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Mimio – By Roddran Grimes

What is it?

Mimiotechnology turns any standard whiteboard into an interactive whiteboard. This capability occurs though the connection between an interactive Xi bar and a mimio interactive stylus. The mimio interactive systemallows images displayed from a user’s laptop via an LCD projector to have touch screen functionality.  In addition, users can utilize a blank mimio notebook screen to access features such as hand-writing script, typing text via an onscreen keyboard, displaying graphics, opening web pages, highlighting text, and importing pictures.  

•  Perhaps you could elaborate on what an Xi bar is and what a notebook screen is.  Is there a link which would take viewers to a blank mimio notebook screen?   

Who’s doing it?

The primary demographic group using mimio technology is K-12 educators. In addition, higher education professors and corporate trainers would find this tool useful to help deliver content in their classrooms. The mimio website has a section, mimioconnect.com, which allows instructors to unite via groups and forums. Users are able to find forums and groups that interest them and are also able to start their own groups.

•  The mimioconnect section looks very interesting! Glad you included it! 

How does it work?

Users must first download or have their school’s technology specialist install the mimio software on their laptop/computer . Users must then plug the mimio wireless USB adapter into a USB jack on their laptop/computer. An LCD projector is turned on and the projected image is displayed on a whiteboard. The mimio Xi bar is mounted on a whiteboard two handprints away from the projected image via suction cups. The mimio software is opened on the laptop/computer. The calibration button is pressed on the mimio Xi bar and the user touches the bulls-eye image in nine (9) places. After the mimio is calibrated the software displays a blank mimio notebook screen.

• Your instructions are concise and would be easy to follow, especially in conjunction with your instructional video. 

Why is it significant?

Teachers are able to blend any computer softwarewith whiteboard content. In addition, students LOVE to write on a whiteboard and the mimio allows them to drive their own learning during a lesson. Interactive games are given an extra level of excitement because students are able to see what’s going on and are able to collaborate with one another. Teachers are able to save their mimio activity as an .ink file if they want to use it again or to view the results for assessment purposes.

•  Is this spelled correctly?  Also, maybe you could elaborate on what kind of file this is.

 

What are the downsides?

I do not see any downsides at this point in time. After a quick tutoring session from my colleague (who had attended a three hour training session), I was able to quickly operate the mimio. My school recently purchased mimios for all grade levels and departments (e.g., Special Education and Talented and Gifted (TAG)).  Teachers have now been using the mimio for approximately two weeks. The mimio is so easy to use that students who have been exposed to the mimio now help their teachers when they try to set it up for the first time.  One of my colleagues mentioned that she hasn’t found good math lessons to use with the mimio. I told her that the mimio website has a database of lessons on the “Lesson Plan and Activities” page (http://www.mimioconnect.com/lessons/all/all/all/new) and she could even set up an RSS feed to view the latest submissions.

• Thanks for including this link.  Perhaps you could move (at least) the last two sentences and the link into the “What are the implications for teaching and learning?” section since the information pertains more to that idea. I believe it is difficult to find fault with this technology.  Maybe one of the faults would be the cost and/or ability to get this technology in your building. Is it cost prohibitive?

Where is it going?

The mimio website has a link for a News and Events page. Information is listed about the company’s activities and users can stay abreast regarding product updates, new versions, conferences, etc.

• Perhaps you could include a hyperlink to the News and Events page. 

What are the implications for teaching and learning?

Today’s students are digital learners and they are more apt to engage in a lesson that utilizes this tool. The mimio software comes preloaded with a multimedia package so teachers are able to put sensory images and auditory experiences (e.g., flash animation and sound clips) into their lessons. Special education teachers can utilize the mimio to display content for students at different learning levels. For example, flash card images with single words can be used for low level readers and entire paragraphs can be used for higher level readers with key words highlighted.

• Would it be possible to include a link to show what the flash card images look like?

Roddran,

I’m so pleased that you chose Mimio as your Tech Toolbox item. Mimio seems to be a great tech tool that teachers and students would really benefit from.  Overall your content for this toolbox item was thorough and easy to follow.  Personally, I was somewhat distracted by the extra hyperlinks which appeared throughout.  On your Blog page they link to advertisements, and when I copied and pasted your text into a word document, these links took me back to your Blog page. Either way they are distractive.  A few weeks ago I posted a thread to the Discussion Board about my frustration with this on my own Blog page. Dr. Fiedler stated that it often affects blog postings.  I like the Blog forum and find it very useful.  However, I decided to submit any of my future lessons and tech toolbox items for review to the Discussion Board in the form of a Word document to avoid this altogether.  This is just a suggestionJ.

