Supplementing Classroom Instruction with Pencasts

Vinnie GuptaMechanical Engineering @RIT

What is a Smart Pen ?

Livescribe Echo or Pulse Records what you hear and write You write on special dot-paper Audio and Notes are synchronized Information is stored in “Pencast” file Pencast is replayed using free

Livescribe Desktop software

Echo Smartpen Package

Echo Smartpen

Dot Paper (Anoto AB Pattern)

Where can it be used ?

Academic: Lecture Notes Business: Meeting Notes Creative: Sketches with audio

commentary How-Tos . . .

Where did I use it?

Winter quarter (20102) Mechanics II course Problem Solving Sessions

Class Example (MyCourses) Homework Problem (Email)

4-step Problem Solving Method (PDFS)

Parse: identify knowns & unknowns

Draw: draw a suitable diagram

Formulate: write relevant equations

Solve: solve the equation set

Problem Statement

If the length of one side of a triangle is 22”, and the angles at its two ends are 25 and 40, find the other two side lengths.

Demonstration

Create notes and audio Upload to a PC Replay as a Pencast file

Concluding Remarks

Used it in the 2nd half of Winter quarter

Uploaded each class example file to MyCourses

Emailed a HW problem solution to an individual student upon request

Do not have data to comment on its usefulness

Concluding Remarks (contd.) Tactile feel is natural – unlike

writing or drawing on a tablet PC Pen is

Low cost ~ $200 Portable ~ regular pen without pocket

clip Large Storage ~ 400 hours audio

Uploading or replaying is easy Can speed up or down the replay

Comments / Questions ?

Supplement instruction ? Replace instruction ? Assist a student ?

What is smart about pen?

Dot pattern identifies specific location on a page in a notebook

Write or draw or both Link audio to notes Annotate a recording later Built-in apps (calculator, piano …)