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Today’s post and videos were inspired by Dr. Brian Friedlander’s post “Livescribe Releases Sound Stickers App” in his “Assistive Technology” blog.

Livescribe Sound Stickers are small stickers for recording and playing back audio notes.

You can use them to add recorded audio to

• Make interactive flash cards, study guides, and talking books
• Record audio instructions or fluency assessments
• Create annotated art projects and oral reports
• Create talking tests or worksheets without having to copy them onto dot paper

More information is below the YouTube videos

5 – Talking Word Wall (with translatable closed captions

4 – Audio Math Flash Cards (with translatable closed captions

1 – How to Record and Play

2 – How to turn on and use One Step Recording

3 – How to Add a Tactile Marker

The entire playlist of Sound Sticker Videos is here.

For about $25 you get the Livescribe Sound Sticker app (for one smartpen – Echo or Pulse), 1,000 Sound Stickers (or about 2 1/2 cents each), and what I like to call a “non-inking stylus” which is a great thing to have if many students will tap on your Sound Stickers as it will keep them from getting all inked up (especially since Sound Stickers are quite reusable).

I just created this Livescribe Educational Applications Livebinder that shares resources for educational uses for Livescribe smartpens.

Well it can be using the Livescribe Email Connector (with Connect Premium**)

In Part 1 below I show how to use a Livescribe Sticky Note, Echo smartpen, and a Launch Line Shortcut*** to record & send such a voice note.

Part 1: Create & send – How to use Livescribe Connect to easily send positive voice

Part 2 shows how a parent would receive an email with a pencast pdf attached (openable in Acrobat 10 or higher) and then view/listen to the voice note.

Part 2: Open & view pencast pdf – How to use Livescribe Connect to easily send positive voice

What do you think? — Tim

————-
* Why do I focus here on sending positive voice notes? Good question!  I actually think it might be okay to send non-positive voice notes but I think these should only be sent after first sending at least one positive voice note as then parents and students will likely be more receptive to both kinds of feedback from you coming in such an unusual way.  But what do you think?

** Livescribe Connect Premium includes Connectors to email, Google Docs & Google Sites. It comes free with 4 & 8GB Echo smartpens or is available for US $14.99 from the Livescribe Store as an upgrade.

*** I’m working on 2 more short videos that show
a) how to create the Email Connector shortcut using the Livescribe Connect software
b) how I made the actual Launch Line shortcut on the Sticky Note.

This year in my Advanced Placement Literature class I was introduced to some of the newest forms of technology, such as Smart Boards, IPADs and the Livescribe Pen.  The one I enjoyed the most was the Livescribe pen.  Now I am not the type of person that likes technology- in fact sometimes I would rather boycott it all together, but I found the Livescribe pen extremely helpful and interesting.

We were able to use this pen and the special notebooks to do a project for class that would be helpful to next year’s AP Literature class.  We placed the stickers used especially for the pen on our posters that explained the definition or examples.  I liked doing the project this way because it was not only visual but also auditory and having forms of learning makes that definition clearer and keeps your attention.  I love being able to be creative on projects, and using the pen added to this.  I used a sticker for the definition of “frame” and also framed the sticker itself creating the repetition of the definition which helps keep it in your memory and vocabulary.

You can press on the word “definition” on the poster and hear it.  Also I included a picture of a type of frame- but then expanded using the paper and pen using the word “example” that you can touch and the pen will play the recording which explains it clearer.  It allowed us all to try something new and made it more fun and interesting.  Because reading a definition is sometimes boring and you could be really interactive with this and add more captions and sound effects if you wanted.

After using it in class and at home for the project I tried it out in one of my harder classes- Spanish Class.

Using this pen in a foreign language class was very helpful.  I was able to replay what the teacher said slower so I could try to translate it back to English to understand it, as I was having trouble in that class.

While I experimented with the pen I noticed that it takes some practice.  I found it is better to write down less notes or specific key points so that when you go back you know what that recording was about.  Also to pause in between and not continue writing everything you hear.

For example:  If a teacher was telling you how to put verbs in the different Spanish forms you could write simple notes such as this.

