NEO 2 Quick Manual

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QUICK GUIDE

NEO 2 and

SmartApplets

Contact Information

United States United Kingdom

Renaissance Learning PO Box 8036 Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495-8036

Technical questions or problems:

Phone: (888) 274-2720 Email: support@renlearn.com Web: www.alphasmart.com/support

Purchase AlphaSmart products, general information, or sales questions:

Online store: www.alphasmart.com Phone: (888) 274-0680 Email: info@alphasmart.com

Europe, Middle East, and Africa

Technical questions or problems:

Phone: +44 870 120 0718 Email: UK-help@alphasmart.com

Latest support information:

Web: www.alphasmart.eu/support Select your country or region.

Purchase AlphaSmart products:

Web: www.alphasmart.com/international (This URL also provides a list of resellers and AlphaSmart contacts.)

Technical questions or problems:

Phone: 0870 120 0718 Email: UK-help@alphasmart.com

Latest support information:

Web: www.alphasmart.co.uk/support

Purchase AlphaSmart products:

Web: www.alphasmart.co.uk/ordering (This URL also provides a list of resellers and AlphaSmart contacts.)

Asia/Pacific, Canada, and Latin America

Technical questions or problems:

Contact your local reseller. If you do not have a local reseller, email Technical Support at support@alphasmart.com.

Latest support information:

Web: www.alphasmart.com/support Select your country or region.

Purchase AlphaSmart products:

Web: www.alphasmart.com/international (This URL also provides a list of resellers and AlphaSmart contacts.)

This publication is protected by US and international copyright laws. It is unlawful to duplicate or reproduce any copyrighted material without authorization from the copyright holder. This document may be reproduced only by staff members in schools that have purchased the NEO 2. For more information, contact Renaissance Learning, Inc., at the address above.

2Know!, Accelerated Math, Accelerated Reader, AccelTest, AlphaSmart, AlphaHub, AlphaQuiz, AlphaWord, Beamer, KeyWords, NEO, NEO 2, Renaissance, Renaissance Learning, the Renaissance Learning logo, Renaissance Place, Renaissance Receiver, Renaissance Responder, and SmartApplet are trademarks of Renaissance Learning, Inc., and its subsidiaries, registered, common law, or pending registration in the United States and other countries.

Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the US and other countries.

Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. Windows Vista is either a registered trademark or trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

03/08 NEO2 510029A-0308

HAT’S IN THE

W HAT’ S IN THE NEO 2 KIT?

NEO 2 K

You’ll find these items in the NEO 2 kit:

• your NEO 2 laptop

• three AA batteries

• a standard USB cable for connecting NEO 2 to your computer or printer

• the AlphaSmart Manager installation CD

• the NEO and NEO 2 Documentation CD, which includes your manuals

•the NEO and NEO 2 User Manual

•the NEO 2 and SmartApplet Quick Guide

If you ordered a SmartOption Mobile Lab, you’ve also received the following:

. . . . .

• the SmartOption Cart with NEO 2 laptops and AlphaHub

•the AlphaSmart Manager 2 User Manual

• a Renaissance Receiver with cable

•the 2Know! Toolbar installation CD

•the 2Know! Resource Guide

• the AccelTest software installation CD

• a USB IR Pod for infrared beaming between NEO 2 and a computer

• an AlphaBeam software CD (for infrared beaming)

• a keyboarding wall chart

• a NEO training CD

• a poster about taking Accelerated Reader quizzes on the NEO 2

A BOUT THE NEO 2

BOUT THE

. . . . .

NEO 2

The drawings below will help you identify the parts of your NEO 2:

A The NEO 2 screen. B The keyboard. The top row includes keys that

are unique to NEO, including on/off, the eight file keys, spell check, find, clear file, home, end, applets, and send.

C The green light is on when your NEO 2 is

connected to a computer, to a SmartOption Cart, or to an AC Adapter. If your NEO 2 has a rechargeable battery pack, a green light means the batteries are charged; amber means they are being charged.

D The battery compartment cover. E The connection point for the AC adapter cord

(for NEOs with the rechargeable battery pack).

F The IR port for infrared beaming between NEOs

or between NEO 2 and a computer.

G The port for connecting NEO 2 to a computer

using a standard USB cable.

H A USB port for connecting NEO 2 directly to a

USB printer.

NSTALLING

THE

ATTERIES

I NSTALLING THE BATTERIES

. . . . .

If you purchased the rechargeable battery pack, insert it instead

of the batteries and connect the cable on the battery pack to the matching cable next to the NEO 2 battery compartment. Then, connect the AC adapter to your NEO 2 and plug it into an outlet as soon as possible after receiving the NEO 2. Charge the unit for at least 16 hours the first time; charge it 4–8 hours subsequent times. For more information, see the

NEO and NEO 2 User Manual.

Follow these steps to install the AA batteries:

1. On the back of the NEO 2, put your thumbs in the circles A and slide the

compartment cover toward the left to remove it from the NEO 2.

Note: After you install the batteries the first time, you may use a small Phillips screw to secure the cover. If you do this, you will need to remove the screw to open the cover the next time you install batteries.

2. The first time you open the compartment, you’ll find a small plastic bag with a Phillips screw for holding the battery compartment shut. Remove the bag.

3. Insert the three AA batteries into the compartment. Make sure the + end of each battery points toward the black and red cables.

4. Put the battery compartment cover back on and slide it back in place. You can insert the small Phillips screw in the hole provided to make sure the cover stays shut.

S TARTING THE NEO 2

TARTING

THE

. . . . .

NEO 2

To start the NEO 2, press the on/off key in the upper-left corner of the keyboard. The NEO 2 will start AlphaWord Plus, and you can begin typing immediately in the open file if you wish.

