SMART ARRA Application Guide

SMART ARRA Application Guide

Applying for ARRA funds with SMART products in mind Applying for funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) requires ensuring that your technology investment aligns directly with ARRA goals and requirements. We d like to help you address these aims as clearly as possible when you complete your application. To make the process easy and effective, we ve supplied information on the products that form the foundation of SMART education solutions, showing you how they align with ARRA objectives. We ve outlined how the SMART Board interactive whiteboard, SMART Response interactive response system and other SMART products support objectives such as transforming the classroom, tracking results and improving student progress. We hope you find this information useful as you demonstrate how SMART solutions can help you realize your educational technology vision. 2 Application Guide

SMART Board interactive whiteboard, featuring SMART Notebook software SMART Board interactive whiteboards help you transform the classroom in the following ways: Integrating SMART Board interactive whiteboards into the classroom creates an interactive, technology-enhanced and media-rich environment, enabling teachers to reach students in more visual, real-world ways The SMART Board interactive whiteboard helps teachers prepare students for careers in a knowledge-based marketplace. Along with SMART Notebook collaborative learning software, it is an excellent vehicle for developing criticalthinking, collaboration and problem-solving skills. SMART Board interactive whiteboards enhance students proficiency with technology. Beginning in 2012, this proficiency will be measured in schools for the first time, so it s important to make technology part of the classroom. By using the SMART Board interactive whiteboard with SMART Response, educators can formally and informally assess student understanding anytime during a lesson. See page 5 for more information. The SMART Board interactive whiteboard, together with SMART Notebook software, can significantly help improve teacher efficiency and effectiveness: Every SMART Board interactive whiteboard comes with a license for SMART Notebook software, which is renowned for its ability to make lessons more engaging for students of all learning styles. Teachers find that SMART Notebook software helps them become more efficient. It cuts down on preparation time and helps them keep resources organized in class, so they can get through material more quickly. By using the SMART Board interactive whiteboard with SMART Response, educators can obtain real-time insight into student comprehension and adjust instruction based on the results. See page 5 for more information. ARRA objective Improve student results The combination of a SMART Board interactive whiteboard and SMART Notebook software is proven to help teachers improve student performance in many ways: Research consistently shows that having interactive whiteboards in the classroom helps raise student achievement levels in a wide range of subject areas The digital nature of lessons taught using SMART Notebook software brings a new and engaging element to students in all subject areas, from language arts to mathematics. It helps teachers deliver lessons in a more impactful and memorable way. By enabling teachers to serve the different learning styles of their students, the SMART Board interactive whiteboard can help improve learning outcomes for all students: SMART Board interactive whiteboards appeal to kinesthetic learners, who can come up to the interactive whiteboard and manipulate objects or solve problems Teachers can reach auditory learners by embedding sound directly into lesson activities on the interactive whiteboard Teachers can motivate visual learners by playing video files directly in SMART Notebook software on the interactive whiteboard, or by recording lessons as they happen on screen. For example, teachers can record the elements of a math problem and play them back on a loop. Application Guide 3

By using the SMART Board interactive whiteboard with SMART Response, educators can add assessment to lessons and adapt their strategies to reach all students. See page 5 for more information. ARRA objective Make a short-term investment with long-term gains The SMART Board interactive whiteboard helps jump-start classroom transformation while providing a basis for long-term reform. This double-edged benefit is due to the following: The SMART Board interactive whiteboard is recognized around the world as an intuitive, easy-to-use product. It is adopted quickly and enthusiastically by educators, so it has immediate and long-lasting effects. SMART Board interactive whiteboards are designed with low total cost of ownership in mind SMART Notebook software receives regular upgrades, so the potential of the SMART Board interactive whiteboard will actually increase over time. Plus, these upgrades are provided at no cost. Any object can be used to replace pens that are lost, broken or stolen, with absolutely no impact on the learning experience The SMART Board interactive whiteboard is extremely durable, and its longevity is witnessed every day by educators who have used the same board for five years or longer SMART provides a wealth of lesson content and resources that are constantly evolving, giving educators the tools they need to easily integrate the technology into the classroom ARRA objective Enhance education for students with disabilities Several features of the SMART Board interactive whiteboard help teachers provide students with disabilities with an excellent education: SMART Board interactive whiteboards are an inclusive classroom technology, offering students multiple ways to learn material, express ideas and demonstrate understanding Because SMART Board interactive whiteboards are touch-enabled, they allow all users to interact with the interactive whiteboard: Younger students and those with fine-motor challenges can operate SMART Board interactive whiteboards by using not only a stylus or finger, but also a fist or any object they can hold comfortably, such as a tennis ball Students who cannot type or write can still benefit from lessons and participate in activities using SMART Notebook features like drag-and-drop Educators can use SMART Board interactive whiteboards to adapt material for students with visual challenges The SMART Board interactive whiteboard enables teachers of deaf students to keep their hands free of pen tools, which can interfere with signing In addition to capturing student interest, SMART Board interactive whiteboards give ongoing visual reinforcement to instruction, offering students another sensory channel to help them process information 4 Application Guide

