newsletter
June 2008
NEWS AND RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS USING SMART PRODUCTS
SMART at NECC
I N T H I S I SS U E
Nancy’s Notes ........................................... 1
Classroom Content . ..............................2–5
News .....................................................2–4
Feature Article........................................... 4
SMART Showcase School Profile................ 5
Product Spotlight . .................................6–7
Subscribe to the newsletter ...................... 8
A n ote f r o m the e d ito r
Welcome to the June issue of
EDCompass™ newsletter!
The 29th annual National Educational
Computing Conference (NECC) is just
days away, and this issue of the newsletter
is your one-stop shop for all the information
you’ll need to navigate your way around our
booth. On page 3, find a schedule of our
stage presentations, workshops, learning
opportunities and daily prize giveaways.
This issue also highlights our new student
edition of SMART Notebook software, so be
among the first to find out how it can help
your students organize their notes and work
on digital assignments. If you or any of your
colleagues plan to attend NECC, stop by for a
one-on-one demo.
As always, if you have any comments about
the newsletter or any of the information
featured in this issue, we’d love to hear
from you. Please e-mail your feedback to
education@smarttech.com.
June 2008 | PG 1
N a n c y’s n otes
The tipping point
A tipping point is the “level at which
the momentum for change becomes
unstoppable.”* Over 15 percent of U.S.
classrooms are now equipped with an
interactive whiteboard, so it is fair to say
that this product category has reached
a tipping point and that momentum
is driving interactive whiteboards
toward becoming indispensable tools in
21st-century classrooms.
Not only have teachers’ skills with
computers developed significantly over
the past few years, but they also have a
willingness and desire to use technology.
In the same time frame, the infrastructure
in schools with Internet and network connections has also rapidly evolved, and interactive
whiteboards have been integrated into everyday teaching and learning. Teachers and
administrators have seen the benefit of these products – students consistently have positive
classroom experiences, and research points to increased engagement and motivation, and
better retention. It has been increasingly acknowledged that the reusability of materials has
made teachers more productive, and teachers routinely report being able to cover more
concepts more quickly.
Look for us at NECC in booth 8145. We’ll demo our interactive whiteboards and showcase
our latest integrated interactive whiteboard system, our new version of SMART Notebook
software, our extensive bank of content and resources, the type of services and professional
development that we offer and many other products that can be combined in a variety of
different ways to create engaging, interactive learning experiences. While you’re there, you’ll
be able to appreciate how well our products integrate for unparalleled ease of use.
Get a firsthand look at what is causing excitement in classrooms across North America and
the world. We’re ready to show you our best.
* Walsh, Bryan. 2007. “A green tipping point.” Time Magazine, October.
Nancy Knowlton is the CEO of SMART Technologies.
C l a ss r o o m c o ntent
SMART Notebook
lesson activities
Find hundreds of high-quality
K–12 lesson activities on our website at
www.smarttech.com/EdCLA. Each lesson is
correlated to local curriculum standards and
created by classroom teachers or SMART’s
team of curriculum resource developers.
Here are a few of our new lesson activities to try
with your students. You can find the Senteo™
counterparts of these lessons on page 3.
Vowels
Students in K–3 language arts classes can
identify and write all the vowels of the
alphabet.
Powers I
Math students in grades 7–9 use scientific
notation to understand powers.
Optic Fibers
Science students in grades 10–12 examine
some of the uses of optic fibers and how
they work.
What lesson activities correlate
to my standards?
Have you ever wondered which SMART-
created lesson activities and Senteo ques-
tion sets correlate to your local curriculum
standards? You can find out in the Educator
Resources section on our website under
Lesson Activities. When you’re on the SMART
Notebook lesson activities or Senteo question
sets page, select the Browsing Curriculum
Standards link and see what you find!
June 2008 | PG 2
News
Visit us at NECC
June 29–July 2, 2008
Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
San Antonio, Texas
SMART booth 8145
With more than 18,000 teachers, technology coordinators, library media
specialists, administrators, policymakers, industry representatives and exhibitors from
around the globe, NECC is billed as one of the world’s most comprehensive education
technology events.
We are there for the tenth year to showcase SMART’s all-encompassing solution of
hardware, software, classroom content, resources, services and support that will help
you make a difference in your students’ education and have a positive impact on their
learning outcomes.
If you’re attending NECC, stop by our booth to say hello and meet some of SMART’s
product experts, education consultants, curriculum developers and classroom teachers
who are proficient users of SMART products. Learn more about our professional
development offerings, and find out how to connect with a community of educators
who are achieving significant results in their classrooms each day.
SMART Document Camera is now available
Visit our booth at NECC, and see how you can further engage your students and
encourage their participation in class with the SMART Document Camera. The document
camera easily connects to a SMART Board™ interactive whiteboard to capture images and
videos directly to SMART Notebook software.
You can learn more about the document camera in the August issue of the newsletter
and at www.smarttech.com/doccam.
News CLA SS ROOM COntent

