Using the Neo AlphaSmart Cart
Neo by AlphaSmart is a durable, lightweight, and portable keyboard system which allows for certain types of technology integration. Neo by AlphaSmart is easy to use and battery life of 700 hours on 3 AA alkaline batteries. Your campus has a cart with 30 Neo units, beaming capabilities, word processing and keyboarding applets along with a laptop computer for managing Files on the Neo units. Applets are similar to software programs. Here’s a link to the AlphaSmart web site for more information on Neo by AlphaSmart.
1. Reserve the AlphaSmart cart from your campus librarian - CE, LDE & LDI are the only campuses with an AlphaSmart cart for teacher check out. The cart has a laptop and a patch cord (network cable).
2. Plug the AlphaSmart electric cord into an outlet and plug the laptops's patch cord into your classroom hub. The laptop should also be connected to the cart through a USB cable that leads from the back of the laptop into the the AlphaSmart cart. This allows the laptop & the 30 AlphaSmart Neo unties to transfer files back & forth.
3. Log into the laptop and launch the AlphaSmart Manager Software to send an assignment to each of the Neo units in the AlphaSmart cart.
4. Remove the Neo units from the AlphaSmart cart & pass out to students - each Neo is labeled with a number and it is a good idea to assign Neos to students by numbers - so a student will use the same Neo unit every time they use the AlphaSmart cart.
5. Turn on the Neo (On/Off key is in the upper left-hand portion of the keyboard)
6. Press the “Applet” key in the upper right-hand portion of the keyboard to access the applets available on the Neo units – choose the applet you wish to use and hit the “enter” key - see applet descriptions below - there is also a booklet in a pocket inside the cart door with directions for using the different features available
· AlphaWordsPlus Applet for word processing
o Teachers can create assignments in Word document and transfer the assignment (using the AlphaSmart Manager Software on the laptop provided) from the laptop to a File 1-8 key on the Neo units
o Students can then access assignments from the appropriate file key and save them for teacher retrieval at a later time – simply hit one of the numbered “File” keys to access an assignment
o Once students complete & save an assignment, they should plug their Neo unit into the appropriate slot in the cart
o The teacher can retrieve files from the Neo units that are plugged into the cart
· Beamer Applet for transferring files to other Neo units
o Files can be beamed from one Neo unit to another for certain assignments or collaborative lessons
Press the “esc” key to escape out of any applet or file.
Use the “ctrl” + S keys to save and name a file
Lesson plan ideas –
· KeyWords Applet for keyboarding
o There are keyboarding lessons for traditional key sets
o Keyboarding drill and practice
o Typing tests to assess keyboarding progress and literacy
Adding Students & Passwords for Keyboarding Lessons
Assign each student to a specific Neo unit
Turn on the unit
Press the “Applet” key
Select “Add Student”
Type in student name
Type in student password to protect student files (there is a master teacher password that you can use to overwrite any student password)
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