Notice that you have eight files available to type text in; to switch between files, press one of the file keys (file 1, file 2, etc.). You can also save and name files on your NEO 2. For more information, see the NEO and NEO 2 User Manual.

NEO 2 shuts down automatically to save battery power if you don’t use it for a certain amount of time. The default time is 4 minutes, but you can change it by pressing option-z-T or using the Idle Time System setting in AlphaSmart Manager.

NSTALLING

The Renaissance Wireless Server

Utility is automatically installed with AlphaSmart Manager. This

utility allows your Renaissance Receiver to communicate with Responders and NEO 2 as well as the AccelTest, Accelerated Math RP, Accelerated Reader RP, or 2Know! Toolbar software. It also allows wireless RF printing from NEO 2.

LPHASMART

AlphaSmart Manager helps your computer work with NEO 2. It lets you do the following:

• Get files from your NEO 2 so you can view them, save them, and/or print them.

• Send files from your computer to your NEO 2. Files may include lessons, instructions, or just text files that you want to work in on the NEO 2.

• View reports about student work in KeyWords on the NEO 2 and synchronize the data with Renaissance Place. (For more about KeyWords, see page 19.)

• Install or remove SmartApplet programs from your NEO 2.

• Change settings for your NEO 2 or one of the SmartApplets on the NEO 2.

• View the items you’re about to send to the NEOs and select the ones to send them to.

For more information about AlphaSmart Manager, see the AlphaSmart Manager 2 User Manual on your NEO and NEO 2 Documentation CD.

ANAGER

I NSTALLING ALPHAS MART MANAGER

Installing AlphaSmart Manager on Windows Computers

. . . . .

To install AlphaSmart Manager, follow the steps for your type of computer. Make sure your computer is running Windows 2000, XP, or Vista or Macintosh OS 10.3.9, 10.4.x, or 10.5.x. Make sure you’re logged in as the administrator or that you have administrator privileges when you install the software and the first time you connect the AlphaHub (lab) to your computer so that the drivers are loaded properly.

Installing AlphaSmart Manager on Windows Computers

1. Insert the AlphaSmart Manager CD into your computer. If a window

doesn’t open to show you the contents of the CD, view the contents using My Computer or Windows Explorer.

2. Double-click the setup.exe file.

3. Click Next > in the first panel of the installation wizard.

4. Read the license agreement. Then, click the first option to accept the

terms and click Next >.

5. The program will ask if you want to search for configuration files from

previous versions of AlphaSmart Manager.

• If this is the first time you’ve installed the program, click No.

• If you have a previous version and you want to save your

configuration, click Yes . If the program can’t find the files, you may need to browse for them yourself.

6. On the final panel of the wizard, check the box if you want to read the

Read Me file as soon as the installer closes. Then, click Finish.

Installing AlphaSmart Manager on Macintosh Computers

1. Insert the AlphaSmart Manager CD into your computer.

2. Double-click AlphaSmart Manager Installer on the CD.

3. Enter your user name and password for this computer when the installer

asks you to do so. Then, click OK.

4. Click Continue.

5. Read the license agreement; then, click Continue. Click Agree when the

program asks if you want to agree to the license agreement.

6. Click Install. The installation will start.

7. The installer will notify you that no other programs can be running during

installation. Click Continue to close other programs and continue.

8. The installer will also notify you that it may automatically restart your

computer after installation. Click OK.

C ONNECTING NEO 2 TO YOUR COMPUTER

Connecting a Single NEO 2 to Your Computer

9. The program will ask if you want to search for configuration files from

previous versions of AlphaSmart Manager.

• If this is the first time you’ve installed the program, click No.

• If you have a previous version and you want to save your

configuration, click Yes . If the program can’t find the files, you may need to browse for them yourself.

10. The installer will also ask if you want to add the program to the dock. Click

Yes or No. The installation will be completed. Your computer may be

restarted.

ONNECTING

NEO 2

OUR

OMPUTER

. . . . .

Connecting a Single NEO 2 to Your Computer

1. If this is the first time you have connected your computer to NEO 2, make

sure you are logged in as an administrator or that you have permissions that allow the device drivers to load properly.

On Windows XP computers, you may

be notified that the driver is not certified for Windows XP. The driver will work for your system; to go on, click Continue Anyway.

2. Using the cable that came with NEO 2, connect the USB connector your computer, and connect the square end

3. The first time you connect your NEO 2 to a Windows computer, the computer may notify you that it has found the hardware and installed the driver. If a hardware wizard appears, follow the instructions in the wizard.

B to your NEO 2 at C.

A to

S ETTING UP A RENAISSANCE RECEIVER

Connecting Multiple NEO 2 Laptops Using a SmartOption Mobile Lab

. . . . .

Connecting Multiple NEO 2 Laptops Using a SmartOption Mobile Lab

After installing AlphaSmart Manager, follow the SmartOption Mobile Lab Setup instructions to connect the cart of NEO 2 laptops to your computer

using AlphaHub.

ETTING

How to Connect a Renaissance Receiver to Your

UP A R

ENAISSANCE

ECEIVER

Computer

If you have received or purchased a Renaissance Receiver, follow these steps to connect it to your computer. Make sure you install AlphaSmart Manager

before connecting the Renaissance Receiver.

1. Find the Renaissance Receiver and the USB data cable.

2. Plug the end of the data cable that

is nearly square into the connector on the back of the Receiver

3. Connect the flat USB connector on the data cable B to a matching USB port on your computer.

S ETTING UP A RENAISSANCE RECEIVER

How to Name the Receiver

It’s important to set a name for the computer/Receiver combination so that students know they’re connecting to the right Receiver when they use NEO 2

The Renaissance Wireless Server

Utility is automatically installed with AlphaSmart Manager. Make

sure you’ve installed AlphaSmart Manager before you follow these steps.

for quizzes or assignments. This is especially important if your school has more than one Renaissance Receiver. Follow these steps:

1. Start the Renaissance Wireless Server Utility:

• Windows computers: Right-click in the lower-right corner of your

computer screen (the system tray) and choose Manage from the menu that appears. If you don’t see this icon in your system tray, click

Start or  Programs (or All Programs)  Renaissance Wireless Server  Renaissance Wireless Server Utility.

