure and download the short quick-step guides that are available.

Here are the Workspace 8.0 video modules that are available:

Module 1 - Getting Started with Workspace

• Setup Interwrite Board or Pad
• Setup Dualboard and Mobi
• Using Basic Tools to Create a Workspace Document
• Interactive Modes

Module 2 - Creating Interactive Content

• Advanced Toolbar
• Math Tools
• Create and Modify Pages
• Add Gallery Content

Module 3 - Engaging Content with Learners

• Using Tools to Engage Students and Content

Module 4 - Integrating Multimedia Resources

• Add Multimedia Resources
• Create and Manage Multimedia Resources

Module 5 - Using Workspace with Other Applications

• Create Hyperlinks and Setting the Browser
• Office Mode

Module 6 - eInstruction Product Suite Integration

• Import ExamView Files
• Integrating CPS, Response, and PRS Questions
• Using ExamView in Workspace with CPS or Response

Module 7 - Customizing Workspace


Take advantage of these great resources from eInstruction!

Great Math Website for Interactive Whiteboard or Tablet

I wanted to share this great math website with you that I was alerted to the other day.

This website (http://nrich.maths.org) is actually the home page of the NRICH Project, which started in 1996 and is based in both the University of Cambridge's Faculty of Education and the Centre for Mathematical Sciences.

On this website you will find thousands of our free mathematics enrichment materials (problems, articles and games) for teachers and students from ages 5 to 19 years. All the resources are designed to develop subject knowledge, problem-solving and mathematical thinking skills. New content is published to the site every month.

There are some great problem solving activities and interactive games which would work well with your interactive whiteboard or tablet. I can see many of these problems useful when using stations with students or allowing students to collaborate in groups and work the problem at the same time with several different Mobis connected.

Some of the great things that are free and available from their website are...

Curriculum mapping documents : rich tasks linked to process skills and content knowledge to help teachers with their planning

Games : a list of games that can be found on the site

Articles : a list of articles about mathematics (for learners and teachers) that can be found on the site

Interactive resources : a list of resources with the interactive whiteboard in mind

Maths finder : search for resources by topic

Packages : handy bundles of NRICH resources which you can either preview online or download for later offline use

Research and journal articles : articles we have written about the work we do

Other freebies : order postcards or download posters for display

Thesaurus : mathematical terms explained

Ask NRICH : mathematics discussion board - get help if you are stuck

Online professional development for primary teachers : materials to support school-based professional development

List of Kansas eInstruction Users Keeps Getting Longer!

We've gotten our Kansas users up on our website...K-12, universities, government, and other educational entities. The list is long and just keeps growing!

You can check out all of our Kansas and Nebraska users here! If we left you off the list, please drop us a line!

eInstruction CPS Clickers in Mesa Public Schools

Read this great article about Mesa Public Schools using eInstruction CPS in their schools. They have definitely made a commitment to implementing CPS in a big way in their schools. I have no doubt that they will see great gains because of it too!

Mesa Teachers Using Keypads to Teach Kids

Looking For a PDF to Word Converter?

I imagine I am not the only one in the world to feel the frustration of some great content in a PDF file that I am unable to edit or manipulate. Frustrated as I may be, I still refuse to pay the price tag to be able to edit PDF files; thus, my quest for a PDF to Word converter began.

Enter OCR Terminal (www.ocrterminal.com), a free (a requirement for much of my software) online (well, it's free, so I'll settle for online) service that allows you to convert scanned images and PDFs into editable and text searchable documents. It accurately (pretty much) preserves formatting and layout of documents too. You can download your convered documents in .doc, .txt, .rtf, or .xml formats.

This isn't a totally seamless process, because you do have to upload the file and wait for it to process, but if you are trying to get that PDF content into something you can actually manipulate, it is worth it. You are limited to 30 pages per day, but I think that definitely ought to cover the majority of people.

This might work great if you've got some great quiz questions in a PDF file that you'd like to actually import into your CPS software.

Easy Storage for CPS Clickers

We got a great picture and tip from our friend and eInstruction colleague in South Carolina, Bill McIntosh, this week. Bill sent us a picture of a calculator caddy full of clickers hanging on the wall. Although I have often thought that would be a good idea, the picture is definitely worth 1000 words!

These calculator storage charts are clicker storage at its best, especially in a classroom that uses clickers on a regular basis and doesn't have to share them. One glance and you can see if they are all there or is one is missing!

On our site, we've included the picture and a link to a source for your own calculator storage chart for less than $15! Many of these "calculator caddies" run up to $40 or $50, so you might want to take advantage of the good prices while you can. This particular kind also has 35 slots, so a 32-pad system will fit in there perfect. I think you even get a discount if you order two or more.

Check out the picture and link here!

If you have any useful storage or organization tips or any fantastic ideas for distributing clickers effectively, please share them with us. We'd love to include them on our site and share your ideas with others that are looking for solutions!

Enlighten, March 2009, Is Now Online

Check out these articles and more in our March issue of Enlighten...

• EInstruction IS ExamView
• Check Out the NETA Lineup
• Just Released...Teaching With Classroom Response Systems

Click here to browse back issues and sign up to receive Enlighten in your inbox every month.

Interactive Activities for March Holidays

Here are some fun interactive quizzes and activities you can use for St. Patrick's Day with your clickers, whiteboard or tablet!
St. Patrick's Day Quiz

All Things Irish Quiz

St. Patrick's Day Concentration Game (K-5th)

St. Patrick's Day at Vocabulary University (6th-12th)
This site has some great activities that you can print out or do as a class competition using your wireless tablet. Activities include Definition Match, St. Patrick's Day Story, Matching Activity, True and False Word Usage, and a Crossword Puzzle.

Vernal Equinox Quiz
This quiz does have some ads in the middle of it, so I would probably retype these questions into CPS, but this quiz does contain some interesting information that I think would make it worth taking the time to do that.

Don't forget to also check out our Spring activities on our website!