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Down With A Case of Buyer's
Remorse?
You thought it was a good idea at the time, but now...
If you own another brand of "clickers" and would like to switch to the worldwide leader in student response systems, we'll help you get it done!
Give us your existing system - any other brand of student response system or even an set of old blue eInstruction clickers - and we'll give you a 1-1 credit for nearly half of the price toward a new CPS IR or RF 32-pad system!
Download a flyer
or
contact us
for more details on this amazing trade-in program!
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Fan Mail for the
Interwrite Pad
Read how the Interwrite Pad changed the way Florida music teacher Bruno Kazenas teaches elementary music here!
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The Palm Springs Unified School District had something to accomplish...and the Interwrite Pad was the answer. Check it out!
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Superintendent Jeff Clark never heard a complaint about the Interwrite Pad from his teachers, but he did hear one from a student. The student wondered why more teachers weren't using Interwrite Pads!
Read his story here.
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Need to Scrape Up Some Tech Moo-lah?
Get more information on these upcoming grant opportunities...
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Excellence in Teaching Technology Grant
12/01/08 deadline
Alan Shepard Technology In Education Award
1/19/09 deadline
Toyota TAPESTRY Grants for Science Teachers
1/21/09
Music Matters Grant
2/04/09
Educational Resources $2500 Technology Vouchers
4/01/09
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Clickers
in the News
A neat idea about using clickers to
help kids make the transition from 8th grade to high school...
Grade 8s Learning About High School
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A great article summarizing the experiences of three college campuses using clickers...
Clicker U
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Clickers are changing how teachers teach in Sidney, Iowa...
Sidney Schools Tapping In To New Technology
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For more CPS In the News, visit our website.
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Introduction to CPSIntroduction to Workspace 7.7Using ExamView with CPSIntroduction to Workspace 4.2 for MacInteractive PowerPoint PresentationsAdvanced CPS FeaturesIntro to WorkspaceAdvanced Workspace 7.7CPS Online Class Creation for Higher EdIntro to ExamView 6.2Intro to PRS 4.42Advanced Response 5.1 for PRS & Cricket
For the complete and most up-to-date schedule of
webinars OR to register to "attend,"
click here.
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Greetings!
Well,
winter has finally arrived here in Nebraska and we've had our first taste of
snow around the state. When the temperature outside is cooling off, there is
never a better time to fire the clickers up in class.
With almost 100 districts
here in Nebraska using CPS now, folks everywhere are continuing to reap the huge
benefits of integrating CPS on a daily basis.
Just recently at a PTO meeting a
parent shared with us how her son was amazed at how much fun class was and how
much better he was doing since they started using CPS in some of his classes.
Wow! Kids having fun, learning and sharing with their parents! These stories
are common, all across Nebraska.
Let us know what we can do to help your staff
implement so their kids can be excited, having fun and learning with their
clickers!
Sincerely,
Dustin Frank
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77" Interwrite Board Just $799!
The Interwrite Board, complete with Workspace ExamView Edition, helps you to demonstrate, illustrate your lessons, and engage students in an entirely new way:
- Display applications, files, and multimedia content from your computer
- Write, draw, annotate, search, map, solve, demonstrate, and compose lessons
- Enjoy the peace of mind that comes with unsurpassed customer support
 Together, the Interwrite Board and Workspace software make it simple to teach and reinforce important concepts with multimedia examples while infusing your lessons with fun.
Now through December 31, 2008, take advantage of these limited time offers and turn your classroom instruction into a collaborative and interactive experience.
- 77" Board just $799
- Upgrade to a wireless connection $150
- Standard stand $275
- Adjustit wall mount stand $1950
- Adjustit floor stand $2050
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Keep Your Eyes Peeled and Avoid These Common Technology Purchase Traps!
The Technology Wave is sweeping across the nation, and the speed with which it is moving is a little overwhelming, to say the least. We are seeing whiteboards, laptops, clickers, iPods, and the Internet change the very approach that teachers take to c onnect to students, but how effectively are schools managing this giant technology push?
We ourselves are no experts, but we've seen clicker and whiteboard implementation in many districts around Kansas and Nebraska...some good, some bad. We've witnessed firsthand that there really is an effective way to purchase and implement technology, and we hope to give you the "heads up" to avoid these common technology purchase traps.
TRAP 1: Rush to get the coolest toys.
Although you might be tempted to outfit every classroom with a mounted interactive whiteboard just because they're cool, don't. Instead, identify your goals before buying technology.
We do appreciate the value of full-size mounted interactive whiteboards for lower elementary grades to keep them up, active, and involved. However, the educational advantage doesn't come from the board, but from the computer, projector, and software.