SMART Response There are several ways our SMART Response line of interactive response systems can help educators transform the classroom: SMART Response makes learning more interactive and participatory by allowing students to instantly respond to questions and quizzes using their handheld remotes With SMART Response LE, teachers can quickly gauge the comprehension of students in early education and students with special needs using an easy-to-use interactive response system designed especially for them Designed for use in middle-school and secondary classrooms, SMART Response XE allows students to input text answers, mathematical equations and scientific functions SMART Response CE interactive response software allows students to respond to questions directly from their computers and is ideally suited for computerenabled classrooms Students who are naturally shy or disengaged can be active in the class. Because the interactive response systems let students participate without speaking in front of the class, they encourage all to voice their views and share knowledge. Tests created with SMART Response assessment software tie directly into multimedia lessons prepared with SMART Notebook, creating more opportunities for learning and helping students become more accustomed to working with technology in all aspects of their education Using SMART Response systems with a SMART Board interactive whiteboard By combining SMART Response with a SMART Board interactive whiteboard, teachers have the tools they need to engage students with interactive lessons while simultaneously assessing understanding With access to instant responses from students and longitudinal assessment information, teachers can quickly and easily modify their instruction based on student needs With SMART Response, teachers can become more effective in the classroom: Teachers can use longitudinal data from the integrated gradebook to assess how their students are progressing over time Using SMART Response systems with a SMART Board interactive whiteboard Teachers can quickly set up a poll question and present it on the SMART Board interactive whiteboard to instantly gauge how well their students understand lesson material. Based on student answers, they can review a concept or adapt their lesson if the class is having difficulty. Teachers can also offer personalized help to individual students who need it. SMART Response is integrated with SMART Notebook software, which enables teachers to easily create high-quality, interactive tests and quizzes that are rich in multimedia content. They can also easily insert questions into SMART Notebook lesson activities. Application Guide 5

ARRA objective Improve student results SMART Response and SMART Response LE help improve student results in multiple ways: Teachers can identify the areas in which students excel and struggle. With this information, they can proactively adapt new strategies for reaching all their students. With SMART Response, teachers can quickly add questions to lessons and instantly receive responses from students. This means they can find out if students understand a concept before moving on to the next topic. Using SMART Response systems with a SMART Board interactive whiteboard SMART Board interactive whiteboards add visual appeal to tests and quizzes, increasing student engagement in lessons and learning ARRA objective Track student progress and achievement SMART Response software s robust reporting features were designed specifically to help teachers track progress in a variety of ways: Teachers can conduct formative and summative assessments, which can be tracked over time, using the integrated teacher gradebook. This gives educators extensive longitudinal data for reporting purposes. Tests and quizzes aligned to specific state standards can be created easily using SMART Response software in conjunction with SMART Notebook Each question can be tagged with customized keywords, such as lesson titles or even specific state standards SMART Response provides extensive reporting data, showing figures over any period of time. For example, individual students can be tagged and tracked according to groupings outlined by the No Child Left Behind Act. ARRA objective Make a short-term investment with long-term gains Several factors make SMART Response interactive response systems a sustainable investment: Updates to SMART Response software are provided free of charge The SMART Response line of interactive response systems is classroom tough. Each remote is subjected to specific manufacturing tests to ensure that it can be dropped, spilled on and bumped. Using SMART Response systems with a SMART Board interactive whiteboard SMART Response software is integrated with SMART Notebook software, which comes with the SMART Board interactive whiteboard. Because this software is constantly upgraded, the interactive response systems will also evolve over time, ensuring the future needs of educators are met. SMART Notebook Math Tools SMART Notebook Math Tools is specifically designed to help teachers deliver more effective math lessons: The software provides teachers with a comprehensive and dynamic set of math-specific tools and features, so they only need one application to create and explore digital math problems SMART Notebook Math Tools extends the capabilities of award-winning SMART Notebook software and is the only software specifically designed for teaching math on an interactive whiteboard 6 Application Guide

