**If you are unfamiliar with this project, check out my first post introducing my pilot project with LearnPads and comparing them to iPads. As my students have been using the tablets in my classroom, we have been working on a paperless workflow. You can see how the paperless workflow can be done on the LearnPad as well as on the iPad. When my students have finished annotating a PDF assignment, the app they use allows them to export their completed annotation as a .jpg file. This file is saved into their Dropbox folder which is shared with my personal account. By having students save their completed work into the shared folder, I am able to access their files on my own devices, record my feedback and export the video feedback back into each students' folder. There are two methods that I have used to complete this process. I have used the Explain Everything app on my iPad. This app allows you to bring images in directly from Dropbox. This means I don't need to save the images to my camera roll first. Once I have the image opened in the Explain Everything app, I can annotate over the image and use a point to highlight items that need some brief reteaching or praise. Once my feedback is done, I then export the finished product into the student's folder. **The reason I chose the iPad as the winner was based on Explain Everything being accessible on the iPad. It is an Android app as well, but there is a different process for obtaining paid apps on the LearnPad marketplace. One problem with Explain Everything is that it cost money to purchase the app. Another alternative that I have used is the TechSmith Snagit extension for Chrome that recently enabled screencasting. I am able to open to open Chrome, open the web version of Dropbox, open the student's file, view the original size of their file, open the Snagit recording option and provide my video feedback . The only downside to this option is that when I am done, the video is automatically saved to Google Drive. This means that I have to go into my student's Dropbox folder and upload the video file into their folder so they can see the video feedback I provided. If we used Google Drive as our cloud storage workflow option, this method would work seamlessly. It still is a great FREE option for providing video feedback. Explain Everything OptionTechSmith Snagit optionShare This:
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**If you are unfamiliar with this project, check out my first post introducing my pilot project with LearnPads and comparing them to iPads. I have been comparing both the LearnPad and iPad as options for tablets in the classroom. Typically I showcase an app/resource and how it functions on both devices. After comparing, I give my two cents on which one I prefer. For this post, I will only be talking about the iPad and an option for going paperless in the classroom. Check out the video below for an explanation. Check out the LearnPad's options for a paperless classroom here. PDF Expert is the app that provides a great option for going paperless with iPads. It does have a big price tag at $9.99 but it is well worth the investment. One of the nice features about this app is the amount of options you have for syncing with cloud storage. This should be able to accommodate the variety of cloud storage services that schools use. Below is a screen shot of some of the options for cloud storage. One of the steps to begin this process is to sync a folder within the PDF Expert app itself. To do this, you must first ad your cloud based network. Your network then appears under "favorite networks." Open up your favorite network and locate the folder you would like to sync within the PDF Expert app. Once you have opened the folder you wish to sync, click the "sync" button in the top right. Once you have done this, you will need to repeat the process for each student iPad. This would also need to be done on your "teacher" iPad so you could access their files and annotate feedback for them. *Note--when a student would make annotations, it will sync with the cloud. So you can view their annotations via the cloud service from your computer. So you don't necessarily need a "teacher" PDF Expert option unless you want to annotate feedback. Students will need to make sure that they open up "assignments" from the documents folder within the app. If they use the network tab, it will create duplicate copies of files which eats up cloud storage space. I really like this option for the fact of being able to provide feedback in the same file that a student completed. That student can then make corrections according to the feedback in the same file as well. Essentially you are only using one file instead of creating a duplicate every time changes are made. Share This: **If you are unfamiliar with this project, check out my first post introducing my pilot project with LearnPads and comparing them to iPads. I have been comparing both the LearnPad and iPad as options for tablets in the classroom. Typically I showcase an app/resource and how it functions on both devices. After comparing, I give my two cents on which one I prefer. For this post, I will only be talking about the LearnPad and two options for going paperless in the classroom. Check out the video below for an explanation. Check out the iPad option for a paperless classroom here. Hand out/Hand in features With the newest LearnPad OS update 271, you are given the option to Handout items as well as hand in items. From your the LearnPad dashboard online, you can select the devices you would like and then choose "select a file to send." You will be provided a box to select the file you would like to upload and distribute. Once the file is selected and sent to students, they will have to check their "handouts" folder, click the file and it should open in the app association you have created for the file type of the "handout." After students have annotated (I used Note Anytime) they will be to choose "send to application" at which time they will be provided with choices for "sending" their annotated file. They can then select "hand in" as the option to submit it to the teacher. Teachers can then access the handed in files via the dashboard online. dropbox option **The option that I will use in my classroom is via Dropbox because we have been using Dropbox a lot and the learning curve will be minimal. I have created a generic student Dropbox account. Within this account, I have created a folder for this years class. Within this folder is an individual folder for each student. I have also shared this folder with my own personal Dropbox account. I can put files into this shared folder and they will automatically be accessible by my students. They will start by clicking the "to do" folder to access the files for the day. They will then click on the file and choose which application to open the file for annotation (we will use Note Anytime). After opening in Note Anytime and annotating the file, they will still select "send to application" like with the hand in/hand out feature. However, they will now select Dropbox as the application to send the file to for saving. Once in the Dropbox app, they will need to select their personal folder to submit the work. Since this folder is shared with my personal account, I will be able to access these files from any device with Dropbox installed and logged into my personal account. One of the big reasons I am using this method is the ability to share the annotated files. By saving into Dropbox, students or I can click on the files and share. When shared, you are provided a link. This link can be posted onto their Kidblog accounts, sent to parents or added to Evernote. All of these can serve as portfolios as we create digital artifacts. Share This: |
Andrew FenstermakerInstructional Technology Coordinator | Innovation Coach | Google Certified Innovator | Presenter | Blogger | Adjunct @UiowaEducation | Owner @kids_f_i_r_s_t |