Many schools are standardizing on Google Chromebooks for teacher and student use and because of this, we receive a lot of questions regarding the use of Chromebooks with SMART Board Interactive Flat Panel (IFP) Displays.
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In this post and accompanying video, you will learn how your SMART IFP is designed to work seamlessly with your classroom of Chromebooks.
Touch Interaction
For potential cause #2, install the drivers necessary for the USB-FRU cable used with the 500-series SMART Board interactive whiteboards. To install the drivers for Windows XP operating system Download the USB-FRU cable drivers and follow the on-screen instructions to save the file to your desktop.
NOTE: Suitable for SMART Board 800 series interactive whiteboards and SMART Board 800i interactive whiteboard systems Wireless connection – for the 800 series Use wireless technology to make installations more flexible and reduce the number of cable connections between your computer, projector and SMART Board interactive whiteboard. Update Display/Graphics Driver Running an outdated graphic driver could also cause your Windows 10 computer not to detect monitors over HDMI. To fix that, update your PC's graphics driver. Standard SMART USB Cable Your 600i interactive whiteboard comes with a 16' (5 m) USB cable. Use this cable to connect the SMART Board 660 or 680 interactive whiteboard to the Unifi projector’s USB receptacle. Extended Connection Panel and Cable.
Basic Chromebook info: your Chromebook is running the Chrome operating system, which does not allow for the installation of software such as SMART Notebook or SMART Product Drivers — both of which are required for the SMART Board touch and pen interaction.
However, the Chrome OS has its own built in touch drivers. These enable touch interaction with a variety of interactive products, including the complete line of SMART Board Interactive Flat Panels. By simply plugging in the USB cable into your Chromebook, you will have enabled the touch interaction for the SMART Board.
Simultaneous Touch Points & Gestures
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A 6000 Series SMART IFP supports up to 4 simultaneous touch points and a 4000 Series SMART IFP supports up to 10 simultaneous touch points when run by the Chrome OS. With either SMART Board you will have plenty of touch points if you decide to have multiple students working together at the display.
Having access to simultaneous touch points is also important if you are using certain cloud-based applications. If your school subscribes to digital content providers like GOMath or ReadyGen, you will be able to access the content through the Chrome Web Browser and utilize the simultaneous touch points feature. You will also be able to perform gestures such as zooming in and out by using the familiar “pinch” common on many smart phones.
Inking
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Using a Chromebook, you lose some of the great features that make inking on a SMART IFP such a great experience. Features like SMART Ink, Pen ID, Object Awareness, and automatic tool switching in SMART amp do not work.
To ink on the SMART Board using your Chromebook, you will need to access an app that has built-in inking tools like SMART amp.
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With the absence of SMART ink and other premium features such as Object Awareness, having the ability to pick up a pen and have the board recognize the difference between your finger and fist as an both a pen and eraser are affected. However, any cloud software with built in inking tools such as SMART amp will allow you to use the embedded inking tools by simply selecting them with your finger.
Check out the video below where I demonstrate the different types of interactions you can have with a Chromebook on a SMART IFP. In the video, I am using a 6000 Series SMART Board.
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Written by Joseph Sanfilippo, Director of E-Learning
Smart Board (Interactive Whiteboard)
For further assistance:
ECM Classroom Support: (585) 275-9014
Email: ecmhelp@rochester.edu
Smart Board is the brand name of an interactive whiteboard used by the Warner School of Education in LeChase Hall. The first floor classrooms (which are shared between Warner and AS&E) have a number of these Smart Boards installed. Warner School IT support is responsible for warranty repairs and support for the whiteboards in LeChase Hall.
*NOTE: Your laptop has to meet miniumum requirements
If you want to use the whiteboard with your laptop first download and install the drivers from Smart Board's website here: Smart Board Support site (Link gets you to the Smart Product Drivers. You choose latest driver for your Mac or PC, download & install).
Directions for Mac (PDF)
Directions for PC (PDF)
The Smart Board drivers will allow you to hook your laptop to the Smart Board USB cable which will turn it into a large scale 'tablet' you can use to open/close or draw on your PowerPoint slides. Good options for this style of lecturing would be Word, PowerPoint or Microsoft OneNote (Download MicroSoft OneNote) which all allow you to mark-up a blank page with whatever notes you want to write on the board during class. These Microsoft Office applications are 'ink-aware' when you attach the Smart Board USB cable and will allow you to mark-up blank pages or PowerPoint slides with the pens located in the pen tray on the Smart Board.
Some links to videos of Smart Board being used in the course of a lecture:
- Introduction to the Smart Board (requires Flash plug-in)
- Teaching Physics with a Smart Board (Vassar College)