Did you know there is a smart pen that can record what you write and hear? It can even read notes aloud and play back audio recordings. Here’s how it works: you just write with your Livescribe pen on special notepads like a normal pen. It has ink and the notes looks like regular notes except this pen also gives the option of recording a conversations while you write. These notepads have minuscule dots on them that a camera on the pen reads and keeps track of where the pen goes on the paper. You can connect your pen to your computer via a USB port, then view your notes and listen to your recordings using the software that comes with the pen. Through this software it is possible to combine different notes into one record, thus customizing notes. It becomes very easy to search for key words in notes with the software. Notes can even be shared through email, Google docs, Facebook or Evernote. "Pencasts" can also be viewed using the “Livescribe Desktop” software. Pencasts are interactive notes and recordings played back on a computer. And of course, like every other smart technology out there, you can purchase apps for the smart pen. Wikipedia, language translation, calculator, a piano app and a poker game are some of the apps that can be downloaded onto the pen. A very useful app is the one that transcribes handwritten notes into typed notes.
This pen is great for both audio and visual learners. Students can more accurately capture lectures and class discussions by taking their own notes and recording the discussion at the same time. If a student has ADD this could help organize their notes. This would especially help if an ADD student is technology focused but cannot bring a computer to class to take notes with because computers offer too many distractions. Important information can be easily recalled by drawing a star and clicking on it later as well.
Would you ever use one of these smart pens? Is this a tool that schools should look into purchasing for their students? Or just for the students with specials needs, like learning disorders?
See the company’s website for more info: http://www.livescribe.com/en-us/?gclid=CJarmePvrKwCFcjb4Aod9D_DHg
This is a NY Times review of the Livescribe Echo pen: http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/19/a-college-student-reviews-a-smartpen/
A few of us were just talking to Raleigh about this last week because she has the LiveScribe notebook!
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of the LiveScribe pen but I am not sure how often I would actually use it. It seems like a tech thing I would be excited to use in the beginning but the excitement would wear off after a while. Plus, the cost of the pen and special notebooks would probably keep me from purchasing. I have managed this long without a LiveScribe, so I could probably do without.
Reading your post and looking at the links, I had lots of questions about this product. How effective is this pen for users with poor handwriting? It seemed like a lot of the apps like the language translation/dictionary and note transcription rely on the pen's ability to identify the words written on the page, which probably wouldn't work with illegible handwriting. Also, what happens if the user is really bad at spelling? And is the pen comfortable to write with? It looks pretty bulky compared to the thin pens I usually take notes with, so I wonder whether it would be more tiring writing many notes with this pen.
For the positive aspects, the capability of emailing and sharing notes could be great for group projects or helping out a peer that missed class. The audio playback could be helpful for those sections of the notes where you wrote something down quickly only to come back later when studying and question why what you wrote down was significant.
While this isn't a product I would necessarily buy for myself, I'd love to be able to try it to see how it works!
LiveScribe is something I have never heard of, but it seems very intersting! I feel like there are many positives about LifeScribe, but some things about it also kind of confuse me. I think it's great how it has an app that converts handwritten notes to typed notes. At the same time, I think retyping your notes is a very beneficial study tool becuase it allows you to review through your notes again. I think it is great for auditory learners that benefir from hearing things out loud as opposed to reading them. These type of learners could record their notes and listen to them over and over and agagin.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Marissa about her questions of the product. I was wondering a lot of the same things, like how does the device read different types of handwriting. Can it read cursive writing? Also, it's hard to tell from the pictures, but how bulky is the actual notebook? I would love to see one of these in person to see how they actually work.
I think this is a product that could turn into something very beneficial, but I don't think it is a necessity at this point, especially since it is around $100. I feel like this is a device more appropriate for college students more than anything. I think younger students would be distracted by the device, and students don't really start taking their own notes until high school.
Thank you for bringing up this device, it is something I never heard about, and it is defintiely intereting!
I think this is a cool idea, its something really different which is appealing. I love the fact that you can write notes and record at the same time. As a all time note taker, I was one of those students who like to write everything down with my pencil but I would get mad if I missed a few things because I was trying to jot down notes while trying to hear important things that were mentioned in class. This device would definately be beneficial you could really multi task and become a more productive student.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard about this interesting device, I think it would be great for kids with special needs and learning disorders and also benefit those who don't have a disability.
SInce the device is sooo expensive, I think it should be used for different programs for people with learning disorders and special needs. College students I could see using this device a lot too.
Just like Marissa and Melisa mentioned the pen could have it pro's and cons. I am definitely a person with bad handwriting so it is intriguing to know he it differentiates the different handwriting styles. This product makes note taking a lot more efficient and I like the idea of it. I think if used properly it could be a really beneficial tool.
