I had the privilege of giving a workshop to several of my colleagues a few weeks ago on how to use the Livescribe Pulse smartpen to write and upload math examples for students to view outside of class.   Teri Graham, one of the adjunct instructors who attended the workshop, contacted me recently to help her do a pencast for the micro-teach portion of her interview (she is applying for a full-time position).

Teri had the most amazing idea; a way to use the pen that I had never thought of!  She was going to use the Livescribe pen to replace writing on an overhead during her lesson.  

She sat down with me and went through her teaching ideas for the 20 minute micro-teach.  As Teri spoke, the light went on for me.   Wow! To be able to write out definitions and examples ahead of time, but have them show up “live” (animated) during the lesson, as if she were writing it herself!    Her plan was to create one pencast over several pages, where her introductions, definitions, and graphs would already be “recorded” but would appear only when she was ready for them to (by hitting play, then pause again).   She would turn the sound on the computer off, so that she could speak through the lesson in person. 

This would free her up to read the definitions and explain the examples while they were being written magically on the board behind her!  She would save time by being able to talk through everything that was already written, without having to stop and write it all out.   I was very impressed with all of her ideas!  It was hard to believe she had only seen the Livescribe Pulse smartpen once, during her workshop with me. I can’t wait to see what ideas she comes up with after actually using the pen for a while.    


She only needed my input to see if her teaching concept would work with the pen.  We did a few sample lessons to make sure it would work as she pictured, and then Teri went home and wrote out each page the way she wanted it to look.   Several days later we got back together so she could use the Livescribe smartpen to write out her finalized lesson, and then upload it to the computer.   She then had 3 days to practice her lesson before her micro-teach.

I spoke to her after the micro-teach and she thought it was a hit!  The interview team was very interested in her use of the Livescribe Pulse smartpen and they wanted to know more about the pen itself!

I am positive that Teri Graham showed her interview team that she not only embraces 21st century technology, but can envision new ways to use it in very effective ways to benefit her students.