Tuesday Tech Tip: RealtimeBoard = Real Awesome!

RealtimeBoard is not a new app here on our blog, but since it has had so many helpful updates since the last post (Dec. 2014) it’s worth sharing again as we continue to look at collaboration in the classroom and beyond the classroom walls.

What is it?

RealtimeBoard is an online collaborative whiteboard space that can be saved, edited, and shared. Students can work together on a project/brainstorm/design by adding pictures, videos, drawings, notes, comments, stickers and more at any time from any computer. Instead of giving each group a limited amount of whiteboard or poster space to do their work, why not give them UNLIMITED whiteboard space?! Check out the presentation below for some ideas on how to use it in the classroom.

RealtimeBoard for education. Bring interactivity to the classroom with endless online whiteboard. from RealtimeBoard

Awesome features

1) RealtimeBoard can connect with your Google Drive so sharing files is as simple as adding any other type of file for the rest of the group to see.

2) Announcements and notification can happen with @mentions in the comments or chat feature with other collaborators. Never miss an update and get your questions answered!

3) Boards can be shared with a link (or attached/uploaded into Schoology)

4) Tags can help organize stickie notes and other elements on the board for quick organization

5) Lots of pre-made templates to choose from, or students/teachers can start building from scratch!

6) Frames (their version of slides) allow creators to create a presentation for viewers that highlights different areas of the board rather than sharing the whole thing with limited navigation control. (A lot like how Prezi works, if that is a tool you're familiar with.)

What now?

Ready to get started with an educator account? Click HERE! The educator account includes all the premium features and unlimited collaborators.

The Twelve Tools of December: Realtime Board

During the weekdays of December, we're sharing one tool per day as part of our Twelve Tools of December series.  Some of these tools are designed to be used instructionally, some can help you be more productive, and some are just fun.

Today, we're sharing about Realtime Board.  

What is it?

Realtime Board is an interactive, collaborative, online whiteboard. Similar to a regular whiteboard, it allows you to write, erase, and add more writing. The benefit of having it online means that anyone can not only write on the infinite space whiteboard, they can also add links, images, comments, documents or notes and save it all for later. You'll never run out of space, and you won't have to erase (hey, that rhymes!) and lose everything! 

Using Realtime Board
Realtime Board (free or paid versions) would be great for use with students to help collaborate on notes, brainstorm ideas, work on thinking maps, and share resources. Realtime allows you to add content from your computer, your Google Drive, or search the built in library of icons and images in real time (ha ha, get it?) for collaborators to see immediately and review, or to view later. Realtime Boards can also be embedded into Schoology, or anywhere else that accepts embed codes, for students to refer back to later if need be or view from home if they missed your really awesome discussion in class. 

Similar Tools for mobile devices
Although the promise of "coming soon" mobile device apps from Realtime Board is exciting, for those teachers using tablets in the classroom who need-this-in-their-classroom-right-now-OMG, there are some alternatives. Syncspace is available for download (paid and free versions) on iTunes and in the Google Play Store. It is also a collaborative work space, but doesn't have the same features and functions as Realtime Board. Other alternatives to explore: WhiteboardMe, Educreations, Whiteboard. Also, check out the list Graphite.org put together, "Top Interactive Whiteboard Apps".

Where can I learn more?
Realtime Board has several examples and tutorials about creating and collaborating on a board. Check it out here!




If you know of other similar tools, leave a comment about it below!