Using SMART Podiums in classrooms

Some Lehigh classrooms are equipped with SMART Podiums for easy screen annotation. The SMART Podium works the same as your typical monitor display, but with the addition of annotation using a stylus directly on the display, newer models also function as touch screen monitors. When you are projecting to a classroom display/projection system, the notes, illustrations, highlights, and other annotations you make on the SMART Podium will also be displayed on the classroom display/projection system.

Getting started

The first time you login to a computer with a SMART podium, you see a screen called, Welcome to SMART Ink. This window contains basic instructions about how to use SMART Ink. Review as needed and click on “Got it” button to close tutorial.

Basic annotation

You can change the color/type of the annotations as well as the function of the stylus using the physical buttons located either on the right-side (pictured below left) or top (pictured below right) of the physical device, depending on model.In short, you can annotate over just about any screen/application on the display, though certain features may vary depending on if the application you are running supports additional functionality. Please note, newer SMART podium models support touch as well; however, for the purpose of this documentation, we recommend using the SMART stylus attached to the SMART podium for a consistent experience regardless of classroom.

To annotate, simply pick up the stylus and begin making annotations on the display. Your annotations will show up.

To erase your annotations, either press the button or select the eraser option. Alternatively, on newer models, you can simply use the top of the stylus as you would a pencil with an eraser on top.

Annotating over a PowerPoint slide presentation (or Microsoft Office applications)

When you open a Microsoft Office program such as PowerPoint, your annotations are location/slide-aware. That is, if you annotate the current slide, those annotations will stay associated with that slide and not persist when you advance to the next slide. And, if you return to a previous slide, the annotations associated with that slide will return as well. This feature is made possible by Microsoft Ink which is enabled by default in Microsoft Office applications, and is accessible from the menu ribbon at the top of the screen.

How to annotate

Start slide show
Choose your pen color by pressing the desired button
Start annotating with the attached stylus

If you want to SAVE your annotations so they appear the next time you open the presentation, simply save changes to the presentation. If you DO NOT want to save annotations, be sure to not save the changes to the presentation.

Annotating everything else (web browsers including Google slides, PDF documents, other applications)

To annotate everything else, including web pages, PDF documents, and other non-MS Office applications, simply pick up the stylus, select the pen color, and start annotating. Annotations are not location-aware, including in Google Slides (which is essentially web content), so you will need to clear your annotations on your current screen before opening another document, browser window/tab, or advancing to the next Google slide.

Using the SMART podium as a whiteboard

You can use the SMART podium similarly to how you use a whiteboard in a classroom. Simply launch the SMART Notebook application or Microsoft OneNote and begin annotating using the attached stylus. You can save your annotations in either of these applications to post to Course Site or refer back to at a later time.

Basic troubleshooting and common questions

The monitor appears to be off, despite the room audio/video system being turned on?

It is possible that the SMART podium itself may be powered off. To turn on the SMART podium, simply press the power button located at the bottom-left (pictured below left) or top-left (pictured below right) of the physical device, depending on device model.

How do I hide the SMART Ink tools menu icon?

The SMART Ink tools icon (pictured to the left) shows up by default on the current screen being displayed on the SMART Podium. While this overlay icon is small, you may wish to hide it. Not all SMART Podium models support this feature. However, if this is supported, you will find five buttons on the right side of the physical display. The lower button (pictured in the diagram below) will hide the SMART Ink tools overlay icon.

I don't see the SMART Ink icon. How do I turn SMART Ink back on?

Smart Ink may be temporarily disabled in your user profile. The next time you log, you may have to reactivate.

Please click on the bottom button on the right hand side of the monitor.

When I write the text is not aligned with where my pen is placed.

You may need to reorient your touch points. Click on the Smart Board menu in the bottom right in task bar, and select “Orient”.

Follow the instructions on the screen by clicking on the target with the pen and then your finger.

When I try to use the pen to annotate a MS Office file such as word or powerpoint, I am unable to draw and I cannot change pen colors using buttons.

When you are editing an MS word document or powerpoint (not slide show mode), you may need to use the tools built into Microsoft Office applications, and they are accessible from the draw menu in the ribbon at the top of the screen.

