The LiveScribe Pulse SmartPen

In sitting down to decide what to post about for the first ever blog post, the choice was easy.  This particular technological tool has been the most valuable addition to my teaching practice.  The LiveScribe Pulse Pen is a lot more than a regular ink pen.  The pen uses a tiny IR camera that picks up on almost invisible minuscule dots on the pages of the company’s special notebooks to record what you write.  Thus, all of your notes, or whatever it is you chose to write in the notebook are not only produced in ink as usual, but are also transferred onto your computer in digital form.  The software comes with handwriting recognition so that you can search your notes by keyword.

That technology alone would not be that impressive.  Getting a digital copy of your notes is as simple as scanning in your notebook pages, a minor inconvenience, but no big deal.  However, also included on the smart pen is a small microphone that records audio as you write.  Beautiful!  Videos of the writing, tied in with the audio can be viewed on your computer.  In addition, you can upload these videos to their website, where you can embed them in your class website or blog.

Students love this resource. Before tests, when they get lost on a particular type of problem, they can actually have Mr. Kadin walk them through it! Not to mention, if you are lucky enough to have a projector in your classroom, when you are out of school, the students can get a full (though not interactive) lecture from you. You don’t have to waste the day by having them watch a movie and answer questions. Or you can use it to explain the homework problems as you walk around and check who’s completed them, a valuable time saving strategy. Admittedly, this is not a free or even cheap option (mine cost 150 bucks, but I think the cost has gone down some), but it’s value is so high, that I thought I’d share it with you anyway. It’s not something that schools are talking about, but is it something they should be? Maybe just one for the school or teachers who will be absent, or just to bring in to your teaching every once in a while. Even if you don’t have the pen, check out the website for other teachers teaching similar content. It might be helpful for your students.

I think the pen is mostly marketed towards students, who can take notes and link the teacher’s lecture audio to the notes themselves. The product, I believe, is most valuable the other way. Teachers can teach, re-teach, or reinforce their work for any kid who has an internet connection at home. For those who don’t, hopefully there is a computer in the school where the kids can take a look when studying.