Required software functionality for eMINTS classrooms
The following information is provided for organizations' use in planning, budgeting and purchasing equipment and software and for planning technical support models for FY10 cohort eMINTS classrooms.
See more information about Alternative software below .....
| Required functionality |
Required software for Windows |
Required software for Mac |
Productivity tools
- Word processing software that provides essential tools for teachers and students to enhance their productivity
- Spreadsheet software that provides ability to analyze data for real-world applications
- Presentation software that provides ability for teachers and students to create, edit, display and share projects and presentations effectively
- Must have an active e-mail account
|
MS Office 2007
- Must contain Word, Excel, and PPT with all media content.
MS XP Tablet 2005 (for Tablet PC users only) |
MS Office 2008 for Mac
- Must contain Word, Excel, and PPT with all media content. |
SMART™ Notebook
Software that provides the ability to create, teach and manage interactive lessons within a single application
|
SMART™ Notebook 10 |
SMART™ Notebook 10 |
Concept-mapping software
Software must provide the ability to visualize concepts and make use of visual models and diagrams to make connections between ideas and understandings |
- SMART Ideas™
- Schools or districts with current site licenses for Inspiration® may substitute Inspiration® for SMART Ideas™
- For K-2 computers, use SMART Ideas™ OR kidspiration®
- Special SMART Ideas™ pricing information available for eMINTS schools
|
- SMART Ideas™
- Schools or districts with current site licenses for Inspiration® may substitute Inspiration® for SMART Ideas™
- For K-2 computers, use SMART Ideas™ OR kidspiration®
- Special SMART Ideas™ pricing information available for eMINTS schools |
Classroom website/portal creation & editing
Software must provide the ability to create, edit & upload a classroom website, portal or similar product that meets eMINTS portfolio standards for communicating effectively with students and parents while it supports students' learning with easily navigated, high quality resources and content
|
Nvu |
iLife suite |
|
Graphic/image/photo creation & editing
Image editing software must provide the following functionality to eMINTS professional development participants:
- Create an image/graphic with more than one layer and reorder the layers
- Hide or delete an object on a layer
- Resize by changing the actual image pixel size including the file size
- Set the canvas size and color for a new graphic
- Modify the size of an image/graphic canvas
- Crop an image/graphic
- Remove red-eyes from an image
- Adjust the color (brightness, balance, saturation) of an image/graphic
- Adjust or apply a transparency effect to an image/graphic
- Modify an image with several different filters such as noise, beveled edges, emboss, feather, drop shadows, inner glows, sepia, etc.
- Select varied shapes (rectangle, oval, freeform) within an image/graphic that can be cut out or modified
- Create varied shapes on a canvas
- Fill shapes with color, gradients or textures
- Add text on an image or graphic with different fonts, styles, size, color, and anti-aliasing
- Group/ungroup objects on a canvas
- Align objects on a canvas
- Select colors from an image/graphic to use in another image, shape or text
- Save an image in a format that preserves layers for future editing
- Save the image/graphic as a gif with a transparent background
- Save the image/graphic as a jpg
- Flip/rotate an image/graphic
- Distort an image/graphic (ex. Alter the shape for perspective)
- Alter a portion of an image/graphic by digitally painting, smudging, blurring airbrushing, blurring, erasing, etc.
|
GIMP |
GIMP |
Acceptable additional software
Due to the needs of classes in specific grade levels, additional equipment or content-specific software may be acceptable. These are not mandatory or required for an eMINTS classroom but may be included without seeking permission from the eMINTS National Center. All other additional software must be pre-approved by the eMINTS National Center prior to purchase or installation. See eMINTS software policy ....
- Microphones or headsets with microphone capabilities
- Web cams
- Speech-to-text and voice recognition software
- Scientific probes (computer enabled)
- Microscopes (computer enabled)
- FableVision Learning
- Graphing calculators (computer enabled)
- Geometer Sketchpad®
- Inspiration Software Suite
- Inspiration®
- Kidspiration®
- InspireData®
- netTrekker d.i.
- Tech4Learning products
- Frames®
- ImageBlender®
- MediaBlender®
- Pixie®
- Twist®
- WebBlender®
- Clay Animation Kit
- Teacher resources (teacher laptop/workstation only): student information system (SIS), district grading/reporting software
Other instructional software
- Instructional software (CAD, video editing, etc.) is allowed only with prior approval from the eMINTS National Center office.
- K-2 teacher computers should have software used by students installed so it can be demonstrated with the SMART Board:
See eMINTS software policy details ....
Alternative software
eMINTS requires that teachers in the Comprehensive Professional Development and eMINTS4All programs and their students have software installed on their computers that allows them to achieve the functionalities described above. eMINTS staff, teachers enrolled in the programs, participants in the PD4ETS program and certified graduates of the PD4ETS program have access to the rubrics used to evaluate teacher mastery of required skills (classroom website/portal, lesson plan and WebQuest). Please ensure that any alternative software selected is sufficient to provide teachers with the tools and functionality to create products that will meet at least level 2 on the rubrics.
Schools or districts that choose alternative software to what is specified by eMINTS in the current equipment specifications for the year in which they entered eMINTS must provide the following documentation:
- A brief statement (not more than one page) that explains how the selected alternative(s) provides the tools and functionality needed by participants to produce the required products.
- Materials that will be used to teach the alternative selected.
- Agenda that shows the same number of hours of professional development on the selected alternative as provided by eMINTS.
- Agenda that shows the professional development on the selected alternative is being taught in the same timeframe as the approved schedule followed by eMINTS.
Requests for alternative software must be submitted to eMINTS via emints-info@emints.org at the time of the original schedule submission or implementation planning (i.e. grant-funded districts at time of negotiation). Documentation about professional development on the selected alternative must be provided via emints-info@emints.org at least two weeks before the professional development session(s) for approval and feedback.
Read complete eMINTS software policy ....
Equipment, PD sessions and PD modules
The sequence of the eMINTS PD modules and coordination with the equipment installation timeline are very important. The PD and equipment installation schedules are listed by months (month 1, month 2, etc.) to accommodate eMINTS implementations that begin in any calendar month. However, please note that eMINTS PD modules are reviewed, revised and posted annually according to the U.S. fiscal year calendar dates (July, August, etc.) listed. For locations that do not follow the U.S. fiscal year schedule, archived modules are available. Contact emints-info@emint.org for more information.
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