Online Authoring Classroom

Compass Learning Technologies
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Here you may begin your TI-Nspire authoring journey, and then go on to bigger and better challenges!

TI-Nspire offers a wealth of different tools and approaches which support the creation of interactive documents for teaching and learning. The main focus in this classroom will be on the creation of dynamic visual models (using scatterplots driven by a program), often accompanied by dynamic text. In this way, students may build conceptual understanding of the mathematics and science that they are learning.

You will also learn how to create tutorial programs that will serve to consolidate the conceptual learning: students will be assisted to practise the skills as well as acquire the understanding that is needed for success in mathematics learning.

Some examples of mathematics documents may be found at the Mathematics Sampler page, and for science there is the Science Sampler.

LEVEL 1: Introductory

QuickStart 1: Making things appear and disappear using conditions.

QuickStart 2: Create your own dynamic number line (introducing ScatterPlots and Notes).

QuickStart 3: Create your own dynamic hundreds chart (introducing Notes and Programs).

(1.3) Get to know Notes a little better.

(2.1) Follow with the Dynamic ScatterPlots Tutorial

(2.2) Follow with the Dynamic Strings Tutorial

(2.3) Create some simple interactive programs.

(2.4) With TI-Nspire 3.0, creating powerful interactive documents does not always mean inventing everything your self. With the new Question App response types in combination with TI-Nspire Navigator, it is possible to easily create documents which provide powerful learning and assessment tools.

You now have all the ingredients you need to begin creating your own dynamic documents! Once you have these basic skills, you are ready for some of the more advanced techniques.

LEVEL 3: More Advanced Techniques

(3.1) Create your own algebra tiles. The useful techniques in this tutorial provide you with skills and tools that can be applied to many different situations. Includes an introduction to the technique of "indirection" (in which you refer to variables INdirectly instead of directly).

(3.2) Create your own dynamic tables. The ability to organize your Notes pages into tables is very useful - especially when these tables can be composed of dynamic text and values, and be scrollable within the viewing window. Learn these techniques here.

(3.3) Create your own dynamic tables template. Now that you know how to create dynamic tables in Notes, what would be really useful would be a template document, that makes it very easy to insert your own data, both calculated and even downloaded from the web.

(3.4) Create powerful interactive algebra documents for both CAS and nonCAS using the Polynomial Toolkit for TI-Nspire. Why should CAS users have all the fun? The toolkit documents, when placed in the MyLib folder, provide access to dozens of great utilities that enable teachers to easily create programs and documents that support students' learning of algebra. From quickly and easily expressing polynomials created with sliders in their correct mathematical form, to simplifying and factoring polynomials this is a treasure trove of useful tools.

(3.5) Learn how to create your own Player-enabled web pages to make your TI-Nspire documents available live online for students and colleagues.

LEVEL 4: TI-Nspire and Lua Scripting

Get started with the most exciting new feature for programming on the TI-Nspire platform using this sampler of Lua activities developed by Texas Instruments. Download and study the code.

If you have worked through levels 1 and 2 above, then you are ready to apply what you learned there to the more powerful Lua scripting language! The tutorials offered here will provide a simple introduction to Lua and enable you to create some relatively simple but interesting and very useful documents for yourself.

Lesson 1: First Steps with Lua and TI-Nspire
on.paint, gc (graphics context), drawString, setFont, setColorRGB, platform.window:width, platform.window:height
Lesson 2: Creating a Dynamic Table

tables, for loops, getStringWidth, getStringHeight, concatenation (..), displaying multiple lines, var.recall
Lesson 3: Varying the Table Contents
if..then..else..end, equality (==) vs assignment (=), more on var.recall
Lesson 4: Capturing Input in your Lua Page
on.charIn, var.store, on.backspaceKey, string.usub, platform.window:invalidate, setPen, drawPolyLine, drawRect, on.enterKey
Lesson 5: Putting it all together: Some Applications

page setup template, simple quiz document

Lesson 6: Quick Start: Controlling a Point on a Graph page
on.arrowUp, on.arrowDown, on.arrowLeft, on.arrowRight, on.create, timer.start, on.timer
Lesson 7: Quick Start: Working with Images in Lua
image.new, drawImage, image.width, image.height, image.copy, on.resize
Lesson 8: Quick Start: Getting Started with Graphics in Lua
drawLine, fillRect, fillPolygon, drawArc, fillArc, isColorDisplay, setAlpha
Lesson 9: Graphical Shape Numbers
Drawing an array, and varying the grid pattern
Lesson 10: Taking Shape Numbers Further
Putting it all together, on.escapeKey, on.tabKey

Lesson 11: Introducing Classes
class, init, contains, paint, selected, color table, unpack
Lesson 12: Mouse Controls with Classes
on.mouseDown, on.mouseUp, on.mouseMove
Lesson 13: Keyboard Controls with Classes
Using arrowKeys, enterKey, tabKey and escapeKey with classes
Lesson 14: Keyboard Controls with Multiple Classes
Using a table to define multiple classes, #Objects (dimension of table Objects)
Lesson 15: Mouse Controls with Multiple Classes
TrackOffset variables, table.remove, table.insert, cloning selected class objects

Lesson 16: Further Useful Tips and Tricks I
Useful string commands: find, replace (gsub), split: applied to pretty print function for algebra
Lesson 17: Further Useful Tips and Tricks II
math.eval (and all applied to fraction function along with a template for multiple keyPads)
Lesson 18: Further Useful Tips and Tricks III
Adding your own custom menus.
Lesson 19: Guidelines for Lua Nspired Authoring I
WORKING ACROSS PLATFORMS (Create Once Play Everywhere)

1. Display Considerations: Looking Good Everywhere!
Lesson 20: Guidelines for Lua Nspired Authoring II
WORKING ACROSS PLATFORMS (Create Once Play Everywhere)

2. Control Considerations: Working Well Everywhere!

The lessons in this next section require OS 3.2 functionality.

Lesson 21: (3.2) Text Boxes and Rich Text Input
The new and better way to enter and work with text as the user inputs it: Rich Text boxes come alive!
Lesson 22: (3.2) Create Your Own Math and Chem Boxes
Displaying and evaluating mathematics has never been easier now that we can let TI-Nspire MathBoxes take care of the heavy lifting!
Lesson 23: (3.2) Welcome to the Physics Engine! (I)
Based upon the open-source Chipmunk Physics Engine, this powerful new feature adds amazing possibilities to your Nspire scripting and is the perfect tool for creating simulations of all sorts.
Lesson 24: (3.2) Welcome to the Physics Engine! (II)
Bouncing a ball around the screen maybe a very simple simulation, but it can be the start of something much bigger.
Lesson 25: (3.2) Welcome to the Physics Engine! (III)
Bouncing multiple coloured balls around the screen is much more fun.
Lesson 26: (3.2) Welcome to the Physics Engine! (IV)
Adding Segments as Shapes and using these as walls.
Lesson 27: (3.2) Welcome to the Physics Engine! (V)
Polygons as Physics Objects.

Lesson 28: (3.4) Welcome to the iPad!
Scripting for Touch-Enabled Devices.