• Macintosh computers: In your computer’s Applications folder, open

the Renaissance Wireless Server folder. Then, double-click

Renaissance Wireless Server Utility.

2. Type 1234 and click OK to log in. (This is the default Administrator PIN. If you have changed the PIN, enter your new PIN.) If necessary, click Start.

3. Click the Server Settings tab.

4. In the Network Name field, enter a new name for the Renaissance

Receiver. (Make sure the name is different from names used for your other Renaissance Receivers.)

5. Click Update Network Settings.

6. Click OK when the program finishes updating network settings. Make

sure that any students who will be using NEO 2 or Responders to complete quizzes or assignments know which Receiver name to connect to.

. . . . .

S MARTA PPLETS INSTALLED ON THE NEO 2

MARTAPPLETS INSTALLED ON THE

NEO 2

What Are SmartApplets?

SmartApplets are programs that are installed on your NEO 2. These programs allow you to write on the NEO 2, use it as you would use a Renaissance Responder with AccelTest software, Accelerated Math RP, or the 2Know! Toolbar, practice keyboarding skills, perform calculations, change settings, administer quizzes to your students, or “beam” files from one NEO to another NEO or NEO 2.

Which SmartApplets Are Installed?

What Are SmartApplets?

. . . . .

All NEO 2 laptops come with these SmartApplets installed:

• Responder—The Responder SmartApplet allows you to use NEO 2 as you

would use a Renaissance Responder. Students can use it to complete AccelTest assignments or Accelerated Math RP assisted-response assignments. You can also use NEO 2 with the 2Know! Toolbar.

• AlphaWord Plus—This is the program that opens when you first turn on

the NEO 2. The writing that you do on NEO 2 in files 1–8 is done in AlphaWord Plus.

• Accelerated Reader—If you have an active subscription to Accelerated

Reader RP, you’ve installed AlphaSmart Manager on teacher computers, and you’ve connected a Renaissance Receiver to teacher computers, students can use this SmartApplet on a NEO 2 to complete Reading Practice Quizzes, Vocabulary Practice Quizzes, and Other Reading Quizzes.

• KeyWords—KeyWords allows students to learn and practice

keyboarding.

• Control Panel—The Control Panel allows you to change settings for the

NEO 2 and for some SmartApplets.

• Beamer—Beamer allows you to send files to other NEOs or NEO 2 laptops

without using cables (using infrared technology). You can disable beaming between NEOs if you wish on the AlphaSmart Manager Settings tab.

S MARTA PPLETS INSTALLED ON THE NEO 2

About AlphaWord Plus

• AlphaQuiz—AlphaQuiz allows students to take quizzes on the NEO 2. If

you’d like to use this program, you need to install QuizManager and QuizDesigner on your computer. You can create quizzes on your computer using QuizDesigner, and then send them to one or more NEOs using QuizManager. (See page 23.)

• Calculator—This program allows you to do calculations right on your

NEO 2. (It can be disabled using the Control Panel settings.)

About AlphaWord Plus

When you start your NEO 2, AlphaWord Plus opens automatically (unless you’ve changed settings to have another SmartApplet open.)

AlphaWord Plus is the program that lets you write on NEO 2. Simply press one of the file keys (file 1, file 2, etc.) to choose the file to write in and start typing. Characters are saved in that file as you type them; there’s no need to worry about losing text if you accidentally shut off the NEO 2. The arrow keys, backspace, and delete all work as they do on a typical computer keyboard.

. . . . .

If you want to delete the text from one of the files, press clear file. Then, press Y for yes when the NEO 2 asks if you’re sure you want to clear the file.

See the label on the back of your NEO 2 for a list of helpful

keyboard commands. These

commands can help you perform tasks more quickly.

To copy, cut, and paste text, you can use the same keyboard commands that you use in word processing programs on your computer. To copy text, select it and press ctrl-C or z-C. To cut text, select it and press ctrl-X or z-X. To paste it, press ctrl-V or z-V.

If you want to name and save a file so you can use the file space for other text, press ctrl-S. Then, type a name for the file and press enter. You can then clear the file space without losing the file you saved.

For more information, see your NEO and NEO 2 User Manual.

About the Responder SmartApplet

The Responder SmartApplet lets you use NEO 2 as you would use a Renaissance Responder. You can use NEO 2 with the AccelTest Software, Accelerated Math RP, and the 2Know! Toolbar.

Before you use the Responder SmartApplet, make sure you’ve installed AlphaSmart Manager (see page 4), connected a Renaissance Receiver to your computer (see page 7), and named the Renaissance Receiver (see page 8).

S MARTA PPLETS INSTALLED ON THE NEO 2

(AlphaSmart Manager is needed because it installs the Renaissance Wireless Server Utility, which is used by all programs that use the Renaissance Receiver.)

How to Start the Responder SmartApplet

1. Press on/off to turn NEO 2 on.

2. Press applets.

3. Make sure the cursor is next to Responder; then, press enter.

4. If you have connected to a Renaissance Receiver before, NEO 2 will ask if you want to stay connected to it; press Y for yes or N for no. Then, press enter.

If you haven’t connected to a Renaissance Receiver before, you’ll see a list of Receivers (networks). Use the arrow keys to highlight the one you want to connect to; then, press enter.