• ¿Qué hora es? = What time is it?  (this is all you would write but the teacher would explain more about an example- and you would know exactly how to pronounce it.  Then later if you are studying  you could touch the number one and hear everything they said.)

I really enjoyed using and learning about this pen.  I think it would be very helpful during discussions with groups.  Planning a project you develop many ideas but sometimes you forget what someone says and you could go back and find out by simply touching the spot where you wrote a short note.  This year I am serving on a State FFA Officer team and we do a lot of discussions or brainstorming for workshops, using the pen would really help to jot down quick notes, record everything, and allow me to actively participate in the conversation.  It would also be helpful in board and business meetings so if someone missed something or made a motion we could go back and listen.  Also after we could all view and listen to the notes after they were loaded on to the computer.

As for me in college the pen would be extremely helpful as I will be taking a lot of classes that require me to take notes.  Again I will be able to use it afterwards to study better.  Also I think it allows you to focus on the teaching more in real time too, because you are not in your notebook the whole time taking  notes- you are writing quick notes and recording the rest to review later.  I also think it will help with group studying as you can share your notes.

Transferring everything online is also helpful.  With technology becoming such a part of our lives having things online to share with classmates, teammates or teachers becomes so helpful.  Overall I really enjoyed the Livescribe Pen and would recommend it to any student.  It can help you study better, focus better, and learn more.

‘Twas the end-o-the-year in AP English. Our high-stakes, studied-for-all-year test was finally behind us, and we were looking for fun, academic fun that is: a meaningful, yet amusing project for my exhausted yet brilliant Advanced Placement English Students (APES).

Enter, Livescribe pens.
I had recently been introduced to Livescribe pens by Tim Fahlberg at the Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Conference. I was intrigued by what this tool was capable of, so after a bit of brainstorming with Tim, I approached my APES with a blank slate and an exciting piece of technology which was new to all of us.

My students wanted a “legacy project” – something they as seniors could leave behind “for the good of future scholars,” something that would be highly engaging for both the students making the projects and those who would later learn from them.

We envisioned a multi-media poster which would illuminate a key vocabulary word or concept from AP English, and effectively teach that word and it significance to future students long after the APES had flown off to college. Future students, with Livescribe pen in hand, could take a “gallery walk” in my classroom, using the pen to activate audio descriptions, anecdotes, examples, and commentary on key AP vocabulary words from APES alumni.

The APES were excited. Not only were they anxious to try out the Livescribe pen, which they immediately deemed “awesome,” recognizing its many applications, but they each quickly coveted their favorite vocabulary word from the year in a most possessive manner (this was most entertaining to watch!)

Next, as a class, we came up with some general characteristics for the posters:

Posters should be:
“colorful,”
“visual”
“multi-sensory”
“aesthetically pleasing”
“quirky”
“fun”
“original”
“entertaining”
“memorable”

Posters must contain:
“audio dots with student commentary”
“pictures reinforcing meaning”
“examples from text”
“examples from real life”
“prominent placement of the word/concept itself”
“a photo of its creator (it was legacy project after all)

“Standard-sized,” was the only addition I imposed on their list, knowing that this wwhould add continuity and overall visual appeal when the posters were mounted in the classroom. Excited by the “wide open” nature of the assignment and the vast opportunity for creativity, we also decided that it would be important to focus the project on our main objective, which was to convey the meaning of a key AP word/concept in a way that would clarify and deepen other students’ understanding of that concept in a memorably way.

I provided my APES with two days in class to get them started as their end-of-the year schedule was challenging to say the least—with multiple AP tests scheduled for many of my students, final papers and projects in many of their classes, graduation preparations, and a plethora of other commitments in their busy lives.

Tim Fahlberg was an invaluable resource, answering all of my questions as details and logistics of the project were finalized. Our logistical challenge of using the Livescribe pen was that we had to have everyone use the same pen. This was because ultimately I wanted one pen to activate the audio on all the completed posters when future students would listen to them on their “gallery walk, ” pen in hand. Our solution was that each student could take the pen home one night to complete the “audio dot” portion of his or her posters. Several elected to get together at night, to help each other with the recording step, simplifying the schedule.

