From Desk to Display: Meet the Purple Mash Visualiser Tool

Each month we will be highlighting a #MashoftheMonth. This will focus on a tool or application within Purple Mash and how it can be used within the classroom to support learning across the curriculum. During the month if you share how you have used #MashoftheMonth you will then be entered into a draw to win a 2Simple Goody bag!

A classroom visualiser is a great way to bring learning to life - helping pupils see examples up close, share their ideas and learn from one another. But what if you could do all this without needing a separate piece of visualiser hardware?

Introducing Purple Mash's Visualiser, a new classroom tool that lets you capture images using a mobile device or tablet and show them directly on your interactive whiteboard. You can then crop, resize, annotate and add notes to images, as well as save and share the work completed. And the best thing about Visualiser is that it's included as part of your Purple Mash subscription.

Find out all about Visualiser in our upcoming webinar on 9th November, where you'll see practical classroom uses for the Visualiser, and how it can help improve modelling, assessment and feedback across the curriculum.

How does Purple Mash Visualiser work?

Getting started is simple:

1. From the Tools area of Purple Mash, open Visualiser on your interactive whiteboard and click the camera icon to display a QR code.
2. Scan the QR code using your mobile device or tablet to connect its camera.
3. Capture an image of a piece of work, classroom activity or resource.
4. The image will appear on your interactive whiteboard in seconds.
5. Use the editing tools to crop, resize, rotate, annotate or add text to your image.

You can add multiple images to the workspace and connect more than one device at a time, making it easy to collect and compare examples from across the classroom.

5 ways to use the Purple Mash Visualiser in your classroom

1. Model and improve writing in English

Put a piece of writing onto the interactive whiteboard and use it as a shared editing activity, or capture a pupil's work and annotate it to highlight effective vocabulary, sentence structure, punctuation or use of paragraphs.

2. Compare different methods in Maths

Get children to solve a problem on their mini whiteboards, capture their methods and display them altogether. Annotations can help to highlight the important steps or explain why a method works well.

3. Show parts of a book, without the need for photocopying

Display a page from a book on the interactive whiteboard so the whole class can read and explore it together. Highlight key vocabulary, discuss illustrations or examine text features without needing to photocopy resources for everyone.

4. Investigate natural or historical objects

Take pictures of natural materials, historical artefacts or other objects that relate to your topic, and display them for the class to explore. Zoom in on details, add annotations and encourage pupils to observe, compare and discuss what they discover.

5. Explore scientific observations

Capture images of experiments, plant growth or other scientific observations and share them with the class. Compare results, highlight important details and encourage pupils to discuss patterns, changes and possible explanations.

A visualiser can support so much more than just one subject. From English and maths to science and history, Purple Mash Visualiser helps you share examples, demonstrate concepts and encourage discussion.

Discover how Purple Mash's Visualiser can help you make more of your interactive whiteboard and bring learning to life across the curriculum with a free trial.