Events at the SMART booth Senteo question sets

Carry this listing of SMART’s stage presentations and prize giveaways with you so you
can attend any sessions at NECC that interest you and ensure you’re at our booth when we’re
giving away free products.

SMART booth presentations

Monday, June 30 Tuesday, July 1 Wednesday, July 2

9:30–10:00 a.m. What’s new at SMART Get SMART about SMART’s training
bringing your services
administration on board

10:30–11:00 a.m. SMART’s training services SMART’s online SMART Exemplary

content and resources Educators

11:30 a.m.– SMART’s online content SMART Exemplary SMART’s ultimate

12:00 noon and resources Educators how-to guide

12:30–1:00 p.m. Get SMART about SMART Notebook SMART’s online

bringing your software 10 content and resources Find a database of Senteo
administration on board question sets and lesson activities at
education.smarttech.com/SenteoLAUS.
1:30–2:00 p.m. SMART’s ultimate What’s new at SMART SMART Notebook Each question set includes 10 questions
how-to guide software 10 that are correlated to local curriculum
standards and are compatible with a
2:00 p.m. Daily draw and matching SMART-created lesson activity on
prize giveaways the same topic.

2:30–3:00 p.m. SMART Exemplary SMART’s training services Here are some of our newest Senteo
Educators question sets that you can use in your
language arts, math and science classes.
3:30–4:00 p.m. SMART Notebook SMART’s ultimate
software 10 how-to guide Vowels
K–3 language arts students can learn how
4:30–5:00 p.m. SMART’s Extraordinary Daily draw and prize to identify vowels in the alphabet.
Moments TeacherTube giveaways
Video Contest Powers
Math students in grades 7–9 can learn
5:00 p.m. Daily draw and prize about integers, with questions relating to
giveaways squared and cubed numbers and other
powers.

Wear a SMART T-shirt and win! Optic Fibers

Drop by the SMART booth at NECC and pick up your free SMART T-shirt. The more you wear it Science students in grades 10–12 can
on the show floor, the more chances you’ll have to win a SMART Board interactive whiteboard learn about the properties and uses of
for your classroom. We’re giving one away each day of the show. optic fibers.

Visit our SMART at NECC website to learn more about our products, services and programs
at necc.smarttech.com.

June 2008 | PG 3
CLA SS ROOM COntent
SMART Learning
Marketplace
Searching tips
Searching for content in the SMART
Learning Marketplace just got easier.
You can now quickly find what you need
by performing a keyword search and then
filtering your search results by content
type and subject.
When you find content you are interested
in, preview your learning object before
downloading it by selecting the Preview
link below the thumbnail image. This
way, you don’t use up your subscription
allowance on content that does not meet
your needs.
Texas correlations
All manipulatives, audio, video and les-
son resources (PDFs) in the Learning
Marketplace are now correlated to Texas
Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) cur-
riculum standards.
Visit the SMART Learning Marketplace at
learningmarketplace.smartech.com.
June 2008 | PG 4
News
Showcase your lessons on the SMART
Exchange
Do you want to share your best SMART Notebook lesson activities with other educators?
Are you looking for inspiration from peers who use SMART products? Now, you can upload
your own activities and download lessons from peers through the SMART Exchange. Teacher-
submitted lesson activities are organized by subject, grade level and keyword tags, so it’s easy
to find the lessons you need. You can also provide feedback to fellow educators by adding
your comments and ratings. Visit the Exchange at exchange.smarttech.com/files, and select
Teacher-created lesson activities to start sharing your lesson activities today.
SMART Board™ Interactive Whiteboards
For Dummies®
We just released the first interactive whiteboard reference guide in the popular For
Dummies series of books, designed to enhance your experience of using a SMART Board
interactive whiteboard. This how-to guide will help you discover new ways to transform your
lessons into memorable learning experiences.
Visit our website at smarttech.com/support to find out how to get your copy of the SMART
Board™ Interactive Whiteboards For Dummies® guide.
F E AT U R E AR T I CL E
Kicking it up a notch
Click. Buzz. Hum. Wow.
These are the sounds of Jason
Dixon’s eighth-grade class coming
to life every morning. You’ll
hear pops announcing iBook®
computers opening. You’ll pick up
the electronic tones of software
applications whirring. The reassuring
purr of a SMART Board interactive
whiteboard. The backbeat of
fingertips pulsing over keyboards. All
intermingled with students chatting about their day’s work.
“Just use your digital camera and import it.” “Listen to what I found in GarageBand®.”
But what you don’t hear is of equal significance. No textbooks hit desks with hollow thuds.
There’s no whine of pencils ground and sharpened to tiny nubs. No erasers rip through sheets
of lined paper. What you hear are the sounds that accompany one-to-one learning, a school-
wide initiative Oregon’s Springfield Middle School launched four years ago. Every student
receives an iBook and uses it for every subject and every class. Read the full article.
S MAR T S h owc a se Sc h o o l P r o f i l e CLA SS ROOM COntent

