District Administration - July 2008 - (Page 37)

INNOVATIONS FOR LEARNING Teachermate, Student Handheld Computer Hardware, $50 The Teachermate handheld computer is a compact mobile learning tool designed speciﬁcally for early elementary students. It resembles a handheld game, and it only takes a few buttons to control the interface. It is light, has rounded edges and extra protection over the screen, and can withstand use by 5-year-olds. It has no moving parts, uses ﬂash memory, and boots up in less than 10 seconds. The Teachermate has a 200MHz, 32-bit, ARM9 computer processor, with 500MB NAND ﬂash RAM and a 16-bit LCD display. There is an SD card slot for future expandability. It has a built-in speaker and a jack for a headphone, as well as a built-in microphone for voice recording. The Teachermate can be charged by either an AC adapter or by a USB connection to a personal computer. In a classroom setting, multiple Teachermates can be charged and synched in an optional synch-and-store case. The Teachermate has a battery life of about 3.5 hours between charges. HAMILTON ELECTRONICS Study Buddy, Student Learning and Study Solution Books and Materials, $69.75 The Study Buddy allows educators and students to record and play practice lessons with the ease of one-touch operation. Using the battery-operated interactive Study Buddy, educators can create a lesson in minutes for individuals or small groups. Using dry erase pens, photographs and other graphics, including artwork on reusable electronic cards, educators can record an accompanying voice instruction that is unique for each study card. Simply by slipping a photo into one of the cards, inserting the card into the reader, and then recording up to 10 seconds of audio, an educator can create a unique learning activity. The lesson remains as created until the card is changed. Study Buddy comes with 36 two-sided reusable laminated cards that provide up to 72 individual 10-second recordings. Study Buddy can assist with learning a foreign language, completing learning center activities, learning math facts, and practicing reading skills, such as learning new vocabulary. www.innovationsforlearning.org MAPS101 Maps101 Maps and Geography Curriculum Resources Books and Materials, $579/annual subscription K12 teachers, students and librarians can access the Web-based Maps101 for more than 4,000 easy-to-print maps and geography learning resources. The Web site also includes more than 200 lesson plans, daily and weekly current events articles, interactive mapping features and satellite imagery, Flash-animated games and quizzes, and current world and U.S. reference atlases. www.maps101.com MITSUBISHI DIGITAL ELECTRONICS 500 series, Projectors Hardware, Starting at $995 Mitsubishi’s new series of XGA projectors includes the XD500U at 2,200 lumens, the XD510U 10U at 2,600 lumens, the XD520U at 3,000 lumens and an SVGA (800x600) model, the SD 510U, at 2,200 lumens. All include Texas Instruments’ new DDP 2230 DMD chip and a sixsegment color wheel (R, G, B, W, Y, C). The ﬁlter-free projectors also have a center lens design and top-loading lamp. Color wall support also allows users to select a particular surface color, including beige, blue, green, pink, blackboard or a new whiteboard setting that helps eliminates hotspots. www.hamiltonelectronics.com www.mitsubishi-presentations.com ns.com www.DistrictAdministration.com July 2008 37 http://www.innovationsforlearning.org http://www.maps101.com http://www.hamiltonelectronics.com http://www.mitsubishi-presentations.com http://www.DistrictAdministration.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - July 2008

District Administration - July 2008
Contents
Editor’s Letter
Letters
News Update
Curriculum Update
Administrator Profile
Conversations
Getting Mobile
School Supplies on a Budget
The Silent Issue
How Well Does This Web Site Work?
New Products
Management Books
Speaking Out
Calendar of Events
Research Center

District Administration - July 2008