MimioTeach Interactive Whiteboard – A Powerful Solution
Assistive Technology Blog
Let me start off by saying I have always been a big fan of the MimioTeach™ interactive whiteboard and have watched it over the years evolve to a very robust and powerful solution for the classroom. The MimioTeach interactive whiteboard from its inception is pure genius- simply affix the Mimio bar to a whiteboard and within seconds you have an entire interactive whiteboard system at your disposal.
Not to date myself but when I was first introduced to the Mimio many years ago the big attraction was capturing ink from whiteboards when using dry erase markers- so you can see how quickly things have changed. Having the opportunity to try out the latest solution from Mimio- the MimioTeach was really exciting from the un-boxing to the point of actually using it in the classroom. The MimioTeach interactive whiteboard is now packaged in a beautifully designed high tech looking box which when opened reveals the newly designed white bow shaped MimioTeach bar. The MimioTeach is elegantly designed and has that high tech look we have come to expect from these type of products. On the MimioTeach itself there are two buttons and one Power/Status LED light, and on the left side of the bar is the docking station for the stylus which is firmly held in place with magnets that are inside the MimioTeach bar. The two buttons on the MimioTeach are designated for Calibration and Launching the tools and the Power/Status LED light on the front gives the user feedback that the bar is on and communicating properly with the Mimio Hub, which plugs into the USB port on your computer which supports both Mac and Windows.
It is nice to see that a lot of thought has gone into the un-boxing experience and getting up and running. Once you open the box there is a ten step visual prompt on the inside of the box cover that moves you through the getting started process. From installing the MimioStudio™ classroom software to doing a firmware upgrade on the MimioTeach bar the process was smooth and flawless. Following the visual steps was easy and straight forward and within minutes I was up and running. While I was familiar with MimioStudio and using the MimioTeach interactive whiteboard solution I wondered what it would be like for my students to use the system who were not familiar with the MimioTeach interactive whiteboard system. So during one of my summer classes that I teach, I decided to bring it in and have my students set it up and get it up and running.Using the visual set-up guide and the MimioStudio Guide, which I gave to my students, they were up and running without a hitch. Many of my students commented that they could not believe how easy it was to use the MimioStudio software and utilize right out of the box. My students found the software and using the stylus to be very straight forward and many of them were surprised at the cost effectiveness and the functionality as compared to standalone interactive whiteboards that are often installed in classrooms and cost thousands of dollars. My students enjoyed using the MimioStudio software and the vast array of pictures and interactive media in the library to craft some quick pages in the notebook. Teachers can also add MimioVote™ assessment, MimioCapture™ ink recorder and MimioView™ document camera to round out this classroom offering. Having access to the MimioTeach Interactive Whiteboard gives teachers the flexibility to create interactive and engaging lessons that students of today expect from their teachers. Having access to the MimioTeach interactive whiteboard gives teachers a great starting point that can grow with them as they need more functionality. Considering the austere budgets that schools have to work with the MimioTeach interactive whiteboard is a powerful and full featured classroom solution that is easy to install and use right out of the box. As I like to say, if you have a whiteboard in your classroom you are half way there to providing your students with an exciting and engaging interactive learning experience-now all you need to add is the MimioTeach interactive whiteboard.
Please look for another post about the MimioTeach interactive whiteboard and the MimioMobile™ application for the iPad coming soon!
About Mimio
Mimio is a global leader in interactive teaching technologies that offer a better way to learn and an empowering way to teach. Our award-winning, innovative, and affordable hardware, software, and curriculum increase teacher effectiveness and student engagement in K-12 classrooms. For more information, visit mimio.com.
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