By presenting math problems visually, teachers can better explain and demonstrate math concepts The software s digital tools are flexible and intuitive, making it easy for teachers to create graphs, solve equations, manipulate shapes and determine measurements With SMART Notebook Math Tools, teachers can save time by conveniently launching a Texas Instruments brand emulator from within SMART Notebook software ARRA objective Improve student results Using SMART Notebook Math Tools in the classroom can help improve student results in several ways: Teachers can easily create math content that is engaging and interactive, enhancing student understanding and improving retention of math concepts SMART Notebook Math Tools supports the teaching of math to visual and kinesthetic learners by giving teachers multiple graphic and interactive ways to display math concepts. Concepts can be represented using shapes, angles, fractions, equations, tables and graphs. SMART Notebook SE SMART Notebook SE (Student Edition) software helps transform the classroom in the following ways: SMART Notebook SE gives students a new way to digitally organize their work, access files and create multimedia content The software helps them develop proficiency with technology, and helps them learn to use digital filing systems. SMART Notebook SE reinforces the idea that technology is an integral part of students lives every day. Though SMART Notebook SE software is for students, it can also help teachers be more effective: Since the software complements SMART Notebook software, teachers can create interactive lesson material and easily share those files with students Teachers can personalize learning by sending individual students supplementary material from their SMART Notebook lessons, helping to meet their specific needs Using the portable SMART Notebook SE bracelet, students can take their software and files with them anywhere. This means teachers can assign digital homework and be confident that each student has access to the software needed to complete assignments. ARRA objective Improve student results The many benefits of SMART Notebook SE can help students improve their results: SMART Notebook SE gives students easy access to homework assignments and digital resources information that will help them succeed in school. And they can access this material anywhere, anytime, giving them the flexibility to individualize their schedules. Students can also customize their files to best suit their organizational needs and learning styles. With SMART Notebook SE, students have access to these materials all in one place, in any file format. With increased access to learning materials, students have all the resources they need to complete assignments to the best of their ability. Application Guide 7

The SMART Notebook SE bracelet is ideal for students without a dedicated computer. They can complete homework or assignments on any school computer, in the library or at home. The software and their files stay with them wherever they go, giving them more opportunities to learn both inside and outside of school. SMART Sync SMART Sync classroom management software can help transform the classroom in several ways: SMART Sync helps teachers make the most of their technology-rich classrooms and computer labs. With SMART Sync, these spaces become more effective learning environments, where teachers have the power to monitor, teach and collaborate with their students from one simple interface. SMART Sync helps teachers effectively manage classrooms that have adopted one-to-one initiatives, so schools are better able to make the most of their technology products SMART Sync helps increase teacher effectiveness in the following ways: SMART Sync enables teachers to monitor student activity, provide direct instruction and support, and broadcast lesson materials to multiple screens from one simple software interface. These benefits help teachers optimize their classroom and computer lab time, so they can cover material more quickly and help students focus on learning. Instead of moving through the classroom monitoring work and answering questions, teachers can use SMART Sync to communicate with students from their desk, saving valuable instruction time SMART Classroom Suite SMART Classroom Suite interactive learning software combines four of SMART s easy-to-use educational software applications SMART Notebook, SMART Sync, SMART Notebook SE and SMART Response CE. Together, these applications can transform the classroom: The integrated software suite supports the key stages of teaching and learning from lesson creation and delivery to student assessment The four applications included in SMART Classroom Suite work together to enhance teaching and accelerate learning, while offering students and teachers the ease and efficiency of using a single software suite Teachers can easily turn any computer-enabled classroom into a wholly collaborative, interactive and efficient learning environment. Whether their class contains a few computers or they teach in a full computer lab, teachers are able to broadcast their desktop to demonstrate a concept to the class and can randomly organize students into groups, so they can collaborate without leaving their computers. Integrating SMART Classroom Suite into a 1:1 classroom gives teachers the tools they need to create engaging lesson activities, guide student learning and manage their classroom efficiently by connecting their computer to every 8 Application Guide

