Graham from Microsoft sent through a very comprehensive list of software solutions and websites that are aimed at educators. Normally I would forward the list on and hope that teachers and educators would work their way through the list.

Being the first day back at school for them it is probably the very last thing on their mind.

So I have taken some of the pain away and decided to evaluate some of the more interesting ones myself. I have started with Mouse Mischief because it reminds me of a similar solution used in a smart lecture theatre to poll students for answers to questions posed by the lecturer.

Mouse Mischief is an add on to PowerPoint that allows students to control a PowerPoint slideshow. When I first read this, I thought - No way is a teacher going to hand over control of a PowerPoint presentation to one student - let alone 25 of them.

Then I thought how do you connect twenty electronic rodents to a single computer anyway?

Finally I wondered what tools were available to make a lesson like this interactive?

Oh there was one other thing - cost.

Firstly, the teacher identifies their mouse at the start of the lesson and that mouse pointer has special powers, like controlling navigation through the slide deck.

There are a bunch of tools that allow you to add Yes/No, Multiple Choice, Drawing slides where students can draw and of course a static information page. In keeping with the notion that if a student is engaged in doing something rather than being lectured at, this tool offers a way to build on existing PowerPoint slides and teacher knowledge about creating PowerPoints to build an interactive lesson that students can engage in.

There are a bunch of lesson examples to download and try out. Where you can get it from is http://www.microsoft.com/multipoint/mousemischief/default.aspx 

You will need to download and install the add-in. It is free.

Now for the mouse part... You will need to get hold of some usb hubs to plug into your computer. I think you will also need a few usb extender cables. The diagram provided by microsoft allows for wireless mice which reduces the trip hazard but increases the cost.

http://www.microsoft.com/multipoint/mouse-mischief/how-to.aspx#classroom-setup

When you have installed the add-in you will get a new ribbon bar. I recommend you have a look at the guided tour, get hold of an extra mouse and try out one of the downloadable lessons.

As of writing this I am having trouble downloading the lessons, but it is so easy to make your own. Let me know if you do create something. I doubt if this will work in Adobe Connect as will be converted to Flash - however you can upload the Mouse Mischief lessons into Moodle which would make it Triple M - Moodle Mouse Mischief.

 

 

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