Walnut Hill engages every student in learning New interactive tools

in the Gallery
Whether students are reading a new novel, reviewing grammar lessons or
learning about U.S. state capitals, learning in Sara Ritsema’s fifth-grade classroom
is engaging and interactive for everyone. And it shows in their Texas Assessment of Access new and updated
Knowledge and Skills scores – 59 percent of students scored at the Commended multimedia tools in the Essentials for
Performance standard in reading this year. Educators section of SMART Notebook 10’s
Gallery. You’ll also be able to run a search
Ritsema is one of 17 teachers at of more than 6,600 free learning objects.
Walnut Hill Elementary School
in Dallas, Texas, who uses a SMART Here’s a sampling of some of the new tools:
Board interactive whiteboard. But
what makes her class even more Calendar generator
dynamic is the integration of her Create and insert a monthly calendar into
AirLiner™ wireless slate and Senteo your SMART Notebook page.
interactive response system. Today’s
learners love to use technology, Ruler – interactive
and she says it helps them become Draw a straight line with the pen tool and
actively involved in class. “That use this ruler to measure it.
instant response we get with the
Senteo system really engages the Spinner
kids in learning,” says Ritsema, Change the speed of the spinner, and
whose class comprises special needs individually customize up to 12 sections
students and general education with specific text and color.
students. “My special needs students
are also excelling using the SMART Multiple dice
Board interactive whiteboard. It Choose up to eight dice to roll in various
promotes, encourages and allows colors, and insert the sum of the dice into
participation by every student.” your SMART Notebook page.

In the Preschool Program for Gallery Sampler

Children with Disabilities, students We have revamped the Gallery Sampler.
practice their morning calendar and daily weather exercises on the SMART Board Here, you can find the most popular
interactive whiteboard, and Jeri Kitner, campus technologist at Walnut Hill, says it’s education content for your lessons,
helping them to become more active learners. “The kids can touch the cloud and move such as the most popular Flash objects,
it around the SMART Board when they’re talking about the weather and it involves all photographs, sounds and videos, along with
students in the classroom, not just one,” says Kitner. “Whether they want to touch and 23 new Themes.
drag an object with their fingers, a pen tool, a tennis ball, anything, it all works, and it’s
helping them to understand concepts more easily.” If you missed the SMART Notebook 10
edition of the newsletter, you can download
As the subjects come alive, every student is engaged in their learning. “With our large it now at education.smarttech.com/
special needs population, not every child has the same learning style, and the SMART EdComp2008. The April issue is jam-
Boards encourage kinesthetic learners to touch and manipulate graphics on the board,” packed with information on the software’s
says Mary Johnston, Walnut Hill’s principal. “The technology has helped to increase their new lesson-creation features and teaching
understanding and learning … and it’s contributing to the rise in our test scores, which is resources.
just phenomenal.”

If you would like to visit Walnut Hill Elementary School to talk with educators about
their successes and see firsthand how they’re putting SMART products to work,
visit the SMART Showcase School section on our website at www.smarttech.com/
EdCShowcase.