As the parent of two children who had ADD and learning disabilities, I think this pen sounds like a great idea. Of course, I'd like to know more about it and see how it works. I like the idea of being able to record in what appears to be an unobtrusive way -- it seems like it would make a child more comfortable in that it wouldn't appear they were doing anything out of the ordinary. In terms of note-taking, I think that even if the student wasn't a good writer or note-taker, it would be a good way to practice - and yet, still have the actual recording of the class. I love the idea of this technology and I imagine this will only be improved upon -- anything we can do to help LD and ADD students learn, particularly in ways that make them feel like every other student in the class, I am all for!
ReplyDeleteI was also with Marissa when Raleigh was showing us her amazing note book! At first I was very interested in how it works and how the interface was set-up, but then I became more interested in the applications this could be used for. I agree that it would be useful to students who had learning disabilities, but this product would also be useful for research where coding is required. If the coding, recording, and note-taking are already programmed into the pen, this device would replace multiple software packages and manual operations. Just an idea!
ReplyDeleteI personally would not use something like this because I am not the type of student who reviews notes. The writing process is the most important feature for learning when it comes to me. I would like to see the applications for other students, and I am especially interested in the phone applications that were discussed in the article.
As several peers mentioned, I do use a Livescribe pen and the notebooks for my classes. I was eager to try it out for the first time this semester, and I have been extremely pleased with its endless capabilities! The JMU Office of Disabilities loans these pens to individuals with a variety of learning differences, like dysgraphia, dyslexia, slower processing speeds, and ADD.
ReplyDeleteWhile listening to a class lecture, it can be challenging just to keep up, for those who process information at a slower-than-average rate, and even more of a challenge to multitask by taking notes and listening/comprehending material. This pen allows these individuals to create abbreviated notes, allowing for more dedicated attention and comprehension to the lecture and content itself. Later, the student can simply tap the pen on an abbreviated note that he/she wrote during class, such as, “secondary colors,” to listen to the audio recording that the pen will instantly play back. In this way, the pen takes care of the more detailed notes that, if transcribed by the student, would decrease comprehension. This pen efficiently accommodates several learning disabilities, allowing the user to compensate and function independently, without having to rely on volunteer note-takers or other assistive resources from the disabilities office that may result in peer ridicule.
I’m a huge fan of the pen, but of course the downside is that once you invest in the pen, your investment continues, as you have to purchase the notebooks, which provide the only paper compatible with the pen at this time. Marissa mentioned that the pen seemed bulky and uncomfortable to use, but after using it, I can say that it is actually quite comfortable and lightweight. The new versions of Livescribe pens also have replaceable ink cartridges, so the pen lasts longer. (What a shame it would be to have to replace your expensive pen once the ink ran out!)
The closest tool I've heard to "LiveScirbe" is "Light Scribe", which was one cool feature of my old PC laptop. It allowed you to bun your own label onto your CDs or DVDs. This LiveScribe pen seems like a much interesting and useful tool! Like everyone else has said, I would probably be excited to use it for the first couple of months but I'm not sure I would want to invest more money into it as time goes on. I think I would have to see how much of a difference, if any difference at all, it would make to my studies and notes. I do agree that it would personalize the notes and it sounds like a good tool to remind yourself of clever ways to remember a theory, equation, etc.
ReplyDeleteI like how JMU has this tool available for certain qualifying students of the school and I do think that every other school, if financially possible, should have them available as well for kids with learning disabilities. I think it might be a good idea to have some of the pens be available for anyone to rent, like our laptop rentals, so other students have the ability to test out the pen and see if it would be a good investment for them. If the school can fit a purchase of some of these pens in their budget it would be a good investment for the students. I would definitely like to try this cool gadget at least once!
This pen sounds like every lecture student's best friend! The functions of this pen would serve so many more than just those with learning disabilities. Any student in lecture heavy courses such as those encountered at the University level would benefit from the ability to write notes, then later edit, compile, and word search through the notes when reviewing them.
ReplyDeleteNote sharing could be quick and easy and the pad could probably serve as an art tool, recording drawings and putting them into a digital medium. I'm huge on practicality in the classroom, and much like smartboards and clickers, this tool definitely has a place in the classroom that educate the Y generation. Keeping technology updated and in the classroom continues to reinforce that the younger, technologically heavy generation does belong in the classroom and can relate to their learning environment.
For the record, I completely missed the conversation about Raleigh and her Livescribe pen before I wrote this blog post. I agree Marissa, it would get rather costly and I think it would not be the most effective note taking tool for me since I am a horrid speller and do not always have the best handwriting. Melisa had a great point about the value of retyping notes as a study tool. I actually did this when I was an ambitious freshmen. I had not even thought about coding qualitative research and this pen until Amanda brought it up! It would definitely be beneficial for coding. I am glad we have an actually user's testimony (Raleigh). I am also really glad JMU's Office of Disabilities loans these pens to students. And to add on to Britney's point, wouldn't it be nice if JMU's libraries allowed you to rent out these pens for group work? It would be even better if the renter computers had the software downloading on them too. I wonder how well doodles/art work would translate to the software.
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