About the Responder SmartApplet

. . . . .

Using NEO 2 with AccelTest Software

When you choose “Responder” as the scoring method for an AccelTest assignment, students can use NEO 2 instead of a Responder to enter their answers. Students can use NEO 2 to complete in-class assignments, but not homework; also, the Notes feature cannot be used with NEO 2. You cannot assign an owner to NEO 2 laptops as you do to Renaissance Responders in AccelTest.

As with Renaissance Responders, teachers start a student-paced session so students can complete their work. Teachers should also make sure each student has his or her ID from the AccelTest Gradebook. Students follow these steps to complete the assignment:

1. Start the Responder SmartApplet as described in the previous section.

2. Type your student ID from the AccelTest Gradebook and press enter.

3. If you have only one assignment, the program will ask if you are ready to

work on it. Press Y for yes to continue; then, press enter.

If you have more than one assignment, the program will ask which one you want to work on, and it will list the assignments. Press the letter for the assignment you want; then, press enter.

4. Choose or type an answer for each question in the assignment; then, press enter. Use the letter keys for multiple-choice questions, T or F for true/false questions, and Y or N for yes/no questions.

S MARTA PPLETS INSTALLED ON THE NEO 2

About the Responder SmartApplet

You can answer the questions in order or use these commands to go back or to go to a specific question:

To do this... ...press these keys:

Scroll through a question. Press K and L.

. . . . .

Go forward or back one question.

Go to a specific question number.

Go to the end of the question.

Go to the beginning of the question.

5. When you’ve answered all the questions, the program will ask if you are ready to submit your work. Press Y to finish or N to go back and review the questions.

When the assignment is complete, the NEO 2 will go back to the SmartApplets list.

Using NEO 2 with Accelerated Math RP

If you have an active subscription to Accelerated Math RP, students can use NEO 2 to complete assisted-response (multiple-choice) assignments if the Scoring preference for the class allows students to use Renaissance Responders.

Press z-?. Arrows ( ) will appear to the right of the question number. As long as you see those arrows, you can press one question or Press z-? again when you want the arrow keys to scroll through the question instead.

Press find, type the question number, and press enter.

Press z-

to go forward one question.

K to go back

The Renaissance Responder client program must be installed on your computer before you can use either Responders or NEO 2 with Accelerated Math RP. (See the Accelerated Math RP Software Manual.) As when students use the Renaissance Responders, the teacher must start the Renaissance Responder program at the computer and log in.

After students get a printed copy of the assignment, they can follow these steps to complete it using NEO 2:

1. The teacher must start the Renaissance Responder program and log in.

2. Start the Responder SmartApplet (see page 11).

S MARTA PPLETS INSTALLED ON THE NEO 2

About the Responder SmartApplet

3. If both Accelerated Math RP and AssessmentMaster are installed on the server, NEO 2 will ask which program you want to use. Press the letter for Accelerated Math; then, press enter.

4. Enter the form number that is on the top of the printed assignment.

5. If NEO 2 tells you to wait until your assignment is retrieved, press enter.

6. When NEO 2 shows your name and form number, press Y for yes if the

information is correct.

7. To answer each question, press A, B, C, or D; then, press enter.

You can answer the questions in order or use the commands in the table below to go back or to go to a specific question:

To do this... ...press these keys:

Scroll through a question. Press K and L.

. . . . .

Go forward or back one question.

Go to a specific question number.

Go to the end of the question.

Go to the beginning of the question.

8. When you’ve answered all the questions, the program will ask if you are ready to submit your work. Press Y to finish or N to go back and review the questions.

9. If NEO 2 asks you to wait while your assignment is saved, press enter.

10. When the assignment is complete, the NEO 2 will ask you to get your

TOPS Report at the printer; then, it will go back to the SmartApplets list.

11. When all students have finished their assignments, the teacher can click End Session in the Renaissance Responder program and close the

program.

Press find, type the question number, and press enter.

Press z-

L to go forward one question.

K to go back

S MARTA PPLETS INSTALLED ON THE NEO 2

About the Responder SmartApplet

Using NEO 2 with the 2Know! Toolbar

Students can use NEO 2 to respond to questions from the 2Know! Toolbar. Teachers can use it to control the program as they would use a teacher Responder.

How Students Use NEO 2 with the 2Know! Toolbar

1. Start the Responder SmartApplet (see page 11).

2. Choose or type an answer for each question; then, press enter. Use the

letter keys for multiple-choice questions, T or F for true/false questions, and either T and F or Y and N for “pulse” questions.

3. When you’ve finished answering questions, the teacher shuts down the 2Know! Toolbar program. The next time you press enter, NEO 2 will tell you there is no session and ask if you want to search for networks. Press N for no; then, press enter.

. . . . .

How Teachers Use NEO 2 to Control the 2Know! Toolbar

1. In the 2Know! Toolbar program, click the Options button A and choose Teacher Responder from the menu.

2. Click Assign in the Teacher Responder dialog box. The program will show you a PIN. Leave this dialog box open.

3. Start the Responder SmartApplet (see page 11).

4. When NEO 2 asks you to enter the Teacher Responder PIN, enter the one that is shown in your 2Know! Toolbar program. Then, press enter.

5. In the 2Know! Toolbar program, click Close twice to go back to the

toolbar.

6. NEO 2 will list your options. Press A to ask a question, B to show a graph, or C to minimize the Toolbar on your computer; then, press enter.

When you’re viewing a graph, press A to stop receiving responses, B to close the graph, or c to reset so students can respond again; then, press

S MARTA PPLETS INSTALLED ON THE NEO 2

About the Accelerated Reader SmartApplet

enter. To mark the correct answer, press D and enter; then, enter the answer.