How to annotate with MS Ink

Open the draw tab in the menu ribbon
Select your pen type
Start annotating with the attached stylus
Click the save button to save your annotations

Additional Information:

https://support.smarttech.com/docs/software/ink/ink-5/en/home.cshtml

https://support.smarttech.com/docs/hardware/podiums/podium-sp624/en/home.cshtml

https://go.smarttech.com/resources-for-teachers

Some Lehigh classrooms are equipped with SMART Podiums for easy screen annotation. The SMART Podium works the same as your typical monitor display, but with the addition of annotation using a stylus directly on the display, newer models also function as touch screen monitors. When you are projecting to a classroom display/projection system, the notes, illustrations, highlights, and other annotations you make on the SMART Podium will also be displayed on the classroom display/projection system.

Getting started

The first time you login to a computer with a SMART podium, you see a screen called, Welcome to SMART Ink. This window contains basic instructions about how to use SMART Ink. Review as needed and click on “Got it” button to close tutorial.

Basic annotation

You can change the color/type of the annotations as well as the function of the stylus using the physical buttons located either on the right-side (pictured below left) or top (pictured below right) of the physical device, depending on model.In short, you can annotate over just about any screen/application on the display, though certain features may vary depending on if the application you are running supports additional functionality. Please note, newer SMART podium models support touch as well; however, for the purpose of this documentation, we recommend using the SMART stylus attached to the SMART podium for a consistent experience regardless of classroom.

To annotate, simply pick up the stylus and begin making annotations on the display. Your annotations will show up.

To erase your annotations, either press the button or select the eraser option. Alternatively, on newer models, you can simply use the top of the stylus as you would a pencil with an eraser on top.

Annotating over a PowerPoint slide presentation (or Microsoft Office applications)

When you open a Microsoft Office program such as PowerPoint, your annotations are location/slide-aware. That is, if you annotate the current slide, those annotations will stay associated with that slide and not persist when you advance to the next slide. And, if you return to a previous slide, the annotations associated with that slide will return as well. This feature is made possible by Microsoft Ink which is enabled by default in Microsoft Office applications, and is accessible from the menu ribbon at the top of the screen.

How to annotate

Start slide show
Choose your pen color by pressing the desired button
Start annotating with the attached stylus

If you want to SAVE your annotations so they appear the next time you open the presentation, simply save changes to the presentation. If you DO NOT want to save annotations, be sure to not save the changes to the presentation.

Annotating everything else (web browsers including Google slides, PDF documents, other applications)

To annotate everything else, including web pages, PDF documents, and other non-MS Office applications, simply pick up the stylus, select the pen color, and start annotating. Annotations are not location-aware, including in Google Slides (which is essentially web content), so you will need to clear your annotations on your current screen before opening another document, browser window/tab, or advancing to the next Google slide.

Using the SMART podium as a whiteboard

You can use the SMART podium similarly to how you use a whiteboard in a classroom. Simply launch the SMART Notebook application or Microsoft OneNote and begin annotating using the attached stylus. You can save your annotations in either of these applications to post to Course Site or refer back to at a later time.

Basic troubleshooting and common questions

The monitor appears to be off, despite the room audio/video system being turned on?

It is possible that the SMART podium itself may be powered off. To turn on the SMART podium, simply press the power button located at the bottom-left (pictured below left) or top-left (pictured below right) of the physical device, depending on device model.

How do I hide the SMART Ink tools menu icon?

The SMART Ink tools icon (pictured to the left) shows up by default on the current screen being displayed on the SMART Podium. While this overlay icon is small, you may wish to hide it. Not all SMART Podium models support this feature. However, if this is supported, you will find five buttons on the right side of the physical display. The lower button (pictured in the diagram below) will hide the SMART Ink tools overlay icon.

I don't see the SMART Ink icon. How do I turn SMART Ink back on?

Smart Ink may be temporarily disabled in your user profile. The next time you log, you may have to reactivate.

Please click on the bottom button on the right hand side of the monitor.

When I write the text is not aligned with where my pen is placed.

You may need to reorient your touch points. Click on the Smart Board menu in the bottom right in task bar, and select “Orient”.

Follow the instructions on the screen by clicking on the target with the pen and then your finger.

When I try to use the pen to annotate a MS Office file such as word or powerpoint, I am unable to draw and I cannot change pen colors using buttons.

When you are editing an MS word document or powerpoint (not slide show mode), you may need to use the tools built into Microsoft Office applications, and they are accessible from the draw menu in the ribbon at the top of the screen.

How to annotate with MS Ink

Open the draw tab in the menu ribbon
Select your pen type
Start annotating with the attached stylus
Click the save button to save your annotations

Additional Information:

https://support.smarttech.com/docs/software/ink/ink-5/en/home.cshtml

https://support.smarttech.com/docs/hardware/podiums/podium-sp624/en/home.cshtml

https://go.smarttech.com/resources-for-teachers