Also, I suggested you include a few more links just in case someone reading your Tech Toolbox had difficulty accessing your Youtube video. 

Speaking of your video, I loved it!  I thought it was the best way to showcase this technology, especially so viewers could actually see the set up of the laptop, the placement of the Xi bar, and how to calibrate. You have raised the bar for me!!  Keep up the great work!

~Mindy

Wildcard Entry:  Collaboration with Cinda May and the WV3

Discussion Board Posting from 4/24/10

Hello Dr. Fiedler and Classmates!  I posted this here and in the Behavioral Systems Family of models link.  I wanted to thank all of you for your guidance throughout the semester.  I have learned a great deal and have you to thank for much of it. I also wanted to share with you that I have been working with Cinda fromWV3 to create a website involving my students and the Gilbert Wilson murals which grace the entryway to my school (Woodrow Wilson Middle School in Terre Haute).  I don’t think the website will be up and running before May 7, but I invite you all to vistit WV3 and look us up – hopefully by the end of May!  My students created a narrative video which explains each section of Gilbert Wilson’s murals.  The website will feature this video, along with links to the murals, text, and pictures of the students in action. We plan to show the video on Channel One and feature it at the beginning of each school year at our Orientation.  It has been a lot of fun. I thank Dr. Fiedler for initiating this for our assignments and thank Cinda for her help along the way.   

Hope you all enjoy the rest of the semester, the summer, and whatever the next school year brings. The past three years have flown by for me!  I will be graduating on May 8th with my Master of Education degree.  At 45, it is WAY past due!! For those of you just starting, it does go by fast.  And for those of you on the tail end like me – CONGRATULATIONS!!! 

~Mindy Lewellyn

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The following is the script the students wrote for the video:

 

“Top Ten List of Things You Need to Know About Gilbert Wilson and His Murals”

 1.  Wilson died in 1991.  His murals at Woodrow Wilson Middle School are now a point of much local pride, helping to place the school on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.  All of us at Woodrow Wilson are very lucky to have these beautiful murals as part of our school.  

 2.  Wilson created other murals in Terre Haute.  There is one on the wall of University Hall at Indiana State University.  Another one is at the Terre Haute Community Theater.  In addition, other artists have been inspired by Wilson to design and create murals for Terre Haute.  The mural on the south side of the Terre Haute Boys and Girls Club was painted in honor of Gilbert Wilson. It is part of the Gilbert Wilson Memorial Mural project and was created by artist Jeff Zimmerman, ISU professor Brad Venable, and several ISU students. 

 3. Gilbert Wilson presented his mural to the public on April 23, 1935. 

 4. The only money Wilson received for his murals was 28 dollars and 35 cents.  The students at Woodrow Wilson collected this money to help him pay for his chalk.  Gilbert Wilson told the students that “this little sack of coins shall remain the highest pay I ever expect to receive for my works of art.”

 5.  His plan for the mural was to show the massive struggle between the forces of good and evil, especially in the areas of science and war.  In the murals, Wilson wanted to show people the craziness of a world gone mad, but at the same time he also showed hope for the future by including scenes of wisdom and peace. 

 6.  Too poor to buy paint, Wilson had to use colored chalk. He used his fingers to blend the colors to the desired effect.  He knew that chalk did not last very long, but his plan was to find some way to preserve his creation, and he was excited about working in what he called “dry color.”  

 7.  As an artist with something to say, Gilbert Wilson was trying to find walls to create his artwork.  He finally got permission from the Terre Haute School Board to use the walls in the entrance of Woodrow Wilson Junior High School.  He agreed to create the murals using his own money and materials. 

 8.  Wilson attended McLean Junior High and Garfield High School, where he graduated in 1925.  He went to Indiana State Normal College (which is now Indiana State University) and worked with a professor named William T. Turman. 

 9.  Gilbert Wilson was born March 4, 1907, at 1201 N. 4^th street in Terre Haute, IN.  His mom was an opera singer and his dad worked his way up from a bank teller to a cashier and later to vice president of Terre Haute First National Bank. 

 10.  According to the Swope Art Museum’s biography, Gilbert Brown Wilson was one of the most outstanding mural painters in America in the 1930s and ’40s. Wilson once said, “Great art can and must be universal — but it must have its origins in a locality.” For Wilson, Terre Haute was his locality.   