7. When you’ve finished, you can unassign the NEO 2 so it is no longer meant for use by the teacher. Follow these steps:

a. In the 2Know! Toolbar program, click Options and choose Teacher

Responder.

b. Click Unassign in the Teacher Responder dialog box.

c. Click Close.

About the Accelerated Reader SmartApplet

The Accelerated Reader SmartApplet allows students to take English Reading Practice Quizzes, Vocabulary Practice Quizzes, and Other Reading Quizzes using a NEO 2 laptop. The quiz information is sent to Accelerated Reader RP via a Renaissance Receiver.

. . . . .

Before students try to use this SmartApplet, make sure you’ve installed AlphaSmart Manager (see page 4), connected a Renaissance Receiver to your computer (see page 7), named the Renaissance Receiver (see page 8), and entered the Renaissance Place URL in the Renaissance Place Settings in the Renaissance Wireless Server Utility (see the instructions below).

Setting the Renaissance Place URL in the Renaissance Wireless Server Utility

1. Start the Renaissance Wireless Server Utility:

• Windows computers: Right-click in the lower-right corner of your

computer screen (the system tray) and choose Manage from the menu that appears. If you don’t see this icon in your system tray, click

Start or  Programs (or All Programs)  Renaissance Wireless Server  Renaissance Wireless Server Utility.

• Macintosh computers: In your computer’s Applications folder, open

the Renaissance Wireless Server folder. Then, double-click

Renaissance Wireless Server Utility.

2. Type 1234 and click OK to log in. (This is the default Administrator PIN. If you have changed the PIN, enter your new PIN.) If necessary, click Start.

3. Click the Server Settings tab.

4. Click Renaissance Place Settings.

S MARTA PPLETS INSTALLED ON THE NEO 2

About the Accelerated Reader SmartApplet

5. Enter the Web address for the Renaissance Place server with Accelerated Reader RP. After entering the address, click Verify to make sure the utility recognizes this as a valid address. Then, click OK.

6. Click OK when the program verifies that the settings were changed successfully.

How Students Use the Accelerated Reader SmartApplet to Take Quizzes

Things to Do Before Students Start Quizzing on NEO 2

• Make sure you’ve set the Renaissance Place address in the Renaissance

Wireless Server Utility (see page 15).

. . . . .

The same preferences apply to students no matter

where they take quizzes—

on NEO 2 or at a computer— so you only have to set the preferences once.

The name that you gave the

Renaissance Receiver is the one students will see in the Networks list. See page 8 to

find out how to change the name.

• In Accelerated Reader RP, set the School and Classroom Student Quizzing preferences and the Other Reading Series preference for your class. (For instructions, see the Accelerated Reader RP Software Manual.)

• Make sure students know their user names and passwords (see the Accelerated Reader Student Information Report).

• Make sure students know the quiz number. On NEO 2, students may only use the quiz number to search for quizzes. (You can include the quiz number on your book labels.)

• If you have younger students, explain how the questions and answers are displayed on the screen and how to use the arrow keys to scroll through questions or answers. (If you have a SmartOption Mobile Lab, you can use the poster you received to help you explain.)

Steps for Taking a Quiz on NEO 2

1. The teacher’s computer must be on, with the Receiver connected. (You

can use the teacher’s computer for other things while students are quizzing; it doesn’t need to be dedicated to quizzing.)

2. Turn the NEO 2 on and press applets.

3. Press

4. The first time you use the Accelerated Reader SmartApplet, it will list the

L until the cursor is next to Accelerated Reader. Then, press

enter.

Networks that are available. (Networks are Renaissance Receivers connected to computers.) Use the up and down arrow keys to highlight the Receiver you want to connect to; then, press enter.

If you have chosen a Receiver before, the program may ask if you want to stay connected. Press Y for yes or N for no; then, press enter. (If you choose no, you’ll need to select another Receiver.)

S MARTA PPLETS INSTALLED ON THE NEO 2

About the Accelerated Reader SmartApplet

5. When the program asks for your user name and password, type your user

name and press enter or

6. If you have an unfinished quiz, the screen will ask if you want to finish it.

Press Y for yes or N for no. If you choose yes, go to step 13. If you choose no, the teacher or quiz monitor must enter the monitor password.

7. If you are in more than one Accelerated Reader class, your classes will be

listed. Use the up and down arrow keys to highlight the class that you are taking this quiz for; then, press enter.

L. Then, type your password and press enter.

. . . . .

8. On the next screen, use the up and down arrow keys to highlight the type

of quiz you want to take (Reading Practice, Vocabulary Practice, or Other Reading). Then, press enter.

9. For Reading Practice and Other Reading quizzes, the Find RP Quiz

screen will appear next. Type the quiz number and press enter. (If you chose to take an Other Reading Quiz, and none are available for your class, the screen will notify you. Press enter.)

For Vocabulary Practice Quizzes, you will be asked how you want to find the quiz: by quiz number, by matching another quiz already taken, or by taking a ~Second-Try and Review Words~ quiz. Highlight an answer and press enter. If you chose to find the quiz by quiz number, type the number and press enter. If you chose to match a quiz already taken, highlight the quiz name and press enter; if there was only one matching vocabulary quiz, you won’t be asked to select one.

S MARTA PPLETS INSTALLED ON THE NEO 2

About the Accelerated Reader SmartApplet

10. If the quiz is available in both English and Spanish, the screen will list

both. Use the arrow keys to select the English quiz and press enter. (Spanish quizzes aren’t yet supported on the NEO 2.)

11. If the screen asks you how the book was read, use the arrow keys to

select an answer; then, press enter.

12. The quiz title will be shown.

You cannot substitute the NEO 2 master password for

the monitor password. You

must use the monitor password set in Accelerated Reader RP.

