Still with design mode here!
In pupil mode when there is a shape, image or text on the page it can be moved. This is great for lots of reasons, but sometimes you might want to have some items to be locked to the screen - or even for it to do other things.
When you double click on an item on the page a small menu bar is opened allowing you to make it larger, smaller to bin it, or to duplicate it. However in design mode an extra option called ‘properties’ is available (a clipboard icon). When you select this option a new window is opened with the ‘appearance’ option selected. This screen lets you make your image see through, or flip it over (reflected). You can choose to have your image on the bottom, middle or top layer of the page. If it’s on the bottom then other images can be placed on top of it, or you can hide things behind it by placing it on the top layer.
To lock something to the screen, select the object and open the ‘properties’ window. Now go to the ‘position’ option and select ‘locked’. In design mode as a teacher you can still move the object around, but if you leave design mode, by clicking on the cog icon and deselecting design mode you will find that the image is now locked to the page.
The ‘action’ option in the properties window allows you to make images and shapes or text do certain things. Make sure you are in design mode first. Select what you want to do the action and then double click on it, opening the properties window, then select ‘actions’. The option showing will be ‘do nothing’. Click on this and a list of choices will appear. You can make the object play a sound, turn the page, go back a page, or even open a document or file (like a picture or video clip). Use the menu to explore and let me know if you run into any problems! Remember for the action to actually happen you must exit design mode.
Hope this of use
john
jdagger@whitecraig.elcschool.org.uk
I know that more and more schools across East Lothian are getting Interactive Whiteboards installed in their classrooms and I thought I would put down some ideas/tips that might make getting started easier. When we first got ours, we were unaware of the design mode feature located in the ‘teacher tools menu’ (the cog image). When you are in design mode you are able to do a lot more with the software. One feature that I have found useful is creating your own category browser in the resource library. This allows you to take images you use a lot and place them in one folder, or take images (of your class or of topic related images not in the software) and have them in folders ready for quick access. To create a new folder, first click on the ‘teacher tools’ icon (the cog) and select ‘design mode’. Next click on the ‘resource library’ icon (the open book). You then need to click on the ‘categories’ icon (the up/down arrow icon at the bottom of the screen). This will open the categories browser window and it will be showing ’shared collections’. If there are imaged you are wanting to use from here, drag them up on to the screen now. If you wish to take image from another source then copy and paste them or use the camera tool to take pictures of them and import them to the page you are working on. Once you have the images you want in your collection on the flipchart page you need to create a folder for them to go into. Open the ‘category browser’ again and this time click on the ‘my collections’ icon (the single person image). You will see a folder titled ‘my collections’ and it will be empty. To create a new folder click on the ‘new folder’ icon (the folder with the plus sign) and name it. Click on your newly named folder. Now it’s just a case of dragging each image onto the yellow bar at the bottom of the page. You will be asked to name each image as you put it in the bar. If you wish you can have folders within folders, it’s just a case of clicking on the folder and choosing new folder.
I hope this makes some sort of sense!! If it doesn’t and you would like help please feel free to e-mail me
jdagger@whitecraig.elcschool.org.uk
or if you have any other questions regarding ActivePrimary2 please let me know and I will see if I can help.
I had a great time today. It was so good to see so many schools celebrating their achievements and sharing their ideas. I was up on stage at the beginning with 4 children from my P2/3 class of last session. We were showing some of the flipcharts that we use on a day to day basis, such as our registration sign in chart. We also showed a language and a maths flipchart. The children in the audience were especially eager afterwards to come and have a go and the Activotes were particularly popular! It was really pleasing to see just how quickly children from schools who have never used the technology before were able to master the software, and have fun! The boards and ActivPrimary software really do encourage the children to relate to each other and manage themselves. They are more independent in their learning and are able to achieve success in different areas of activity making them much more confident individuals. The 4 children I took with me certainly conveyed this - and were stars - Thanks guys!
Myself, Kathy Elliott and our DHT Mark Melville set out in high spirits on Wednesday to SETT in Glasgow with 2 of our P3 children. I have never been to SETT before and was feeling quite nervous about standing up and talking in front of a crowd. However once we got into the SECC and saw where we would be presenting I felt much better. It was a nice friendly atmosphere and I saw quite a few familiar faces amongst the crowds. Our presentation was about how Kathy and I have been using the ActivPrimary software on out Interactive Whiteboards in class. The 2 children we had with us were the stars of the show - demonstrating how each of the flipcharts or games worked. We just had to do the talking! Unbeknownst to Kathy and myself the Minister for Education, Peter Peacock had been sitting in on our presentation and got up on the stage with us and gave us an award. Our picture is already on the Promethean Planet website!
Found out today that myself and P1/2 colleague Kathy Conway are going to be demonstrating how to use the Promethean Interactive Whiteboards at the LTS stage at SETT in Glasgow this September. We aim to show some of our materials covering, maths, language and other areas of the curriculum. We also plan on using the ActiVotes. Children from our school will be coming along to talk about their own experiences with the boards and software and will be demonstrating their skills too! So if you are at the SCCC on the 20th (1.15pm) or 21st (2.15pm) of September pop along and see us.
