SmartClass+
Classroom Management
Platform
Any-Time  Any-Place  Any-Device
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iPads
Androids
Windows PCs
Macs
Smart phones
BYOD
The 21st Century Digital Classroom
Technology in the Classroom
Fifty years ago, teachers could walk into almost
any classroom in the world and find their
familiar chalk & blackboard teaching tools, and
maybe even an overhead projector.
By the end of the 20th century, with computer
technology and Internet connectivity widely
available, blackboards gave way to smart
boards that enabled teachers to display and
interact with computer images shared from
their computer via a digital projector.
Modern classrooms reflect not only the
continuing advances in technology, but also the
migration of technology into the hands of the
student. Twenty-first century educators are
embracing a student-centric approach to
learning.
From a technology perspective, today’s
students may have personal laptops, notebooks,
tablets, iPads, or even smart phones as part of
their arsenal of learning tools.
Students can connect to the Internet via
wireless networks, and in a growing number of
situations, schools have even embraced the
concept of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device).
Managing the Learning Process
Certainly, the teacher’s role has shifted from
one of being the sage-on-the-stage to the more
challenging guide-at-the-side.
But how exactly do today’s teachers guide their
tech-savvy, computer-toting students through
the learning process?
How do the teachers orchestrate learning
activities that harness the benefits of studentcentric technology? How do teachers prevent
the technology in the students’ hands from
becoming an impediment to successful
learning?
Managing the Technology
Progressive schools are using classroom
management platforms like SmartClass+ to
help teachers manage their classes and keep
their students focused on the learning process.
SmartClass+ enables teachers to share their
computer screen and sound (or that of a model
student) with the class for presentations.
Teachers can also monitor student screens and
audio, and can launch programs, web sites, or
other utilities on all student stations.
Additionally, SmartClass+ has an available selfstudy module that enables teachers to build
multimedia exercises that students can execute
in class or outside of class.
The SmartClass+ HomeWork module even lets
students work on assignments from home, and
lets teachers review and grade assignments
from home
Any-Time  Any-Place  Any-Device
Fixed
Learning Labs
Portable
Learning Labs
SmartClass+
Classroom Management
Platform
Classroom-Based
Self-Study
Internet-Based
Self-Study
Any-Time, Any-Place Learning
Any-Device Learning
One obvious way of increasing student
proficiency is to give students the opportunity
to access study materials whenever and
wherever they have available time.
Another way of ensuring that students are
given every opportunity to improve their
knowledge and skills is by providing access to
all learning materials from any device.
Philosophically, this means being able to treat
any environment as a de facto learning space.
SmartClass+ works with:
SmartClass+ works with:
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Fixed learning labs,
Portable learning labs (mobile carts)
Self-study classrooms,
Other school areas (offices, dorm rooms)
Internet-based home study,
Etc. (anytime, anywhere)
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Windows PCs and MACs,
Laptops and netbooks,
iPads, Android, and Windows 8 tablets,
Smart phones,
BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) scenarios,
Wired networks (LANs),
Wireless networks (WLANs), and
The Internet.
The SmartClass+ Advantage
Innovative Design
Modular, Scalable, & Integrated
Robotel has been working with
schools and with teachers for
more than 25 years. With
SmartClass+, we have used our
experience and our technical
expertise to define a platform
that is refreshingly unique.
Modularity and integration may seem like
diametric opposites, but in fact they are both
key to an effective classroom management
platform.
In fact, the SmartClass+
platform recently won a Gold
Award at the ITEX 2013
Invention, Innovation, &
Technology conference for
outstanding achievement in
the Education category.
Intuitive & Easy-to-Use
SmartClass+ is easy for all teachers to use –
even those who are not fully tech-savvy. This
simplicity is achieved by:
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Using clear, precise on-screen language,
Displaying minimalistic uncluttered controls,
Providing step-by-step teacher guidance,
Eliminating complex marginal features,
Integrating simple exercise templates, and
Automating routine tasks (like student
response collection).
Modularity: SmartClass+ comprises separate
modules for managing activities in fixed labs &
portable labs, for managing self-study activities
in study classrooms, and for managing Internetbased self-study environments.
Scalability: The combination of modularity and
scalability (10 students to 25,000+ students)
allows the system to be optimally and
economically configured for K-12 schools, for
colleges, for universities, and for adulteducation.
Integration: Unlike other systems, SmartClass+
employs a single shared central media library
(of lessons and student responses) that is
integrated with all system modules.
This means that students and teachers have
consistent access to all of their work, whether
they are in a classroom, in a study hall, or
working from home.
For example, teachers can directly review and
grade student classwork from home via remote
Internet-based access.
Powerful Learning Activities
Live Activities
Media Activities
Also known as synchronous activities, these
involve multiple participants (teacher and
students) interacting in real time. SmartClass+
live activities are managed from a user interface
called the Live Activities Dashboard (or LAD),
and include:
Also known as asynchronous activities or selfstudy activities, these comprise interactive, selfcontained, computer-based exercises that
students are able to complete on their own.
SmartClass+ media activities are managed from
a user interface called the Media Activities
Dashboard (or MAD), and include:
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Presentations (teacher or model student)
Monitoring (multiple or single stations)
Pairing (Groups of 2, 3, or 4)
Live Testing (e.g. respond to questions)
Launch Media Exercises (e.g. multiple-choice)
Making Presentations
Blank Screens: Blank student screens and lock
all keyboards and mice to focus student
attention during oral presentations.
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Teacher
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Student 1
Student 2
Broadcast: Send the instructor’s screen and
sound to the class for teacher presentations.