If the monitor password is not required, press Y for yes to confirm that you want to take the quiz; then, press enter.

If the screen asks for the monitor password, the teacher or quiz monitor must enter the Accelerated Reader monitor password and press enter.

Note: If you are not allowed to take the quiz, the screen will notify you. Depending on the restriction, it may ask if you want to take a different quiz or tell you to press applets to log out. The message may appear for any of these reasons:

• There are date or time restrictions.

• You aren’t allowed to take quizzes.

• Students aren’t allowed to take this quiz.

• You have taken the quiz before.

• You have chosen a ~Second-Try and Review Words~ Quiz, but you

don’t have review words.

To stop a quiz, press ctrl-A or cmd-A.

Then, ask the quiz monitor or teacher to enter the Accelerated Reader monitor password and press enter.

13. NEO 2 will show you one question in the quiz. To answer each question, press the letter for the answer you want to choose; then, press enter to go to the next question.

If you need to scroll to see all of the answers arrow keys. If the question is long and you need to scroll to see all of the question, you can use the up and down arrow keys to scroll in the question; then, press tab or the arrow keys to scroll there.

. . . . .

A, use the up and down

J to switch to the answers so you can use

14. After you enter the last question, you may be asked how you liked the book. Press the letter for the answer you want to choose; then, press

enter.

15. If the screen asks for the monitor password, ask the teacher or quiz monitor to enter the password and press enter.

S MARTA PPLETS INSTALLED ON THE NEO 2

About KeyWords

16. The RP Score Summary will show you how you did on the quiz. It may also show you information about the points you’ve earned.

If the summary asks if you want to see the questions you missed, press Y for yes or N for no and press enter. If you choose yes, you can see each missed question, your answer, and the correct answer. Press enter after you read each one.

17. A TOPS Report may be sent to the default printer for the teacher’s computer. If the program asks what language you’d like to print the report in, use the arrow keys to highlight a language and press enter.

18. After you finish a Reading Practice Quiz, the program may ask if you want to take the matching Vocabulary Practice Quiz. Press Y for yes if you want to take that quiz, or N for no if you don’t want to take it right now. Then, press enter.

19. The program will ask if you want to take a different quiz. Press Y for yes if you want to take another quiz, or N for no if you don’t want to take another one right now. Then, press enter. If you choose no, you will go back to the list of SmartApplets available on the NEO 2.

. . . . .

About KeyWords

The KeyWords SmartApplet helps students to learn keyboarding skills and practice keyboarding.

Teachers add the students who will be using KeyWords on NEO 2. Teachers who have the master password can also delete students, create progress reports, set goals, choose settings for the use of the shift key, require home row confirmation, and set the number of spaces required between sentences.

Since teachers can add more than one student in KeyWords, multiple students can use the same NEO 2 at different times to work on their keyboarding skills. After choosing their name, students can choose the keys to work on. They can then choose one of these activities:

•Learn new keys

• Use accuracy and speed builders (for practice)

• Take accuracy and speed tests

In AlphaSmart Manager, teachers can view, save, or print reports about student work in KeyWords. Teachers who are using any Renaissance Place product can also synchronize the data from NEOs with Keywords RP so that they can print reports from that program.

S MARTA PPLETS INSTALLED ON THE NEO 2

About Beamer

For more information about KeyWords, refer to the NEO and NEO 2 SmartApplet User Manual.

About Beamer

The Beamer SmartApplet uses infrared (IR) technology to send data from one NEO or NEO 2 to another without using a cable. (You can also send data between a NEO 2 and an AlphaSmart 3000 running System 3 software, a Palm OS device, or a Dana.)

Follow these steps to beam files from one NEO2 to another or to a NEO:

. . . . .

You can also beam files to your computer using the

AlphaBeam software. For more information, see the

NEO and NEO 2 User Manual.

If there is text in the clipboard, NEO 2 will

ask if you want to overwrite the clipboard with the file you’re receiving. To continue and allow the clipboard to be overwritten, press enter.

1. Move the NEOs to within three feet of each other and aim their infrared ports

A at each other as shown below.

2. The sender should open the file he or she wants to send and press ctrlsend.

The receiver should open the file space that he or she wants to receive the text into and press ctrl-B.

3. If the file that the receiver chose was not empty, a message will ask if you want to overwrite it or append to it (that is, add the beamed text to the end of the file). Move your cursor next to an option and press enter.

See the NEO and NEO 2 SmartApplet User Manual to find out how to beam to and from other devices, how to beam files within the Beamer SmartApplet, how to send password-protected files, and how to change Beamer settings.

S MARTA PPLETS INSTALLED ON THE NEO 2

About the Control Panel

The Control Panel lets you define settings for your NEO 2. To use the Control

You can also change settings using AlphaSmart

Manager, which can send

setting changes to several NEOs at the same time.

Panel, follow these steps:

1. Press the applets key.

2. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor next to the Control Panel; then, press enter.

3. Move the cursor next to the settings you want to change; then, press enter.

4. Follow the instructions on the screen to make changes. For some

settings, such as spell check or calculator settings, you must enter the master password, which you can set using AlphaSmart Manager. The master password prevents students from changing these settings themselves. The table below gives you an overview of the Control Panel settings.

About the Control Panel

. . . . .

Setting Description

Spell Check Settings These settings are available:

• Turn spell check off (or on)

• Turn add words to user dictionary off (or on) (During a spell check, this determines whether the user can add words that aren’t in the dictionary but are spelled correctly.)

• Delete user dictionary (Deletes the custom dictionary that includes words you’ve added.)

• Add new word to user dictionary

AlphaWord Plus Settings

Change Default SmartApplet Font

Turn Calculator Off Lets you disable the calculator for this NEO 2.