The process was this:

• Students were to record vocal segments on their posters with the Livescribe pen. They would simply use the pen to make a word or notation on the Livescribe paper while talking. The pen would record what they were saying from the time they made a notation until they pressed stop. Audio would include the definition of the word, examples of that concept, their personal take on what it means, and anything else that would help a listener remember and understand their word.
• At home, they would record these segments and then keep track of them for later use. (They each had a Livescribe notebook page for this purpose; some used a sheet of sticker with the Livescribe pattern on them, for easy transfer onto their poster later).
• When they completed the visual aspects of their posters, they turned them in to me for lamination (we had decided their “legacies” were worth laminating for longevity).
• Once the dots were added, posters were complete.

On final exam day, we shared the finished products, enjoying each poster’s visuals and accompanying voice narrations as we used the pen to touch the voice dots on each poster. Posters were humorous, meaningful, memorable, and I believe this will continue to be the case as they are shared with future students.

It is a gross understatement to say that students were highly engaged in this project. Clearly they had great fun bringing their term to life for future APES. The most valuable part, I believe, was that not only did students engage in a useful review activity and learn a new technology, but they learned how to leverage technology to increase other students’ (future APES) learning, effectively linking their own learning to the learning of others and experiencing the truism all educators know: You never really know something until you teach it to someone else.

Here are some of the highlights from the posters themselves:

On his “black humor” poster, Tucker uses specific textual examples of black humor from the novel Catch-22, but also includes audio clips of him telling jokes which exemplify black humor, making us laugh…and remember his term.

Erin’s poster, examining “metafiction,” is visually stunning. Her talents as a scrapbooker are apparent as her poster contains miniature “metafictional” novels. Her definition of “metafiction” is itself metafictional (fiction about fiction) as it’s visually defined within a series of embedded books. She also includes “mood music” and “bam!” exclamations at key points, startling and entertaining us.

Bethany chose the word “ascension,” one that I had not provided to the class, but which she had run across in her own reading and ended up applying it often when analyzing characters in class. Her poster is gorgeous: an oil pastel rendition of clouds with the word “ascension” going from dark to a light gold, paralleling its meaning. Her audio dot contains her own poetic introduction to the concept of “ascension”: Notice the movement of clouds across the fast sky…how they billow, shrink and change shapes as they glide along, but still remain the same clouds you were watching. One thing you might not notice is the clouds movement up and down as if they were marionettes being pulled up and down by a puppeteer.”

Sam chose “radical irony,” using a British professorial voice on his audio dots to explain that radical irony is commentary on “the disrelations of modern life is one of those special things in life that can crack a dumfounded smile on the human face as he/she hears someone utter the absurd” (Imagine that uttered in a heavy British accent). He provides several examples from the books we’d read and then, much to the enjoyment of his peers, gives an academic example of his own: (not, of course, in reference to me, one can hope): “Radical irony is when your teacher says ‘I just had the perfect idea for this class; then you hear their idea.’

Judy chose “paradox,” cleverly creating a visual pun of her term as “a pair of ducks” makes their way across her poster as well as a picture of Pinocchio uttering, “My nose will grow now!” On one of her audio dots, she explains that Pinocchio’s claim is an impossible paradox: “If what he says is true, his nose won’t grow; if it’s a lie, his nose will grow, making the statement true!”

Finally, Andrew’s exceptional “duplicity” poster contains bagpipe background music, a heavy British/Scottish professorial accent, and dry wit galore. It contains upwards of 30 minutes of audio commentary, but none of us wanted to stop listening. Andrew holds a presumed two-way dialogue with us, his listeners, predicting our responses, and answering with pseudo-intellectual humor. He is excessively thorough in explicating his word, explaining the history of “duplicity,” its mythological roots, its applications in Shakespeare’s Iago, other characters, and real life. Then, he reflects on his own obsession with the word: “Why am I taken by this word, you may ask? Do I have a duplicitous nature? I don’t believe so. I like the word Duplicitous because things aren’t always what they seem. It represents the unpredictability of life. You cannot always know; you can pursue your quest for knowledge (and I encourage you to do just that) but you will not ever fully understand everything in life. Uncertainty is our only certainty.” Finally, in true Andrew form, his very long audio dot ends with a challenge, sending us on a scavenger hunt, locating and listening to audio dot clues scattered throughout the building in order to taste his final tidbits of duplicitous wisdom.