student computer in the class The software suite s assessment features enable teachers to make their approach to instruction more proactive. They can immediately respond to the needs of students, assess their understanding on the fly and report on progress instantly. The suite expands the reach of the classroom by helping students to continue their learning outside of class. Students can organize their files, access study materials and complete digital homework anywhere and anytime. SMART Classroom Suite can significantly improve teacher effectiveness in the following ways: Teachers can create and deliver interactive lessons, guide and assess student learning, and efficiently manage their classroom with one easy-to-use software suite The suite enables teachers to seamlessly transition among individual, smallgroup and whole-class activities while delivering engaging, interactive content SMART Classroom Suite makes class time more efficient by helping teachers keep students engaged and focused on learning. Teachers can monitor student computers, share files, block Internet access and perform a variety of classroom tasks all from one simple interface. ARRA objective Improve student results There are several ways SMART Classroom Suite can have a positive impact on student results: Easy-to-use lesson creation tools help teachers prepare engaging multimedia lessons for all subject areas that keep students interested in learning The software suite enables students to take more control over their own learning. They can create and organize their multimedia content, take digital notes, more easily collaborate with each other and share files with teachers. Using the assessment capabilities in SMART Classroom Suite, teachers can instantly assess student understanding anytime during a class, which helps them identify areas in which students excel and struggle. With this information, teachers can determine when to review a concept or give extra help. ARRA objective Track student progress and achievement SMART Classroom Suite offers teachers multiple ways to track student progress: By conducting formative and summative assessments, teachers can track student progress over time with the integrated teacher gradebook. This longitudinal data enables educators to proactively respond to student needs and make data-driven decisions. Teachers can easily prepare achievement reports and access performance data because all assessment information and test scores can be viewed and managed from one location Application Guide 9

SMART Table The SMART Table interactive learning center can transform the classroom in a variety of ways: SMART Table is a ground-breaking piece of technology that promotes collaboration and group learning. It helps students develop the cooperative skills they ll need to be competitive in tomorrow s workforce. The multitouch, multiuser capabilities of the SMART Table bring a new level of interactivity and engagement into the classroom The SMART Table is an excellent vehicle for introducing technology to very young students. Because of its touch-sensitive surface and intuitive interface, it s easy for students to use, and enjoyable to work on. So it gives students a head start in technology proficiency. Having a SMART Table in the classroom can quickly help teachers become more effective: The SMART Table gives teachers the flexibility to provide small-group instruction when it suits the lesson and curriculum best The SMART Table is ideal as a supplemental work station, where small-group activities can reinforce concepts taught to the whole class using a SMART Board interactive whiteboard The SMART Table comes with a toolkit that enables teachers to access applications and build a variety of activities around them. It gives educators the flexibility to create new content for the SMART Table. ARRA objective Improve student results The following benefits of the SMART Table can help improve student results: The SMART Table helps students develop collaboration and social skills it requires students to work together and come to a consensus on solutions The SMART Table lets younger students approach learning in a way that is fun, collaborative and highly interactive The SMART Table comes with digital activities specifically designed to help students learn basic skills like reading and counting ARRA objective Make a short-term investment with long-term gains The SMART Table is a sustainable investment: The SMART Table is designed for heavy use. It can withstand everything from spilled juice to a student standing on its surface. SMART Table applications will continue to be updated and improved over time, providing additional functionality to users ARRA objective Enhance the education of students with disabilities The following benefits make the SMART Table an excellent resource for students with disabilities: The SMART Table interactive learning center s low proximity to the floor and horizontal interactive surface makes it accessible for students with physical disabilities The interactive nature of the SMART Table provides a focal point for children with learning disabilities or autism 10 Application Guide

SMART Slate Like the SMART Board interactive whiteboard, the SMART Slate wireless slate can help teachers transform the classroom: The SMART Slate, which can be used with or without a SMART Board interactive whiteboard, offers teachers and students another way to use technology in the classroom, while also enabling extra mobility The SMART Slate comes with SMART Notebook software, which enables teachers to create media-rich digital lessons. SMART Notebook software is world-renowned for its ability to make lessons engaging and interactive. The following examples demonstrate how the SMART Slate wireless slate can help increase teacher effectiveness: Teachers can use it to teach with SMART Notebook software from anywhere in the room The SMART Slate offers teachers the flexibility to use the approach that best suits the lesson. They can shift easily from whole-class to small-group and even individual instruction. ARRA objective Improve student results The SMART Slate can also help teachers improve student results: It offers an alternative to presenting information from the front of the room. For students who are uncomfortable in this situation, the SMART Slate lets them participate and share knowledge from their desk. Because teachers can manipulate the lesson from anywhere in the room, they can stop at a student s desk and work with that student and the SMART Board interactive whiteboard until the lesson is fully understood. ARRA objective Make a short-term investment with long-term gains Because the SMART Slate is extremely durable, it makes an excellent investment for the short and long term, enabling teachers to create and deliver effective digital lessons for many years. ARRA objective Enhance the education of students with disabilities The SMART Slate wireless slate makes learning more inclusive for students with mobility challenges, since they can use it to easily interact with content on the SMART Board interactive whiteboard. Application Guide 11

