Wii Want Whiteboards! Well, Wii’ll See (Part 2)

Okay, I've already got a laptop and I can download Johnny Lee's software for free. An LCD projector typically sells for P60,000 (cheapest I could find in one place, need to check other places), the infrared LED sells for about P40, an old pen for nothing, a Wii Remote for about P2,000 (haven't seen one here, I just checked Amazon). That's about P62,040. Maybe add around P500 for extra things I haven't thought of.

That's P62,540 (which translates to less than US$1400). If I shop for a second hand projector, I might be able to afford everything right now.

Is it portable?

Other than the laptop and the projector, the Wii Remote is the only other bulky item and no one would even consider calling it bulky! It will easily fit in the laptop's or the projector's bag.

How fast to set it up?

Based on Johnny Lee's videos, set up is a breeze! For best results, rear projection is preferrable since you won't cast a shadow on the screen when you stand in front of it and the projector won't blind you when you face your audience. Second best would be to have front projection with the projector mounted overhead. Third, of course, is to have the projector on a table in front of the screen.

Is this easy for an non-computer savy English teacher? I certainly think so. If he can work a presentation but not savy enough to set up the system, he can have someone set it up for him. However, even one teacher friend of mine, who is very wary of computers, can easily learn how to set it up and use it, I'm sure.

Out of curiosity:

Some of my professors use a tablet (kind of like a tablet pc - only it plugs into the USB of your laptop or computer and doesn't cost nearly as much) and Windows Journal to write things down through the standard projectors already available. The teachers aren't casting shadows on the board, they get to use the tablet like a pen and paper, so it is slightly neater than writing with a marker on a white-board. How does a set-up like this compare to the whiteboard you are intending to build?

I can't wait for the next installment

ShakespeareTheEngineer may want to add to this, but I see no reason why you couldn't use the Wii whiteboard setup and use it with a tablet.

Instead of pointing the Wii remote at the screen, you could point it at a white or reflective tablet size surface. As far as the Wii sensor is concerned it doesn't care if its looking at the screen or a white board, it just needs to have something that corresponds to the calibration points. As long as you calibrate it with what you are using, it should work just fine to give the same tablet experience.

That is exactly right. You can even use it right on a computer screen if that works for your purpose. A TV screen would also work, as well. As long as the Wiimote can see you IR source and you have a place to calibrate, you can use it.

That means you can even have it on the floor, of projected over a poster or dry-erase board.

I just wanted to clarify what I was saying is that you don't need to use the Wii whiteboard on the same surface that you project the screen. You could project the image on a screen in the front of the room for all to see but instead of pointing your Wii remote at the screen point it at say a desk and pretend the desk is the screen even tho nothing is projected on it. When you calibrate just do your best to touch the spots on the desk that would correspond with where the points would be if it was projected on the desk. Now move the IR pen around on the desk while looking up at the screen, and the desk is now your tablet.

More Power to you and to Mr. Lee!! If you come across difficulties, post them here, and I'm sure wii (the CR4 community) can and will help! Dick

Certainly, applying modern technology to the teaching (arena...) is an ongoing necessity.

However, requiring students to build even the simplest working scale model, as a problem solution, will convey an even greater degree of understanding than non-hands-on teaching methods.

Any white-boarding type of development of a (100% percent "correct") solution to problem will always be relatively two-dimensional, in comparison to the "heft" of only a half-correct real-world solution, such as that which a scale model can provide, not to mention it's value as project management experience.

While such models can be time-consuming and costly, the value of just one such model would tend to cause mere knowledge into becoming actual understanding.

So, no matter how much knowledge is conveyed through classroom theory, the work-a-day world will be better off with the practical understanding of actually constructing physical models. And it can promote more teamwork and better communication, as well...

With some obvious exceptions, I think the "learn-by-doing" model is almost always the one that conveys the deepest understanding.

But two-dimensional overviews and teaching of mandatory pre-project content also has its place.

Right on both!

I have the impression that 'Guest' thinks the whiteboard is instead of, rather than in addition to, more hands-on learning processes.

Besides, which models can they build when you are teaching English? I suppose models of the Globe and Ford theaters, or perhaps a medieval jousting arena, and of course costumes...

Now I have to confess that I retired from teaching over 13 years ago, so much may have changed that I'm not aware of, and I've only seen a Wii once for just a few minutes, so I'm only vaguely aware of its capabilities and software availability.

Let me make a minor, but significant, correction.

For the record, I am afraid that any visually impressive technology, such as the Wii Whiteboard, COULD become more "instead of", rather than "in addition to", the more hands-on learning types of learning processes...

But that is always the risk you run with "visually impressive technology". Even the traditional chalk blackboard ran the risk in dramatically changing instruction to a less book oriented and/or hands on system.

It is always in how you use it.

I was reading a blog that someone wrote that said that it used to be that people didn't need to play with things (in class) in order to understand. Those days it used to be long hours of lectures with no hands-on activities.

Now with the prevalence of disorders as ADD and such, education has made strides to keep the attention of adolescents. Plus, I am sure that way back then, a lot more kids played with objects and learned through practice and making their own mistakes. They are the ones that are good with cars even though they don't have a mechanical degree or the ones that can wire a house just from DIY. A lot less kids these days go home and tweak the engines on their cars or fix fuses. They call 'professionals'. While I agree that playing with things that you have no idea what you are doing with can be very dangerous (electricity can kill you if you are ignorant/careless enough), it used to be the norm. Now school are expected to provide that type of learning.

It may be fairly reasonable for some to be taught in schools, but nothing can replace the learning you accomplish on your own and not because it is an assignment.