The Livescribe Pen was a big hit at the CMC Conference in my session on flipping the math classroom. As always, I was so inspired by the enthusiasm of the participants, I thought of more ideas to share. So here’s my brainstorm of all the reasons you should record your math notes with a Livescribe Pen:
- Students can listen to your recordings before taking notes in class (to “get the gist” as in a close reading process). Will this make them less attentive in class? Or will they accelerate more quickly and ask better questions? Worth some action research, I think.
- Absent students can listen to and record notes they missed.
- New students can review content you have already covered to fill in holes in their learning.
- RSP, EL, and struggling students can listen to notes again for reinforcement.
- And of course, the strategy I offered in my session – use a Livescribe Pen recording as a flipped lesson so students learn vocabulary and introductory level information before class. They can copy these into their own notebooks so you can use class time for unanswered questions and higher level problem solving.
- Parents can also watch your note recordings to re-learn the math to help their students at home.
Additional classroom applications of a pen include:
- Use the sound stickers to attach audio to your word walls – record the word, definition, sentence frames, and examples so students can “listen to the walls.” They plug their earbuds into the pen, tap the tip on the sticker, and hear whatever you recorded. (Replace the ink tip with the provided stylus tip so students are not marking the stickers.) You can make this a fun activity by hiding secret code words in your audio as a scavenger hunt game.
- Use sound stickers to record audio with your chart paper examples. Students can listen to how the sample problems were solved again by taking the pen to the chart and tapping on the sticker.
- Struggling writers can use a sound sticker to attach an audio explanation to their work instead of writing.
- Students use the pen and paper to make a video recording of their mathematical arguments, which are then used in a flipped lesson on critiquing the arguments of others (SMP 3).
Be sure to check out the Livescribe Education site for more ideas!
UPDATE: Be sure to check out this comparison of the different types of pens available. I use the Echo pen which creates audio-enhanced PDF files. Get 15% off with this link!