Using the Sympodium Interactive Pen Display

Benefits of Using the Sympodium:

Create notes and mark-up interactive content such as PowerPoint slides or web pages, all while facing your students instead of a whiteboard.
Capture screenshots of your notes to refer back to at a later time or to post for students in your myWPI course site.

Note:

The Sympodium Interactive Pen Display is currently installed in the following electronic classrooms at WPI: SL 104, SL 105, SL 115, AK 116, AK 219, AK 232, AK 233, SH 106 and the TV Studio in Fuller Laboratories.

Sympodium ID370

Using the Sympodium

You can either use the tool buttons on the Sympodium itself, or launch a floating toolbar that appears on the screen. Either option allows you to switch between "mouse mode" and "pen mode."

Using the Tool Buttons

Pen Tools

To switch from mouse mode into pen mode, open the application or file you plan to discuss and mark-up. If the file is a PowerPoint presentation, you must start the slideshow.
Select a pen color from the top of the Sympodium in the Pen Tools area.
Begin marking up your screen. The pen is located at the top of the Sympodium. You can also use the mouse as pen.
To switch back to mouse mode, simply press the Select button on the Sympodium.

Function Tools

	The Right Mouse button works only in pen mode. When you press the button, the pen's next contact with the screen is interpreted as a right-click with a mouse. This allows you to do limited mouse functions with the pen.
	The Keyboard button launches an on-screen keyboard.
	The Notebook button launches the Notebook software, which allows you to add content and mark it up with the tools, much like a blank page in a notebook.
	The Capture button launches the Capture toolbar, which is used for taking screenshots of your markups. See the instructions below on capturing screen shots.
	The Tools button launches the floating toolbar, which offers much of the same functionality as the tool buttons, as well as some additional functionality.

Using the Floating Toolbar

Click the Tools button at the bottom of the Sympodium to launch the floating toolbar.

The floating toolbar can "float" anywhere on the screen, meaning that you can click on the gray area of the toolbar with the mouse and drag it to a different location on the screen.

	The Area Capture button allows you to capture an area of the screen to the Notebook software and save it for later reference. For more capture options, see the instructions below.
	The Select tool allows you to work in mouse mode using either the mouse or the pen.
	The Pen tool allows you to markup the screen, using either the pen or the mouse.
	The Highlight tool allows you to highlight areas of the screen, using either the pen or the mouse.
	The Undo button allows you to undo an action or markup.
	The Eraser button allows you to erase markups on the screen using either the pen or mouse.
	When you press the Right Click button in pen mode, the pen's next contact with the screen is interpreted as a right-click with a mouse.
	The More button gives you a few more options, such as exploring Sympodium documentation.

Capturing Screenshots of Mark-ups

Press the Capture function button to launch the Capture Toolbar on your screen.
Select the appropriate capture option from the Capture Toolbar. The first button captures an area of the screen, the second button captures an entire window, the third button captures the entire screen, and the fourth button captures freehand drawings.
If you selected the the first option to select a capture area, you must click and drag the mouse to select an area of your screen to capture. Otherwise, the software automatically captures your active window or whole screen.
Save your capture.

Tip:

If you are in an electronic classroom, make sure you save image captures to your local Network drive!

References:

Smart Technologies (2007). Sympodium ID370 interactive pen display. Retrieved July 2, 2007.

Maintained by itweb@wpi.edu
Last modified: Jul 02, 2007, 13:58 EDT