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Teacher
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Student 1
Student 2
Model: Send any student’s screen and sound to
the class for student presentations.
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S1
Teacher
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S1
Student 1
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S1
Student 2
Pairing/Partnering
Partnering: Organize students into pairs or small
groups for collaboration or role-playing activities
using random or teacher-selected partners.
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Teacher
1
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Student 1
1
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Student 2
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Open text
Question & answer
Multiple choice
Fill-in-the-blanks
Listening/Viewing
Monitoring Students
Monitor: Monitor individual student screens
and sound to provide one-on-one help to
students having issues.
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S2
Teacher
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Student 1
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S2
Student 2
Remote Control: Take remote control of any
student station using your keyboard and mouse to
demonstrate an idea or a solution.
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S1
Teacher
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S1
Student 1
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Student 2
Mosaic: Monitor all students concurrently to
proactively ensure that everyone stays on topic.
Live Activities Dashboard (LAD)
Teacher Workstation
Differential Teaching
The Live Activities Dashboard, (shown above),
runs on the teacher’s workstation. It can be
displayed in a window on single-screen teacher
stations, or it can be displayed full-screen on
dual-screen teacher stations
The class can be partitioned
into multiple sections, (up to
5), and different activities can
be run concurrently in each
colored section.
Live
Activities
Dashboard
Student jerseys reflect membership with a
specific color section, (e.g. advanced learners).
Workstation Management
Student Workstations
Student workstation icons are displayed with
student names immediately below. Icons do
not appear until the student logs in at his
station.
Teachers are able to position student icons to
match the actual layout of the classroom and
create a seating template. This provides a
simple, clear, on-screen model of the class for
teachers.
Teachers are equipped with a number of
utilities for managing student workstations:
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Power-on student computers
Power-off student computers
Reboot student computers
Launch an application on student computers
Block access to other applications
Media Activities Dashboard (MAD)
Courses & Classes
Self-study materials are organized first by
teacher, and then by course, and finally by
class. The image at right shows a teacher’s
English 101A class with assigned media
exercises on the left and students on the right.
Media Files
Media files include video clips, audio clips,
images, and text documents; (WAV, MP3,
WMA, MPG, MP4, FLV, JPG, and PNG).
Teachers can add new media files by:
MAD – Teacher’s English 101A Class Home Page
 Importing existing digital files
 Digitizing new materials
 Copying files from a colleague’s class
Exercises
The MAD includes exercise templates for:
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Open text
Question & answer
Multiple choice
Fill-in-the-blanks
Listening/Viewing
MAD – Question & Answer Exercise
Media files are transformed into exercises
using the Exercise Wizard, which guides
teachers through the process in a simple stepby-step fashion.
Review, Grading & Feedback
MAD – Fill-in-the-Blanks Exercise
Multiple-choice and Fill-in-the-blanks exercises
are automatically reviewed and graded by the
MAD software. Teachers can review student
responses to all exercise types, add or modify
grading, and leave written and/or oral
feedback.
MAD – Multiple-Choice Exercise
SmartClass+ System Modules
SmartClass+ Computer Lab
Hardware VS Software
This is the main software module used for both
fixed and portable computer labs. It includes
support for Live Activities (LAD) and Media
Activities (MAD).
For most educational applications, softwarebased audio and screen-sharing modules
provide the most cost-effective and flexible
solution.
MAD support for Media Activities can also be
extended to self-study classrooms connected to
the school’s local area network.
However, there are certain applications that
require higher performance than can be
achieved with a pure software solution.
The SmartClass+ Computer Lab module is 100%
software-based, and includes software-based
audio intercom and screen-sharing modules.
SmartClass+ uniquely offers both software and
hardware options for such clients. Hardwarebased systems use dedicated switching
modules and cabling to offload high-bandwidth
data from the school’s data network.
The intercom system uses high-fidelity audio
sampling and delivers excellent sound quality
with minimal network bandwidth.
The screen-sharing system uses an intelligent
compression algorithm that optimizes screen
reproduction and screen refresh for LAN and
WLAN environments.
SmartClass+ HomeWork
The HomeWork module extends access to MAD
self-study activities outside of the school by
providing Internet-based access to language
materials for students and for teachers.
Robotel is represented by:
EBI Electronics, Inc.
621 Lincoln Street
Seekonk, MA 02771
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800-272-4359
sales@ebisys.com
www.ebisys.com
www.robotel.com
 Transparent to computer operating systems
 Transparent to all application software
 Works with virtually all computer types
Optional Hardware Screen-Sharing: In
applications like Computer Aided Design, where
students are running very high-resolution fullscreen graphics – often with 3D shading – the
available hardware-based screen sharing
module provides uncompressed image quality
with a full color palette.
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Single-Link DVI-D or VGA screen connection
Adapters for Display Port and HDMI
Resolution up to 1920 x 1200 @ 60 Hz
Single screen & Dual screen variations
USB keyboard/mouse connections
Optional Hardware Intercom: For applications
like Language Learning, where sound quality is
paramount, the hardware-based intercom
module provides pristine sound quality and
eliminates the slight sound delay associated
with software-based intercom communication.
3185 rue Delaunay
Laval (Québec)
CANADA H7L 5A4
Toll Free (North America): (800) 680-1448
Telephone: +1 (450) 680-1448
Facsimile : +1 (450) 680-1928
Email: sales@robotel.com
2013-06-25  Printed in Canada  SmartClass and Robotel are registered trademarks of Robotel Inc.