Thursday, December 9, 2010

Terrific programs you MUST check out from Stu Hasic- NSW DET Sydney Region -Regional Technology Adviser

Stu Hasic (of EduWeb renown) has terrific insight into, and much experience of, what is really needed and what will work in our DET system. Check out some of his engaging programs that will really immerse your students into stimulating learning activities.

  Stu wrote: "Student Response Network (SRN) is a powerful 'virtual Clicker' student response system designed for use in school computer labs or with wireless laptop groups. It does away with the need for personal handheld 'clicker' devices by providing a software-only solution for use with networked Windows desktops or laptops. What's a clicker? For a few years now, Personal Response Systems (PRS) and Student Response Systems (SRS) have been making major inroads into classrooms and lecture halls, particularly in Universities and Colleges. These “clicker” systems literally put engagement, motivation, participation and instant feedback into the palm of each student’s hand. Teacher asks a question, EVERYBODY gets to answer. Answers are instantly analysed and discussed. Cool. Real participation for all students. OK, I'm probably confusing you, so just go have a look at it: Student Response Network


 SRN Client for iPad now available at the App Store! …Stu has been APProved!!! :)
You'll need to get SRN Server installed on a PC to actually use the iPad client. You can get it here: http://studentresponsenetwork.com
"You can have a roomful of people all using different clients - some on iPad, some on iPhone, some with Windows desktops or laptops and some with Mac desktops or laptops. But only the iPad does the screen rotation thingo." Stu shared

Also check out his Quiz Boxes program @
As Interactive Whiteboards (IWBs) and data projectors become more widely used in schools, there is a need for motivating, interactive and educational software to complement them. Many of the IWB titles available involve working with one student while everybody else looks on. That’s where Stu’s Quiz Boxes is different. Firstly it’s all about teamwork Quiz Boxes can be played by up to 6 teams!

 And there's still more: Stu has designed and developed a Talking Times Tables Tester that you can easily place on your desktops for students to access easily.