Jul
30

ActiveInspire: How to use Equations with Flipcharts

Di GoodmanActivInspire Tutorials, IWB, eLearningNo Comments

Equations and ActiveInspire

The following tutorials will help Maths teachers who are new to using ActiveInspire and who wish to create lesson flipcharts with equations. Equations created with the equation editor in Microsoft word will not copy across into ActiveInspire, although news on the net suggests that the creators of MathType are collaborating with ActiveInspire to streamline the process of inserting and editing equations in flipcharts. Following are some tutorials for working around the problem. MathType is used to create a library of equation resources which are saved in a folder and can then be inserted in flipcharts as needed.

Remember to Save your flipchart as you work, to avoid pain!

Tutorial 1. Make Equation resources with MathType

Step 1: Open MathType and create as many equations as you need on the one page, leaving some white space around each one. Leave this page open on the desktop.

Step 2: Open ActiveInspire and a new Flipchart will launch

Step 3: Make sure that you have the Area Snapshot tool in your toolbox. (If you don’t, go to Edit menu > Profile > Commands > Scroll down in the All Tools window to select it. Click add to add it to the main toolbox)

Step 4: Click on the Desktop Annotate tool and the Flipchart will disappear, leaving the ActiveInspire toolbox visible. Click on the Area Selection tool and then click and drag around the first equation. With the equation selected, locate the Area selection dialogue box open on the desktop and click on My Resources. Save the equation in a new folder called Equations inside your Flipcharts folder. Give it an appropriate title. To save time, repeat this step, saving all equations inside the Equations folder.

Step 5: Click back on the Desktop Annotate tool in the toolbox to take you back to the Flipchart. Make sure you have the correct Flipchart open (look at the tabs at the top of the page. Always save and name your flipcharts so that you know which one you are working on. Close any ‘Untitled’ flipcharts that you have accidentally created.

Step 6: Go to Insert menu > Insert Media > locate your Equation folder and click on the desired equation.

Step 7: With the pointer tool selected, click and drag the equation object into the desired location. You will not be able to type-edit the formula as it is now an object. To rescale/resize, right click on the object and drag the bottom right handle out or in.

Tutorial 2: Copy text/pics/objects from Word files

Step 1: Have both the Word file and the Flipchart open.

Step 2: Highlight and copy the text in appropriate sections from the Word document

Step 3: Go to the Flipchart page and Edit menu > Paste. The text comes in as a block. Select the Text tool from the toolbox. You may need to add the text tool to your toolbox first (see previous tutorial). You can now position the text cursor inside the copied text and edit it. You can also use the right hand handle of the text box to resize the width of the box. Click on the Move icon just above the text box to move it on the page.

Step 4: Pictures and objects can be copied in the same way however you cant edit an object although you can resize etc via the right-click menu. Use the pointer to reposition it on the page.

Tutorial 3. Combining equations with copied text in a flipchart for a lesson

Step 1: Copy and paste your text from Word onto the flipchart page. Break your text up into legible segments. Its important to copy the text in small blocks that can be easily moved around the flipchart page to provide sufficient space for inserting equations or diagrams etc.

Step 2: Use the text tool to edit any text as required.

Step 3: Position the text block using the pointer tool.

Step 4: To insert equations: Insert menu > Media files > locate the folder where they are stored.

Step 5: Select the pointer tool to move the equation/object diagram into place.

Step 6: Right click on the equation/object to resize etc.

Tutorial 4. Add Pages to flipcharts

Step 1: Go to Insert menu > Page and select whether you want it before or after current page. Use the Previous Page or Next page tools to move through the pages or click on the page thumbnails in the Page Browser (View menu > Browsers)

May
25

ActivInspire Software: Basic skills

Di GoodmanActivInspire Tutorials, Interactive Whiteboards, eLearningComment (1)

Using the ActivPen

  • To select an object: Left-click - Tap the pen nib quickly on the Activboard
  • To show the ‘Object Edit Menu’: Right-click - Hover the pen over the Activboard, less than 5mm away from the board and press the button.
  • To move objects around the page: Click and drag - Click on the object you want to move, hold the pen nib down on the board and then move the pen.
  • Double clicking on the ‘Object Browser’ allows you to show/hide an object. Double-click - Two quick taps with the Activpen’s nib performs the same action as double-clicking with a mouse.