• Next time, I’d make sure all students use multiple dots, so shorter pieces of information are conveyed, giving the reader flexibility. (Andrew’s fine and duplicitous piece was recorded on one dot, or rather symbol in his case) forcing me to listen to all 30 minutes to find smaller pieces of audio I’d have liked to touch and hear instantly. More dots give the listener more flexibility and control.
• Students like mixed media: they appreciate creative opportunities to demonstrate learning. The open-ended nature of the project combined with the audio component gave students the opportunity to showcase their personalities and talents: Tucker’s love of all things comedic, Erin’s artistic flair, Bethany’s poetic way with words, Sam’s dark humor, Andrew’s ability to weave together a mulit-layered interactive narrative.
• Livescribe is another in our increasingly exciting toolbox of interactive technologies that students can leverage to demonstrate understanding and communicate with others.
• It’s exciting how Livescribe technology can capture the moment, archive it, and make it accessible. This was, as we had hoped, truly a “legacy project” as my APES’ posters, their very voices, will remain on the “gallery walk,” explaining their concepts to potentially decades of students to come.
• I’ve only begun to explore the applications of Livescribe technology. During the adopt-a-word project, Kayla (who adopted “frame” – image below) asked if she could borrow the Livescribe pen for her Spanish class, as she had difficulty “keeping up” with his lectures. She loved the idea of recording what he said within her notes, for later reference. Note to self: Anything that you or students can do with sound/voice can be incorporated into projects or lessons, seamlessly, with Livescribe. Remember this!

As Futurist Daniel Pink said, “We need to prepare kids for their future, not our past.” I believe that by using 21st century technology to demonstrate understanding and teach others, the APES legacy project achieved this goal…and it was fun.

Claudia Felske, East Troy High School, East Troy Wisconsin

Categories include: Student Use, Teacher Use, Parental Use, Administrative Use, and ESOL/ELL Use.

Pdf version: Educational Uses for Livescribe Smartpens Online version: Google shared doc

Have another use?  Please share it with us!

This past Monday and Tuesday I had the great privilege of co-presenting on the smartpen with Greg Sumner, an extraordinary OT from Northfield Public Schools, at the 2011 Charting the Cs Cross Categorical Conference in Alexandria, MN. This reminds me – I’m going to ask Greg if he’d be willing to post about his work as an OT with the smartpen because he’s got so many great ideas and stories to share (plus great handouts too).  He’s amazing!

Research on smartpens and pencasts!

While at Charting the Cs I was asked to share the research on the benefits of smartpens and pencasts in education.  It was such a great question that I thought I’d spend time compiling it and add it to new wiki page on a new Livescribe wiki I just started.

Research page on new wiki: http://k12livescribe.wikispaces.com/Research

New wiki:  Wikispaces Livescribe Education Wiki

From the wiki page:

Research

Research Support

• “Livescribe in K-12 Education: Research Support”: 28 page pdf or Blog post with outline

Access Rates

• A comparison of Information Access Rates Between the Apple iPod and the Livescribe Pulse Smartpen - 1 page pdf

Assistive Technology

• Poster: Livescribe Pulse SmartPen: Reflections of College Students with Learning Disabilities After Use of this Assistive Technology

Blind/visually impaired

• Audio-Tactile applications

  • “Smartpen” earns Peabody researcher NSF grant“
  • Audio-tactile applications – Videos: Scientific calculator Periodic Table- From TouchGraphics

• Use with Sewell Raised Line Drawing Kit

  • Smartpen aids blind engineering students
  • Also see pages 15-17 in Research Support (above).