SMART Document Camera The SMART Document Camera helps transform the classroom through the following means: The SMART Document Camera is directly integrated with SMART Notebook software, which enables teachers to create media-rich digital lessons. SMART Notebook sets the global standard for creating, teaching and managing interactive lessons within a single application. The document camera helps teachers enrich lessons with close-up views of real-life objects and real-time experiments or demonstrations Many features of the SMART Document Camera are designed to help teachers become even more effective: The document camera gives teachers quick, easy ways to use real objects in the classroom Displaying objects to the whole class saves teachers from having to rotate objects among groups of students or individuals, saving time Images captured with the SMART Document Camera can be saved in SMART Notebook s Gallery and inserted directly into lesson activities. Teachers can tie these images into lessons to facilitate learning. And they can reuse the images, saving valuable preparation time. ARRA objective Improve student results The document camera can help improve student results through the following means: The SMART Document Camera gives teachers new ways to display objects that make lessons more concrete and realistic. It enables everyone in the classroom to view objects under the lens in real time. Students benefit from more efficient demonstrations. Instead of waiting to see a demonstration or object, a class full of students can see the demonstration simultaneously, making it easier and faster for them to understand. ARRA objective Make a short-term investment with long-term gains The SMART Document Camera is a sustainable investment: The document camera is durable and damage resistant The document camera will continue to be integrated into future versions of SMART Notebook software. So it s simple to upgrade, and it will benefit from ongoing improvements to SMART Notebook. SMART Audio With the SMART Audio classroom amplification system, teacher effectiveness is increased in two main ways: Teachers no longer have to strain their voices. The amplification system carries their voices to every student in the classroom. Because SMART Audio eases the strain on teachers vocal chords, teachers spend less time away from the classroom recuperating 12 Application Guide

ARRA objective Improve student results SMART Audio can also help improve student performance: Studies show that students are often unable to hear a significant amount of what teachers say in the classroom. SMART Audio helps teachers ensure that their lessons are heard by every student. SMART Audio also enables students to be heard a key part of the learning process. The system amplifies student voices as they share knowledge and ask questions. ARRA objective Make a short-term investment with long-term gains SMART Audio is durable, so it provides long-term benefits in the classroom. ARRA objective Enhance the education of students with disabilities Students with mild hearing impairments are more likely to understand lessons in classrooms equipped with an amplification system such as SMART Audio. SMART Podium SMART Podium interactive pen displays can transform learning environments in the following ways: With the SMART Podium, teachers can easily incorporate multimedia materials into their classrooms The SMART Podium helps teachers move smoothly between multimedia resources, from videos and audio files to websites and documents Several benefits of the SMART Podium can help teachers become more efficient: The SMART Podium helps teachers manage multimedia devices during lessons and lectures. It helps teaching run more smoothly and efficiently, whether classes are held in small seminar rooms, mid-size classrooms or large lecture halls. The pen display enables teachers to change and develop lessons on the fly, so they can be more responsive to students needs. They can digitally insert information, reorganize digital files and make notes to send to students after class. These files can be saved and reused, cutting down on preparation time. Because teachers can face their audience while interacting with their documents and applications, it s easier to maintain contact with students during a presentation or lecture ARRA objective Improve student results The SMART Podium can help teachers improve student results in the following ways: The SMART Podium offers teachers a way to convey materials visually on a large screen. So students, even in large classrooms or lecture halls, can view documents, videos and other applications easily, making it easier to understand concepts. The SMART Podium makes it easier for students to keep records of information given during lessons. Because teachers can save on-screen notes made during class time, students can concentrate on the lesson instead of taking notes. Teachers can send their on-screen notes easily to all students, even those who have missed the class. Application Guide 13

SMART Technologies Toll Free 1.866.518.6791 (U.S./Canada) or +1.403.228.5940 2010 SMART Technologies ULC. All rights reserved. SMART Board, SMART Response, SMART Notebook, SMART Sync, SMART Classroom Suite, SMART Table, SMART Slate, SMART Audio, SMART Podium, smarttech, the SMART logo and all SMART taglines and product logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SMART Technologies ULC in the U.S. and/or other countries. 11767-09