Wii Remote Multi-Touch Interactive Whiteboard
Yah, it sure is alot to say. How about WRMTIWB? ;)
Anyway....
I first ran across Johnny Lee's wonderful videos over the summer (why did it take me so long to see them?!) and ever since I have been dying to try out the system. I use a Tablet PC (IBM x61) and a digital projector all day every day, but I would love to add in the ability to have my students (and myself at times) directly manipulate my projected computer screen (usually OneNote).
My department has agreed to pay for the needed parts so I went out and bought everything I think I need. You can read about what I ordered right here.
My questions for all of you are:
1) If you've used a WRMTIWB in your classroom, how did it go? What have you used it for? What do you like most about it? What do you like least?
2) What tips do you have for the initial setup?
3) What's one thing we should definitely do once we have everything setup?
Anyway....
I first ran across Johnny Lee's wonderful videos over the summer (why did it take me so long to see them?!) and ever since I have been dying to try out the system. I use a Tablet PC (IBM x61) and a digital projector all day every day, but I would love to add in the ability to have my students (and myself at times) directly manipulate my projected computer screen (usually OneNote).
My department has agreed to pay for the needed parts so I went out and bought everything I think I need. You can read about what I ordered right here.
My questions for all of you are:
1) If you've used a WRMTIWB in your classroom, how did it go? What have you used it for? What do you like most about it? What do you like least?
2) What tips do you have for the initial setup?
3) What's one thing we should definitely do once we have everything setup?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike on
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My students put this wiki together about wiimote whiteboards and have presented at some professional development meetings. If you're looking for a project for your students, I'd have them put together their own infrared light pens. There are instructions for how to do it on the wiki. I recommend using uweschmidts software (it is cross-platform) over Johnny Lee's original. It is a lot easier to setup and requires less software to download.
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Permalink Reply by Josh Seamon on
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This is great information! Thanks :)
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Permalink Reply by Barry Bakin on
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Kudos to you and your students for this entire project. I really like the way that the students not only completed the projects but also spoke about their results and displayed them using web 2.0 tools. What happens at the professional development meetings when they present the results of their work. How do your colleagues react? How do the students feel after their presentations? I am so impressed with the idea that your students are not only learning about technology, they're learning about how they can change existing technology to make it useful for new purposes. (hmmm that might actually be dangerous...) It's not difficult to imagine that these students will one day be inventing and creating new electronic and other technology tools as science and engineering professionals...
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Thanks for the shout out. I'll pass it along to my students. They have done a great job presenting and received very favorable responses. They are always wanting to do more. Right now we've moved on to some other things, but my students and I will likely be presenting (I just submitted a proposal) at a conference here in Nebraska in April. In the meantime, I'm working on a grant to get some more materials to make wiimote lights that we could give away to people at our presentations.
If you're interested in other student produced projects I've done with my students, check out Green Monkey Schools. Right now my newest group of 6th graders is working on Green Monkey Homes. It should be up in the next few weeks.
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Hey Ben!
I actually watched your video last night in one of my late-night technology information binge overloads. I had not dug up your Classroom2.0 post though -- Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. I currently use a Tablet PC + OneNote pretty much all day every day and can't wait to add in direct board interaction. Fun fun :)
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Permalink Reply by Rich White on
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Permalink Reply by meL on
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Last spring my husband bought me a Wii remote (we have no Wii...) and made a pen for me after hearing me talk about it. It took a few trial/errors to get the pen to work correctly, but now it does. I have a few teachers who are now using them in various schools. Our district is purchasing pre-made pens for teachers (they'll have to supply their own Wii remote). Mostly the teachers who use it do so for an inexpensive whiteboard. One is the computer repair (A+ certification) teacher and he built it just because. I found free tools to use with it that provide drawing tools. They aren't perfect, but they do provide the basics. I keep my Wii remote, a Bluetooth adapter and a USB drive with all my software in the case the Wii remote came in and I can carry my whiteboard anywhere (all our teachers have LCD projectors in their rooms). This is a link to a video I made of one of our Wii whiteboards: http://mrollosson.edublogs.org/files/2008/05/wiiwhiteboard.WMV
One of the most difficult things to set up is placement of the Wii remote to capture the entire projection area and get good tracking.
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Permalink Reply by John Sowash on
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I have been using the wiiboard in my classroom since September. There have been some technical challenges and difficulties, but overall it has been a great addition. I will be presenting this technology at the Michigan Association of Computer Users in Learning conference this March.
My blog has some examples of lessons and activities that work well with the wiiboard.
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Permalink Reply by Sinh Trinh on
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I was in awe when I first discovered interactive whiteboards, I was shocked when I heard about the relatively lost-cost mimio capture-bar IWB system, but now after watching Johnny Lee's video, my mind has been blown. This great technology is finally within reach! (price!)
Thanks a mil for spreading the word about this. The "Parts Ordered" site is great, too.
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Permalink Reply by Aaroni Chris on
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This is very clever, Create an Interactive Whiteboard with your Wii!
YouTube - Low-Cost Multi-touch Whiteboard using the Wiimote
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Do you have the software to use the pen?
Did you make your own pen?
I use the smart tools, same as the interactive board. I struggled to calibrate the wii at first. I would rate the success in comparison to the real touch board approximately 80%
The advantage is that everything is portable, you can change any wall into a whiteboard.
In my opinion, after using it as a teaching aid in my class, you are better of with only the projector, or even a flat screen.
A wireless mouse is a great tool, you as a teacher can walk around in the classroom and even the learners can use the mouse. At the end of the day, in my opinion, it is not the pen that is so great, but the software you use.
A wireless pen handed to a learner would also work, maybe even better than the mouse.
My main frustration with the pen was the lack of accuracy and that you can stand in the way of the wii mote while writing on the board.
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