 

 We will begin our exploration of Gilbert Wilson’s murals by looking at the South Mural.  The South Mural doesn’t have a title, but Wilson thought about calling it “The Picture of the Problem of the Nation” after a 7^th grader at Woodrow Wilson suggested it. 

 The first three sections we will talk about – The Teacher, The Boy Scouts, and The Men with Green Faces – have something in common.  Each one features four male individuals at different stages in their lives.  Wilson shows these individuals growing from students to Boy Scouts to soldiers. He believed that education helped people to achieve their greatest dreams and that joining the Boy Scouts would make young men become more patriotic and want to serve their country. 

 The Teacher

Gilbert Wilson drew this part of the mural because he believed that education was important.  He believed education would help poor people overcome their poverty.  He believed education would also help people to not judge others by the color of their skin or if they were rich or poor. 

 The teacher you see here is Nola Williams.  She was a teacher at Woodrow Wilson when Gilbert Wilson was a student there.  Gilbert Wilson drew her to represent the kind of teacher who liked to use hands-on learning and taught everyone equally. 

 The four boys you see in the back row are older and will appear again as Boy Scouts in the next section called “The Boy Scouts.”  

 The Boy Scouts

Gilbert Wilson drew this part of the mural because he believed the Boy Scouts were very important to society.  Gilbert Wilson was a Boy Scout. He believed the Boy Scouts were important because they did a lot for others and helped them to be better citizens. Looking at these four Boy Scouts you can see how they have their arms around each other and have their hands joined together like a team would do.  You can also see there are four different races – Asian, Hispanic, African-American, and White.  Wilson drew the Boy Scouts like this to show that they believed in working together and would welcome anyone to join, no matter who they were or what color their skin was. 

 The four boys you see here will appear again as soldiers in the next section called “The Men with Green Faces.”

 The Men With Green Faces

Gilbert Wilson drew this part of the mural because he thought it was wrong for people to say good things about the war when all they really cared about was getting rich from the war.  The men with green faces are dressed in black and are dressed to look like they have a lot of money.  They have their hands up and are shaking because the soldiers have caught them and accused them of trying to get rich from the war when people are being killed in battle.  One of the men with green faces is pointing a finger and trying to show that he is blaming somebody else.

 The four soldiers you see here are the same boys that Wilson used in the other two sections – The Teacher and The Boy Scouts.  The difference is that now they are grown up and have become soldiers.  Wilson believed that these four very patriotic soldiers who used to be Boy Scouts were the perfect people to accuse the men with green faces of wanting to get rich from the war. 

 To the right of the soldiers you can see a graveyard where soldiers are buried.  You can see the tombstones that say “Why?” on them.  Wilson wanted people to think about why the soldiers were risking their lives.  He believed that we need to question the war and make sure people were dying for the right reasons – mostly to protect others who are weak and need help.

 George Krietenstein

By now we know how Wilson felt about the Boy Scouts. In this section of the mural you can see a man named George Krietenstein. Krietenstein was Gilbert Wilson’s Boy Scout leader and mentor when he was young.  The boy in the white t-shirt with his head bowed is really a self-portrait that Wilson drew of himself.  Wilson drew this self-portrait to show himself as a young sculptor who may have to go to war.  He is upset because he knows that war will soon be coming.  He knows this because Adolf Hitler had started rounding up Jews and other ethnic groups and had started trying to take over small European nations.  When he was a Boy Scout, Wilson was taught to be patriotic and to want to serve his country.  But he knew that he would be risking his life if he went to war.  While Wilson is really struggling with the idea of having to go to war, you can see Krietenstein holding Wilson’s arm.  This shows that Krietenstein was supporting Wilson. 

 The monument in the background is Wilson’s way of thanking Krietenstein.   It says: “In mutual respect and admiration, the Boy Scouts of this valley do hereby honor a man who, thru the activities of his daily life, exemplifies all the sterling qualities of citizenship at which scouting aims. We choose not to wait until the…..” 

 

The last few words are cut off, but continue on the letter which is lying beside Wilson.  The letter reads:  “We choose not to wait until the name George Krietenstein is a memory.  But with this monument we mean to make an expression of gratitude while the man still moves among us.”

 The Politician

In this part of the mural, Wilson used his good friend Reverend George Francis as the model.  Francis is drawn as a politician speaking to a crowd of people.  When you look at the crowd of people, they have their fingers in their ears.  Some of the people in the crowd raise their hands and do the “talk to the hand” motion.  The crowd did not want to hear what the politician had to say because they didn’t trust him. They believed that politicians sometimes promise more than they can deliver. 