Calibrating the ActivBoard

On the computer:

  • Click on the ‘Activmanager’ icon in the menu bar.
  • Select ‘Calibrate’.
  • Follow the on-screen instructions.

On the Activboard:

  • Hover the pen over the lit flame in the top left hand corner of the board, don’t push the pen.
  • Follow the on-screen instructions

The ActivInspire Interface

You can choose to view ActivInspire with a primary or studio skin, this option can be changed in the ‘Dashboard‘ under ‘Configure’.
The toolbox: pinning, hiding, rolling up or rolling in
When it is opened the toolbox windows can be viewed in a number of ways- try these:
  • Click on ‘Pin Toolbox’ to unpin/pin
  • Click on the ‘Main Menu’
  • Select ‘View’.
  • Click here to hide the ‘Menu Bar’ that appears at the top of the screen.
  • Roll up the ‘Main Toolbox’.
  • Click on ‘Toolbox Options’.
  • Select ‘Dock top’.
  • Select ‘Roll In’ to hide the shortcut bar

The Pen Tool Workshop

  • Click on the ‘Main Menu’ button
  • Select ‘File’ > New Flipchart, or,
  • Select ‘Open’ and navigate to the flipchart you wish to open.
  • Make sure the ‘Pen’ tool is selected and choose a suitable line thickness. Write on the flipchart.
  • Right click on any colour in the colour pallet and choose the ‘Colour Picker’. Use the ‘Colour Picker’ to select the background colour. Now use the ‘Pen’ to write on the flipchart with the background colour.
  • Select ‘Fill’.
  • Choose an alternative colour in the colour palette.
  • Click on the flipchart to fill it with the new colour. The magic writing appears!

Manipulating Objects

Hover the pen over each icon to view the titles of each option in the manipulation toolbar

  • Type/click on an existing word in the flipchart
  • Make the writing smaller with the ‘Size Object (Maintain Aspect)’ handle
  • Make the text fainter with the ‘Translucency Slider’
  • Move the word with the ‘Freely Move Object’ marquee handle
  • Select another word.
  • Click on the ‘Rotate Object’ to realign the word
  • Move the object by click directly on the object or,
  • Move an object using ‘Freely Move Object’.

Grouping Objects

Hover the pen over each icon to view the titles of each option in the manipulation toolbar

  • Click and drag over two words to select them both. Choose the ‘Toggle Grouped’ marque handle to group them as one object.
  • Then click on either words to select them.
  • You can move them together as a group.
  • Click on ‘Toggle Grouped’ again to ungroup the words. Select one of the words.
  • Now use ‘Toggle Grouped’ again.
  • Each letter is now an individual object

Eraser, Undo, Redo & Delete

  • To undo an action, click ‘Undo’ button in the toolbox
  • To redo an action, click ‘Redo’ button in the toolbox
  • You can delete an object several ways:
  • With the object selected, click on the ‘Flipchart bin’/ click on the Delete button in the toolbox/click on the delete option in the object manipulation toolbar/use the eraser tool to erase
  • Objects created with the ‘Pen’ tool are called annotations. You can use the ‘Eraser’ to delete annotations. Select the ‘Eraser’, or you can click on the ‘Clear Annotations’ tool in the toolbox/menu

Saving a Flipchart

  • Click on the ‘Main Menu’.
  • Select ‘File’.
  • Select ‘Save As . . .’ and give the new flipchart a suitable name.
  • Click on ‘Save’
  • Be sure to save your flipcharts in some sort of ordered system
  • Save all powerpoint files, pic files etc. used in a flipchart in the same location