Chemistry Pencasts

Chemistry Pencasts + A Comparison of Pencasts With Other Forms of Lecture Capture

• Blog post by Dr. Daniel Stasko
• Paper by Dr. Stasko: “Digital notes and lecture capture: pencasts as electronic copies of live STEM lectures and student access to digital lectures“
• Abstract: Shifting physical science classes into an online environment poses a number of special challenges due to the presentation of STEM content. In an attempt to improve student access and immersion in challenging science topics, lecture capture and sharing was utilized through the use of pencasts. Students in two separate chemistry courses were given access to digitally captured, in-class lecture session (incorporating both audio and text). Student utilization of these recorded class session was monitored using readily available tools. How and when students interacted with the digital capture of the classes was examined in an attempt to better understand student utilization of supplemental materials and to examine the use of pencasts as a medium for physical science course delivery.

Differentiating with Pencasts

• TechBits – Differentiating with Pencasts (page 38/39)

Mathematics

Online Math Learning Resource and Support Center

• The Development of an Online Math Learning Resource and Support Center for ODL Learners (page

Notetaking

• Notetaking research

  • Adapted from Livescribe in K-12 Research (above): 7 page pdf
    

• Cognitive effort during Note Taking

  Piolat, Olive & Kellogg - pdf – 12 page article + 7 pages of references

• Notetaking at RIT

  • Livescribe //Smartpen// Pilot Program- Winter Quarter 2008-09
  • Results: Overall, participants were happy with the Livescribe Smartpen. 10 of the 11 participants elected to continue using the pen in place of a note-taker in at least once course each quarter while they remain at RIT. The one student who did not wish to continue using the pen without a back-up note-taker stated that he wanted to use both the pen and a note-taker and we were offering one or the other, so he would probably buy his own pen and continue with using both. The students provided the following feedback [See article].

Pharmaceutical calculations course

• Article: “A brief report on the use of paper-based computing to supplement a pharmaceutical calculations course“
• Objective: To describe changes in the delivery of the pharmaceutical calculations course associated with incorporation of synchronized audio/visual recordings (pencasts) using the Livescribe Pulse™ pen.
• Conclusion: Nearly half (46%) of students surveyed reported using pencasts, and 92.6% of students who reported using pencasts believed that pencasts enhanced learning. Students also responded that pencasts may be beneficial for other pharmacy courses, including pharmaceutics, medicinal chemistry, biochemistry, chemistry, physical chemistry, and pharmacology

Today is April 14th, 2011 and I am very happy to start adding again to this blog which is now again my personal/professional Livescribe blog.

Just so you know – Livescribe’s Official Educational blog is here: www.livescribek12.com.

Or click on the image below to go there.

Windows and Mac users:
Part 1 of 2: Creating pencast using Livescribe Echo smartpen and Flip Notepad
If YouTube is blocked then try this link: http://screencast.com/t/0Y2Hof4uyPeB (opens in new window/tab)

Part 2 of 2: For Windows users: Sharing Pencast Online & Viewing it
Video also shows how to hide the previewing of ink
If YouTube is blocked then try this link: http://screencast.com/t/jG4qAxhY08 (opens in new window/tab)

Step by Step Instructions (for Windows)

1. Turn on smartpen
2. Write problem with smartpen on dot paper
3. Tap Record button on bottom of page
4. Solve problem with writing and voice explanation
5. Tap Stop button
6. Dock smartpen to sync with Livescribe Desktop
7. Find page with pencast (look for black – static ink and green – dynamic ink)
8. In Pages View, click a page’s active ink to activate a session. This action will open the Session tab and will start the session playback in the Central Viewing Pane.
9. Click the Share button, then Session …, then with Online Community (Upload) …
10. Name your pencast, click Share button.
11. You should receive a notice that your pencast has uploaded successfully
12. Click Livescribe Online button
13. Click the “Make this file public” link on the left
14. Click “Get a link to this file” or “Embed this file”
15. Copy link or embed code to clipboard (you’ll have to select it and then press Ctrl-C on keyboard for Windows)
16. Paste link into blog, wiki, web page, or email

Part 2 of 2: For Mac users: Sharing Pencast Online

Link to video on Screencast.com: http://www.screencast.com/t/G9d4PXgr (opens in new window/tab)