If you've done your research, you'll find that a handheld tablet can bring you all of the power of a mounted interactive whiteboard with the mobility of a magic wand at a fraction of the cost.
What works best in one classroom might not work best in the one next
door. Identify your goals, make a plan, and outfit those classrooms where the technology in question will help to accomplish those goals.
AVOIDING THE TRAP:
Do your research! Ask yourself, "What do we want to
accomplish in this classroom?" and "How can we best accomplish this?"
TRAP 2: Buy cheap, so everyone gets one.
Cost is always a factor, especially when trying to outfit an entire school, but the cheapest item is almost never the best value. Many companies will advertise the lowest price, snag you to purchase, and then admit to extra fees for tech support, yearly software upgrades, additional user licenses, or extra content that you thought was included. In addition, many times the cheapest product won't provide you with the most support after purchase.
One recent example was a projector we saw advertised for roughly $450. WOW...we were blown away by such a great price. However, as we read the fine print, we noticed that it was only 1400 lumens, a projector that would be difficult to see in a classroom even with the lights off! Make sure you are reading the fine print carefully. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is!
AVOIDING THE TRAP:
Seek out references from districts that have done extensive testing and comparison or maybe even a pilot program in their district. Ask to see their results and total cost of ownership.
TRAP 3: Implement new technology without training.
Every new tool requires training. Just ask my 75-year-old father has to have a remote control lesson for our satellite TV every time he visits! Whether it is a 5-minute tutorial on working the remote control or a week-long seminar on teaching in the 21st century, the right professional development is essential.
The bottom line is that if teachers don't know how to use the technology and cannot easily implement it, they won't use it.
In fact, your entire investment in new technology can be wasted without proper training, and the technology you were so proud to purchase ends up as a bookend rather than a beneficial tool for students.
AVOIDING THE TRAP:
Be sure to include appropriate training with your purchase.
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Have Some Fun With These Interactive Thanksgiving Activities! 
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Vote for the Winners in eInstruction's interactive Classroom Makeover Video Contest!
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The
first round of judging in eInstruction's Interactive Classroom Makeover Video Contest has
been completed and the 15 finalists have been chosen - five in each of the three
grade categories (K-5, 6-8 and 9-12). With
nearly 300 video submissions from 40 states and four countries to review and
"grade," the judges narrowed the field to their top 15 and they're now ready for
you, your friends, and your associates - and anyone else you can think of - to
go online and vote your choices at www.eimakeover.com. These votes will help
determine who wins the Grand Prize classroom "makeover" worth more than
$25,000.
If you
haven't already viewed some of these videos, you're in for a treat. Each
submission is an amazing demonstration of collaboration and creativity, and
delivers an important message about technology in the classroom to educators,
students and parents around the world.
Voting ends at 12:00 pm EST on Friday, November 14, so get to www.eimakeover.com and make your vote count!
A big thank you to all who entered the contest. We're especially proud of these entries received from Kansas & Nebraska schools:
Miss Emily Moore's
4th grade class at Shoemaker Elementary, Grand Island, NE
Mrs. Tami Petrulis's 3rd grade class at Brownell Talbot School, Omaha, NE
Mr. Joe Douglas's and students at Lansing Middle School, Lansing, KS
Mrs. Deb Brubaker and 4th graders at Minneapolis Grade School, Minneapolis, KS
Ms. Jan Sanford
and students at Valley Center Middle School,
Valley Center, KS
Mrs. Kathy Powers' 7th Grade Class at Wilson Jr. /High School,
Wilson, KS
Mrs. Kathy Powers' 8th Grade Class at Wilson Jr. /High School,
Wilson, KS
Mrs. Megan Vittitow and students at Augusta Middle School,
Augusta, KS
Mrs. Rhonda Gierhan
and students at Clay Center Community Middle School,
Clay Center, KS
Mr. Keith Kucera and the American Government Class at Elm Creek Public School,
Elm Creek, NE
Mrs. Shannon Troutman's 4th grade class at Stanley Elementary,
Overland Park, KS
Ms. CiCi Naifeh
and students at All Saints Catholic School,
Wichita, KS
Ms. Jamie Weil
and students at Wilson High School,
Wilson, KS
Mr. Allen Furlong's class at
McDonald Elementary School,
North Platte, NE
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New Training Resources Available
You can find new training resources available on our Training Page, including links to new online tutorials and printable modules.
You'll also see links to new Quick Step Guides on the eInstruction website. These are super resources when you need specific instructions quickly! They go right along with the video tutorials.
Last but not least, don't forget the FREE online webinars available from eInstruction.
"It's all to do with the training:
you can do a lot if you're properly
trained."
Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
(b. 1926). Television documentary, BBC1, 6 Feb. 1992.
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