These settings are available:

• Turn show marks in files on (or off) (Determines whether you see right arrows for tabs and carriage return arrows in the text you type. You can also change the setting by pressing option-3-K.)

• Turn file passwords on (or off) (Allows you to set passwords for AlphaWord Plus files. You can also do this by pressing ctrl-option-3-P and entering the master password. All files initially will have the password write. To change the password for an individual file you’re working in, press option-3-P or use the next setting.)

• Change a specific file password

• Reset all file passwords

Lets you choose the font size used in AlphaWord Plus only based on the number of text lines that will fit on the NEO 2 screen. (Changes to font size don’t apply to other SmartApplets.)

S MARTA PPLETS INSTALLED ON THE NEO 2

About the Control Panel

Setting Description

. . . . .

Two-Button On Option

Set Screen Contrast Lets you make the screen lighter or darker. Press

Keyboard Command Reference List

View Keyboard Layout

Display Battery Status Shows you the state of the battery charge.

Change Keyboard Settings

When this is on, you must press enter and on/off together to turn NEO 2 on instead of just pressing on/off. This is used to prevent the NEO2 from being turned on accidentally.

Lower numbers lighten the background and text; higher numbers darken the background.

Lets you view a list of keyboard shortcuts you can use to perform functions on the NEO 2.

Shows you the layout of keys on the keyboard with the currently selected layout. Press shift or option to see what characters are available when you press those keys with another key on the keyboard.

These settings are available:

• Change keyboard layout (Lets you choose a different keyboard layout; for details, see the NEO and NEO 2 User Manual.)

• Change slow keys setting (Sets how long you must hold down a key before the character appears on the screen— useful for users with unsteady hands or those who have difficulty targeting certain keys.)

• Turn sticky keys on (Allows users to press keys in key combinations such as ctrl-S one at a time instead of simultaneously. For details, see the NEO and NEO 2 User Manual.)

K or L to change the setting (1–16).

Search for Networks Lets you find and select a different Renaissance Receiver. (You can also do this when you

start the Responder SmartApplet.) Use the arrow keys to highlight the Receiver you want; then, press enter. (See page 8 to name a Renaissance Receiver.)

About NEO 2 Lets you view information about NEO 2.

Wireless Security Lets you enter the encryption key if it is required for NEO 2 to communicate with

Renaissance Receivers. For more information, contact Renaissance Learning.

S MARTA PPLETS INSTALLED ON THE NEO 2

About AlphaQuiz

AlphaQuiz allows students to take quizzes right on their NEOs. The results can then be sent back to the teacher’s computer. Quizzes can include true/false, multiple-choice, short answer, and essay questions.

To create quizzes, teachers will need to install QuizDesigner. To send quizzes to NEOs and receive answers, teachers will need QuizManager.

The following procedures explain how to install the software, create a quiz, administer quizzes to students, and retrieve and grade responses. For more detailed information about AlphaQuiz, see the NEO and NEO 2 SmartApplet User Manual on your NEO and NEO 2 Documentation CD.

Installing QuizDesigner and QuizManager

To install QuizManager and QuizDesigner, you must have Windows 98 (Second Edition) or higher or Macintosh OS 9 or higher. A Web browser is required for viewing help, but an internet connection is not required.

About AlphaQuiz

. . . . .

You can also download the QuizDesigner and

QuizManager programs at

www.alphasmart.com/support/ downloads.html.

Follow these steps to install QuizDesigner and QuizManager:

1. Insert the AlphaSmart Manager CD into your computer.

2. Open the AlphaQuiz folder on the CD.

3. To start installing QuizManager, double-click QuizManager Setup.exe (Windows) or QuizManager Installer (Macintosh).

4. Click Next > (Windows) or Continue (Macintosh).

5. Read the license agreement. (You can print it if you wish; on Macintosh

computers, you can save it.)

On Windows computers, click the first option (“I accept...”); then, click Next >.

On Macintosh computers, click Accept.

6. On Windows computers, click Next > after reviewing the installation location. Then, click Install. After the software is installed, the final panel may ask you to choose whether to restart the computer now; click one of the options. (You may want to wait to restart until after you’ve installed both programs.)

7. Click Finish (Windows) or Quit (Macintosh).

8. To start installing QuizDesigner, double-click QuizDesigner Setup.exe (Windows) or QuizDesigner Installer (Macintosh).

9. Click Next > (Windows) or Continue (Macintosh).

S MARTA PPLETS INSTALLED ON THE NEO 2

About AlphaQuiz

10. Read the license agreement. (You can print it if you wish; on Macintosh computers, you can save it.)

On Windows computers, click the first option (“I accept...”); then, click Next >.

On Macintosh computers, click Accept and go to step 12.

11. On Windows computers, click Install. After the software is installed, the final panel may ask you to choose whether to restart the computer now; click one of the options.

12. Click Finish (Windows) or Quit (Macintosh).

Using QuizDesigner to Create a Quiz

QuizDesigner lets you create quizzes that students can take on the NEO 2. To create a quiz, follow these steps:

1. Start the QuizDesigner program:

• On Windows computers, click Start or  Programs (or All

Programs)  AlphaSmart  QuizDesigner  QuizDesigner.

• On Macintosh computers, open the Applications folder, then the

QuizDesigner folder. Double-click QuizDesigner.

2. When QuizDesigner opens, the

Quiz Options dialog box will open as well. On the Basic tab, enter a name for the quiz, the author’s name, a password for changes to the quiz, and any comments that may be helpful to you.

. . . . .

Watch the Quiz Capacity bar at the bottom of the

window. Since the file size of

each quiz is limited, this shows how much space is still available based on the questions you’ve entered so far.

S MARTA PPLETS INSTALLED ON THE NEO 2

About AlphaQuiz

. . . . .