 

They felt this way because during the Great Depression of the 1930’s, many people thought that the government had let them down.  Many people had lost almost everything when the stock market crashed in 1929.  Other people had lost their money when the banks failed and their accounts got wiped out.  People had to stand in line to get food, like soup and bread.  In Terre Haute, the National Guard had to be called in to help when people started protesting. 

 Rows of Workers in Blue

Here you can see many rows of workers dressed in blue. Gilbert Wilson drew them dressed in blue to represent the blue-collar workers in our society.  There was a lot of discrimination in the country during this time in history.  So Wilson made sure he included everybody in this part of the mural – all races, ethnic groups, young and old, and men and women.  He believed all people should be treated equally in the workplace.  He believed this way because during the time he drew the murals, most women stayed at home and took care of the kids and the house.  The men were the ones who brought home a paycheck.  So he added women in his drawing and made them factory workers. 

 The Rows of Workers with Relief at Their Fingertips

This part of the mural shows row after row of hands reaching for “Relief”.  These rows of hands mean that people were trying to get jobs during the Great Depression.  You can see that Wilson separated the hands and put them in groups based on skin color.  He did this to show the discrimination in the workplace during this time in history.

  If you look you can see that the top two rows of hands are bigger, there are more of them, and they are the hands of white people.  These hands are closer to the words “relief, relief” which means that white people during this time in history had a better chance of getting a job than other races did. For white people, “relief” was at their fingertips, while other races had to try much harder to get the help they needed (if they got any help at all). 

 This part of the mural wasn’t very popular because Wilson showed how unfair things were. 

 The Masked Industrialists

The masked industrialists in this part of the mural represent people who are rich and believe they are better than other people.  They are masked because they are making illegal deals involving the radio broadcasting. 

 The three men are trying to control the news that people hear on the radio.  They only want people to hear their version of the news.  You can see the brown pointed shape of the radio. Inside of the radio you can see the hands of the two larger masked men as they exchange a bribe with each other to only report their version of the news. These two men also look at each other like they have are keeping a secret.

  Behind the radio is another man.  Rising above him are steel tubes with a very scary-looking blade on the left side.  Wilson drew the blade to show people that it is very dangerous to only report one side of the news. 

 The Man Surrounded by Green Leaves

In the center of the South mural, a man stands alone.  He represents the creative people in our society who are free-thinkers.  The man is actually William Turman, who was the head of the art department at Indiana State Teachers’ College when Gilbert Wilson attended classes there.

 The Scientist Holding the Tube of Radioactive Materials

The scientist you see here is holding a tube of radioactive materials.  Wilson drew this to represent the new, powerful technology discoveries that scientists were making during the 1930’s.  The scientist is only wearing heavy gloves, a vest, and goggles and thinks she will be safe from the radioactive materials.  Back in the 1930’s people didn’t know how dangerous radioactive products were. 

 The blue spheres have electricity shooting from them to represent the huge power of this new technology.  Below the scientist, you see men who are holding stacks of money and blank checks.  They want to buy this new technology so they can make money from it.  The scientist is telling the men to go away because she knows that they will take this technology and sell it for as much money as they can get.  She believes that they only care about the money and won’t care what happens to the technology.  This belief is shown by the airplane propeller.  The flames coming from the left side of the propeller represent the evil uses that could come from the technology, such as bombs. 

 The right side of the propeller has rays of sun coming from it, which is supposed to shine relief down on people who are looking for jobs. The rays of sunlight represent cheaper power that could be made using the new technology. 

 is entire section about new technology represents the struggle between people trying to selfishly profit from technology and people wanting to use the technology to help others. 

 The scientist’s image is actually Gilbert Wilson’s sister. 

 The Black-Sleeved Hand Grasping the Hand of the Research Scientist with the Microscope

This section of the mural sends a warning that some people may use research for profit if they are allowed to control scientific exploration.  The amazing thing about this is how back in 1935 Gilbert Wilson predicted that one day medical decisions may be made with cost in mind instead of saving people. 

 On the left hand side of the research scientists, you can see outreaching hands of all colors and ages.  The hands are trying to get the cures that the scientists are holding.  The hands show all kinds of people with many different illnesses.  Wilson also showed all races of people because everybody gets sick.  A sun ray shines relief down on these sick people, showing that the cures could help the people if only the research scientists would give the cures to the sick people.

 Fred Donaghy, a Professor of Science at Indiana State Teachers’ College (which is now Indiana State University) is shown as the research scientist holding up a test-tube.  The test tube is filled with germs that cause illness.  Behind his head you can see a large cell with lots of bacteria in it. 

 The other research scientist looks into a microscope and examines the bacteria.  Underneath the microscope you can see bodies of animals that were used for testing.  Even though using animals to test products was acceptable in Wilson’s day, it is not as widely acceptable today.  This shows how society has risen to Wilson’s level of thinking!

 The Fisherman and the Swimmer

In this section of the mural, Gilbert Wilson drew himself as the swimmer on the left.  The fisherman on the right is a portrait of Clay Owen, who was the head custodian at Woodrow Wilson.  Gilbert Wilson drew these two figures to show how important it is for younger and older generations to get along with each other.  Wilson believed the two generations could benefit by learning about each other. 

 The Two Hands Holding a Newspaper and an American Flag

In this part of the south mural, the left hand is holding a newspaper with the headline: “War – Extra.”  The right hand is holding an American flag that is being ripped from its pole.  The ripped flag shows that the person holding it is not really patriotic. Instead, this person is pretending to be patriotic to try and get others to go along with his greedy plan.  His plan was to get more money from increased government spending during war time.   So instead of just sitting back and accepting it, Wilson wanted the viewer to question why people would promote the war to make money. 

 The Farmer Plowing His Field

The farmer plowing his field shows us how important it is to look back at our past and plan for the future.  The farmer’s image is actually that of a custodian at the school named Mr. Ford.  Ford often gave Wilson leftover chalk to help with his mural.  The plowed rows represent each year that the farmer has already lived.  The unplowed rows represent the years he has left to live.  You can see that his shirt has been torn and sewn up.  This shows that he is a careful with his money. In great contrast to this peaceful scene, there is a huge blast from a bomb which explodes dollar signs.  This represents Gilbert Wilson’s fears of war and hope for a more peaceful world. 

 The North Mural

The North mural is titled: “Liberation.”  Unlike the South mural, it is one large image and has one main theme, which is freedom through technology.  The scientist in the center is shown as a super-hero.  He has six arms and is a giant because he has many things that he is supposed to do to help and protect others. In the scientist’s hand is another self-portrait of Gilbert Wilson.  Wilson is showing himself as a common man dressed in coveralls. Horrifying machines are surrounding them.  With one of the scientist’s six arms, he raises his fist in anger toward the machines.  The machines have serpent eyes, skulls, and cannon barrels.  The machines represent evil and war. 

 Wilson believed that the scientist’s goal in life is to do research to help people instead of destroy them.  Two of the scientist’s six arms hold back machines with breaking chains.  Wilson believed these machines might try to take over and control the world rather than the other way around.  Before creating the mural, Wilson had just read George Orwell’s book 1984.  Orwell’s book showed a belief that man would be the slave of machines by the year 1984.  The book suggested that machines would spy on people and control their thoughts.  So to prevent this from happening, Wilson gave the scientist the duty of protecting us. 

 One of the scientist’s hands is gently holding a microscope, showing one of his roles as being a researcher.  Another hand rests on the arm of the common man.  The other hand points to the future, showing where the scientist will lead people.

 Below is the word “Liberation.” Wilson believed that the scientist’s research would lead to the invention of important new technology.  This new technology would “liberate” people. 

 In the lower left corner, the artist wrote a dedication for the murals.  He thanked certain people by name.  He also wanted to warn people not the touch the murals because they are made of pastels and would smear.  Unfortunately he also felt depressed because many people didn’t seem to accept his murals and so he wanted to warn others that it would not be easy to lead a creative life.

 The West Mural

At the top of the stairway in the main entrance is the most simple and the most positive mural of all three.  It has a single theme:  Education.  The small seedling plant represents the student.  The plant has many things in common with middle school students.  Both are young, both have lots of potential, and both the plant and the student grow depending on their environment.  The plant needs a good foundation to grow its roots. It needs sunlight, fertilizer, and warmth.  Students need the “roots” of the family and a good school environment to grow and reach their full potential. The two hands reaching down represent the teachers.  The hands are older and wise.  They will offer the educational experiences that will help students to grow. 

References: 

 Retrieved from:  http://www.vigoco.k12.in.us/%7Ewlsnms/mural/mural.html

 Spann, E. & Reid, G. (2002). A significant art:  The Terre Haute murals of Gilbert Wilson. Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History, 14(1), 18-29.

Pictures of the Cast Members Working on Their Ending