User Instructions
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Programs Required
There are two programs used in the
Video Lessons: PowerPoint 97 (or later) and Acrobat. If you do not have these programs
you can download free viewers to display both types of material. Click on the
icons below to download the viewers.
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Access to AmphiMath.com website
If you are on an educational or
corporate network, you may not be allowed to install one or both of these
programs. Ask your System Administrator to install them for you or to change
your permission to do it yourself.
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Downloading files
When you click on the Lesson or Homework link to download the
Lesson or Homework files, a File Download box will open. The Box will have three buttons horizontally
arranged across the center: Open, Save, Cancel.
Choose Save. Do NOT choose “Open.” (The file will not
download correctly if you choose “open.)
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Using a Video Projector
In order to use these lessons effectively,
every student must be able to read text on the screen. While an individual
student can use a monitor, in order for an entire class to participate, a video
projector must be used. The video projector can be stand-alone or part of a
Smart Board unit.
In order to use a stand-alone projector, communication must occur between the
computer running the program and the video projector. This can be done by
running cables from the computer to the projector on a temporary basis. Alternatively, cables may be avoided
altogether. CablesToGo (http://www.cablestogo.com/) (and other
vendors) sells a wireless kit (about $200) that connects to a USB port on the
computer and to the VGA connector at the projector.
Also, it is highly desirable to control the computer cursor wherever the
presenter is located. Microsoft now builds a wireless mouse that allows control
of the computer cursor at a maximum distance of 30 ft. away see: http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/Presenter/productdetails.aspx?pid=085
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Smart Board
A Smart Board is an ideal to these
lessons since students participate throughout the lesson by touching elements
on the screen. Please note that when
using the Smart Board, the user must tap
twice in rapid succession to select an element. For example, to use the “Continue” button,
tap on it twice rapidly in succession with your finger.
PRESENTING THE LESSONS
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Starting the Lesson
When the PowerPoint Lesson is opened,
the user will see a menu selection at the top of the screen labeled “Slide
Show”. In PowerPoint 2003, all that is
necessary to start the Lesson is to click on this drop-down menu and select
“View Show”. PowerPoint 2007 is a bit more complex. Clicking on Slide Show,
opens a menu bar with a number of options to select. The leftmost icon labeled
“From Beginning” will start the show when selected.
Next to it is an icon labeled “From Current Slide”. All of the slides used in the Lesson or shown
on the left side of the screen. The user can click on any of these slides and
start the presentation form that point.
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Stop Points
There are numerous times the lesson
will halt so that the teacher can discuss the lesson if desired. At those
points, an arrow box and the word “Continue”
is shown at the lower right of the screen.
The program will not resume until the arrow box has been selected. The first slide in the program may be labeled
“Start”. Once again the program will
not start until the arrow box has been clicked.
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Repeating a Task
Some programs contain an arrow box on
the left side of the screen labeled “Click
to Start Over”. When one student has finished the task, selecting the Click
to Start Over button will restore the screen to the same state that the first
student found it in
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Stopping and Starting the Lesson
The Lesson can be stopped at any
point by right clicking a mouse or selecting the appropriate “stop” command on
the screen. The Lesson can be restarted
where stopped by left clicking a mouse or using the appropriate “resume” button
on the screen. The user can select the frame (using the thumbnail pictures of
the Lesson on the left side).
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Changing the Lesson
The user is free to skip over
portions of the lesson by stopping at a slide and continuing at a slide later
in the series. The user is also free to
move slides around, add a slide or add text and graphics on an existing slide.
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Problems
If you encounter any problem, send an
email to Robert at springer@wbhsi.com.
This mailbox is reviewed several times a day.