3. Click the Advanced tab and make any changes you wish. These options let you decide whether passwords will be needed, whether other SmartApplets will be blocked on the NEO 2 during the quiz, and whether students can export their answers to AlphaWord Plus or print them. For more information about these options, see the NEO

and NEO 2 SmartApplet User Manual.

4. Click the Prompts tab and make any changes to the prompts (instructions) that will appear before each question type.

5. Click OK.

6. In the QuizDesigner, click Add Question and click one of the

question types; then, click OK. (On Windows computers, you can simply click one of the question type buttons in the toolbar instead.)

7. Enter the question and other required information:

• For multiple-choice questions, enter the correct answer and the

alternate answers. Be sure to check the box next to the correct answer. Answers will appear in the order in which you enter them.

• For true/false questions, click True or False.

• For short answer questions, you can enter the correct answer (or

multiple correct answers separated by commas) and click an option to choose how the program will match student answers to the correct answer(s).

• For essay questions, enter the maximum number of words.

For all questions, you can also enter remarks. Students won’t see the remarks while they take the quiz, but you can include them in the report that is distributed to students after the quizzes are graded.

S MARTA PPLETS INSTALLED ON THE NEO 2

About AlphaQuiz

8. When you’ve finished creating the quiz, click the save button in the toolbar (Windows) or click the File menu and choose Save. In the dialog box that appears, choose where to save the quiz and click Save.

Administering the Quiz to Students on NEOs Using QuizManager

Follow these steps to send the quiz you’ve created to student NEOs and to then receive and grade their answers.

1. Start the QuizManager program:

• On Windows computers, click Start or  Programs (or All

Programs)  AlphaSmart  QuizManager  Launch QuizManager.

• On Macintosh computers, open the Applications folder, then the

QuizManager folder. Double-click QuizManager.

2. Connect the NEOs to your computer (see page 6). The QuizManager

Control window will show how many are connected.

3. Click Send Quiz.

If a connected NEO 2 doesn’t have space for the quiz, the

program will notify you.

For longer questions, students

may need to use the arrow keys to scroll down to see the entire question or all possible answers.

4. Find the quiz you saved, click it to select it, and click Select.

5. If you required an access password when you created the quiz, it will be

filled in, but you can change it. If you did not require a password, you can enter one now. If an Access Password is filled in, students must enter it before taking the quiz. Click Send.

6. Click Close (Windows) or OK (Macintosh) when the quiz has been sent.

7. Disconnect the NEOs from the computer.

8. On the NEO 2, each student should press applets.

9. Each student should use the AlphaQuiz and press enter.

10. The student should move the cursor next to the quiz he or she needs to take and press enter.

11. The student should enter his or her first and last name and press enter.

Students may also be asked to enter the class number and/or access password, and they may be asked to create their own password.

12. The student can press any key to begin the quiz.

13. The student enters an answer to each question and presses enter. After

answering the last question, students have three options:

• Press z-J to go to a specific question; then, type the question number

and press enter.

• Press z-B to find unanswered questions

• Press z-F to finish the quiz, then press Y to confirm the quiz is done.

L key to move the cursor down next to

. . . . .

S MARTA PPLETS INSTALLED ON THE NEO 2

About AlphaQuiz

14. When all students are done with the quiz, connect the NEO(s) to your computer again (see page 6) and start QuizManager.

15. Click Retrieve Responses.

16. Find and select the quiz you’ve administered and click Select.

17. QuizManager will find the students’

work on the quiz and display what it has found. Check the box next to each student whose responses you want to retrieve. Then, choose the date the quiz was administered and click an option to choose whether to create a new document for responses or merge them into an existing document. Click OK.

18. Click Points. In the dialog box that appears, assign point values to each question; then, click OK.

19. Click Grade to grade the quizzes.

20. In the Grading dialog box, highlight

one student’s name. Review the points that the program gave students automatically. Make changes as needed. For essay questions and some short answer questions, you need to assign the point values yourself. When you have finished, click Done Grading.

. . . . .

After grading the quizzes, you can click Reports to create reports that you can print or save, or you can click Export to export the results to a text file.

S MARTA PPLETS INSTALLED ON THE NEO 2

About the Calculator

To use the calculator, follow these steps:

1. Press the applets key.

L to move the cursor down next to Calculator. Then, press enter.

subtract, * or x to multiply, or / to divide. Use e to calculate scientific notation, and use parentheses for complex formulas. When you press =, the calculator will show the answer to the right of the equation.

Use the following keys in calculations:

•+ to add, as in 89+91 = 180

•- (the hyphen) to subtract, as in 9-2 = 7

•* or x to multiply, as in 2*5 = 10

(If you type x, the Calculator will show *.)

•/ to divide, as in 18/2 = 9 or 100/2/10 = 5

•^ to raise a number to a power, as in 3^2 = 9

•e to calculate scientific notation, as in 10e6 = 10000000

•( and ) to group calculations in complex formulas, as in

(15*2) + 10/4 = 32.5

If you finish one calculation and start the next one with an operator (+, -, *, etc.), Calculator starts the equation with the results of the previous equation. This does not apply to the e operator.

To remove calculations, press clear file.

To close the calculator, press esc.

To copy calculations so that you can

paste them into an AlphaWord plus file, press shift-3-C. Then, press applets, scroll up to

AlphaWord Plus, press enter, and open the file you want to paste into. Press ctrl-V.

2. Press

3. Enter the calculation. You can use the + key to add, the hyphen (-) to

You can disable the calculator using the Control Panel settings on the NEO 2 or the Settings tab in AlphaSmart Manager. This may be useful if you don’t want students to have the calculator available when they’re working calculations by hand.

. . . . .

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NEO 2 Quick Manual

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Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual