Mini workshop — Electronic inking without the tablet: Instructional applications and findings on use of the Livescribe smartpen

In Fall 2008, the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) at the University of Virginia (UVa) began an efficacy study with Livescribe, Inc. on their smartpen technology. In particular, SEAS wanted to investigate whether the device could serve as a technological support for distributed learning as well as a more cost-effective alternative to other electronic inking solutions (e.g. tablet PCs or Wacom tablets). The smartpen technology works differently from other digital pens in that it records both the written word on the page and audio simultaneously, which can then be played back by tapping the handwritten marks on the page or saved as recordings that can be transferred to the computer as a viewable movie and played back. The pen also offers additional affordances that allow it to be adapted to educational settings. As part of the efficacy study, UVa has mapped out processes for using this technology for those additional affordances such as grading, creating interactive documents, electronic homework submission, and use of the device as an alternative to tablet PCs. In this special session, participants will have the chance to use the smartpen and learn more about the processes for using this technology for advanced application.