June 2008 | PG 5
P r o d u c t S p ot l i g ht
Quick facts about
the software
• Ideal for any student computing device,
including laptops, PDAs, SMART phones
and desktops
• The SMART Notebook SE beta for
Windows® operating systems begins in
August 2008
• The beta for Mac OS operating systems will
be available in spring 2009
• SMART Notebook files can be transferred
from teacher to student and student to
teacher
• Take-home privileges allow students to
download the software to their home
computers
• The Gallery includes activities and
templates for book reports and other
subject-specific activities
• Students can browse for assignment due
dates or find only subject-specific files
• Multiple SMART Notebook files can
be opened at a time, and students can
flip between homework, websites and
assignments
• Students are able to engage in higher order
thinking because the software allows them
to instantly annotate over files without
having to make notes first
June 2008 | PG 6
SMART Notebook SE
As technology-enabled classrooms become more prevalent across North
America and around the world, the K–12 education model is increasingly changing
from a teacher-led to a student-led environment. Today’s students are digital natives
growing up immersed in a world of technology, and teachers are no longer the sole hub
of information. Following along with this trend, SMART is addressing an obvious need
for a solution that offers structure and enables collaboration and assessment in your
classroom, while encouraging students to guide their own learning.
SMART Notebook SE software
SMART Notebook SE is the first education software made and designed for students
to use in technology-rich classrooms. It keeps your students organized by giving them
access to the tools they need to create work, store their files and share ideas in a
multimedia environment.
“We’re now living in a society of digital natives, and research is showing that students
prefer to do their homework in a digital format,” says Jenna Pipchuck, SMART Notebook
SE product manager. “Many teachers, however, are reluctant to assign digital homework
because students generally don’t have access to the same software at home. SMART
Notebook SE’s take-home privileges help to alleviate this problem, so students can study
and continue working on projects on their home computers.”
We’re looking for beta testers
We are launching the SMART Notebook SE beta in August, and we’re looking for
students between the ages of 8 and 18 to test the software until December 31,
2008. If you would like more information about how to get involved, send an e-mail
to beta@smarttech.com, and tell us what kind of computer environment you teach in.
You and your students could be testing SMART Notebook SE in the next school year!
The full release of SMART Notebook SE will be available in January 2009.
 P ROD U C T S p ot l i g ht

See it in action Student power

Learn more about the SMART Notebook SE beta at NECC. Visit booth
8145 for a demonstration, and see how you and your students can create a dynamic and
collaborative teaching and learning environment.

An inside look

Using SMART Notebook SE, your

students will have access to all the features
you’re enjoying in SMART Notebook 10,
plus the ability to

• Complete assignments
• Interact with material you send them
• Take digital notes
• Transfer files to you and back again
• Access digital content
• Search for and organize their digital files
• Open and flip through multiple SMART
Notebook files
• Customize their own home page

Check the following features in SMART Notebook SE that will help your They can do all of this on their personal or
students get organized and motivated for school. shared computing device at school, in the
library and at home.
My Home is a personal home page for your students’ computers. This is a creative and
customizable space that they can adorn with their own pictures, thoughts, doodles,
notes or drawings. Up next
My Binder is the heart of your students’ file management and organization. It displays
all their SMART Notebook files on their computers. This includes teacher-created
files, student-created files and assessments in each of their subjects. Students can Watch for the Summer Update edition
add keywords to search for files and organize assignments by subject and due dates. of EDCompass newsletter. This two-page
When accessing a file, a preview panel at the bottom of the screen shows pages of the primer will keep you informed of contests,
selected file so that students can quickly browse the file to see if it’s the one they’re training events and new products that are
searching for. available this summer.

June 2008 | PG 7
© 2008 SMART Technologies ULC. All rights reserved. EDCompass, Senteo, SMART Board, AirLiner, smarttech, the SMART logo, and all SMART product logos and taglines are trademarks or registered trademarks of SMART Technologies ULC in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other third-party
product and company names are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners. Printed in Canada 06/2008 10318-08
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June 2008 | PG 8
© 2008 SMART Technologies ULC. All rights reserved. EDCompass, smarttech, the SMART logo and all SMART taglines are trademarks or registered trademarks of SMART Technologies ULC in the U.S. and/or other countries.. Printed in Canada 06/2008 10318-08