When you think of Microsoft you don’t think of free.  Actually when you think of many big name developers, you do not think of free.  But, Microsoft has a new free product and it is really engaging with students!One concept of  student engagement and interaction in a classroom is the student response system.  There are many companies that have created wonderful hand held devices to aide your students to be part of the lesson.  I have tried some of the student response systems and was looking for money to buy from Turning Technology at one point also.  My school was on a spending freeze and my dreams of having them went out the window.  I even just tested the new AverPens from AverMedia.  Although they were a little more than just a student response system, they too were expensive.  Then came in Microsoft as sneaky as a mouse!

Microsoft introduced their newest addition to the Power Point program, “Microsoft Mouse Mischief.”  I saw someone mention it on twitter and had to check it out.

You do have to download the software, which is for PPT 10 and 07.   But after that it is as easy as creating any other PPT slide.  When you run your Mouse Enhanced presentation, you will have to go through a little exercise to get the mice all synced up.

So what does it do?

Mouse Mischief becomes a student response system with the use of a mouse.  When I tested I used my laptop track pad and a USB plugged in mouse.  It worked perfectly after I realize I had to have information on the slide.  What happens during the initialization slides, the program finds which of the mice is the teachers mouse and each child checks in with their mouse.  You can decide to have activities as a team or individually. Students can know which mouse is theirs by different characters that show above their pointer.  To work in a classroom you would need wireless mice and a USB hub to support.

But, it is FREE!  That is the best part.  It is engaging, it works, and it is free.  Educators can once again use PowerPoint without getting yelled at from Ed Tech Leaders.

What else is great from Microsoft?  To show support for this product they were having a contest on twitter to help spread the word.  Each week they picked one twitter user that retweeted their message.  I actually won!  I am now waiting for my free wireless mice and USB hub… THANKS MICROSOFT!

For more information about Mouse Mischief: http://www.microsoft.com/multipoint/mouse-mischief/default.aspx