You'll love it!

Here's where I suggest you start for resources:

http://education.smarttech.com/ste/en-US/Ed+Resource/

and if you need a SMART Certified Master Trainer...I'm your man :)

Do you mean an interactive whiteboard? I'm not being a smart aleck but those of us using Promethean ACTIVboards bristle when the brand name term Smartboard is used to decribe an entire genre of technology. Seriously, you will enjoy the connective possibilities as long as the kids are using it at least as much as you.

It is actually just an electronic whiteboard until someone uses it effectively as an interactive device. Too often I see these tools used as glorified whiteboards. But I'm sure you will take it to the next level, Daryl and your students will love it!
Here's the site to download the software to your home computer where you can create many activities at home.
http://education.smarttech.com/ste/en-US/Support/

Hey Glen, let me know if you're in Winnipeg any time soon ... or later for that matter. We'll break bread. ;-)

Graham, your comment is right to the point, as usual. ;-) I'm thinking about ways of getting the students to use the equipment more than I. I can put the bluetooth keyboard and mouse in different student's hands with another one at the board. I don't really know what the pedagogy will be with this but I'm looking forward to learning. BTW, the board is the SmartBoard brand. ;-)

Thanks for the vote of confidence Karen! I'm looking to my "network" to help me figure this all out. I've already connected with two other math teachers who have integrated the use of SmartBoards into their teaching and we've begun discussing collaboration ideas. ;-)

Hi Darren
I have been using SMARTBoards for a few years in my classroom and would be happy to help support you in anyway I can.

For starters I have just published a screencast on using Audacity and Smart Notebook on my blog.

http://tbarrett.edublogs.org/2007/02/14/screencast-using-audacity-and-smart-notebook/

Hope it helps.

Best wishes from the UK

Hey Tom, this is great! Thanks. ;-)

Darren,

From someone who's been using SMART Notebook since version 1.0 came out (I think the latest is 9.5.4...), I can honestly say that no other piece of instructional hardware save the PC itself has the power to change classroom instruction like an interactive whiteboard (at least in my opinion). I also have Bluetooth wireless tablet, and I'd be happy to discuss its wireless functionality sometime...as I know that at least some of the content that we teach is the same...I remember and totally relate to your level of excitement right now. Your classroom may soon be the envy of your peers, but in a good way. Have a great day!

Hi Darren,
they've installed an Activboard in my classroom as well this year and I'm really enjoying starting to play around with it as well. The students love it and as I was learning the Year 7s were pointing out some of the features. I said, "Oh, did you have one at primary school?" and they said "No, it's just obvious". The roles were reversed then. I've collected some resources at del.icio.us/rubyfire/iwb

Our district thought about taking the Smart Board route, but decided to go with the tablet laptops, with wireless projectors and this has work great!
The versatility of the tablet allows me to correct papers students emailed me, take the tablet home for lesson plans, and for teachers who need to move to a room where a teacher doesn't have the tablet yet, we can just pack up our little cart and roll it down the hall.

Mike,
Your link didn't work.
I"m very interested to hear about the difference between using an interactive whiteboard vs. the tablet PCs with a wireless projector. The second option seems more flexible and cost effective and can be used anywhere.
What are your thoughts?