Notability Student User Guide Complete With Entertaining Clips To Stay Focused

As we progress through using iPads, Notability is a must have app for students!  I used the Notability app to create a High School Student User Guide and a Middle School Student User Guide.

I was also given the task of creating a video tutorial for our high school homeroom within a flex mod schedule day.  There are certainly hundreds of tutorials out their, but I felt it was important to capture all of the features of Notability while maintaining the interest of fifteen to eighteen year old students.

I used Camtasia  for the screencasting and Canva for the video thumbnail.  Truthfully, this project has used about 10 hours of my time to create.  Was it worth it?  I hope that it keeps the attention of the students and teaches valuable skills to be a successful Notability user.

Mindly iPad App For Organizing The Creative Process

Mindly is an amazing tool that we will be using in a wide variety of subjects so students can organize their thoughts.  It fits directly with the "creative" c in our four c's.  The tool was originally going to be used for THE WRITING PROCESS, but today's Lunch N' Learn will demonstrate that it can be used for any process!

A new digital workflow process that I used was the customized YouTube thumbnail above which was created in Canva using their templates.  If you haven't tried Canva, I highly recommend it.  I've been using it since 2013 for a variety of digital graphics.

iPad Challenges and Solutions We Experienced and Solved

Implementing 2,000 iPads within a two week period into our district has been organized and successful!  However, we have experienced a recurring theme of four challenges that we solve in minutes.  I wanted to share the workflow for staff and students in today's Lunch N' Learn to reduce down time by our students.

Challenges and Solutions

• Connecting to the WiFi (Slide 2)
• Email Set Up (Slide 18)
• Printing From An iPad (Slide 23)
• Self Service App Not Working (Slide 43)

I created the screenshots via an iPad and created the presentation in Keynote.  I exported the Keynote from the iPad to Google Drive in various formats.

I've stated before that Keynote is a great presentation tool while demonstrating workflow on the iPad. I use AirServer and with that I am able to quickly jump back and forth from the Keynote presentation to demonstrations on the iPad
Download the Keynote

Some people may not have Keynote to view the presentation.  Through my iPad, I exported the Keynote as a PDF into Google Drive.  I then made the settings "anyone with a link can view"
View in PDF

Finally, I wanted the visual on my blog, so I exported the Keynote as a Powerpoint via my iPad and uploaded that file to Google Drive where it converted.  View that below.

Research Topic Sign Up Cross Out When Taken

I just worked through a process where Mr. Gosse, Chemistry teacher, wanted students to sign up for research topics.  He created a Google Sheet that will be shared with students.  He added formulas to the right side of the sheet so that the topics are crossed out when a student adds their name.

Because the entire sheet needs to be shared with students in an editing mode, he wanted to know if certain cells (the topics on the right side) could be protected.

They can.

Students will now choose their topic and add their name all within the Google Sheets app on their iPad.

Here's the document.

Cell Respiration Utilizing Explain Everything Project Options

In the past, our AP Biology teacher, Mrs. Vertz, would have students either draw and cut or find and cut out images that represent the elements from the cell respiration process.  Since our entire student body obtained iPads after our district roll out this week, we decided to utilize a more efficient method.

Our teacher created four slides that contained all of the elements using Explain Everything. Once the four slides were created by the instructor, the project ONLY was exported to Google Drive.  The link from Google Drive with the .xpl file was placed for student access on Canvas our LMS.

Students were prompted to "open in" the file from Canvas.  The option to open the file into Explain Everything was present.  The teacher created file became the students personal file in which they explained the process of Cell Respiration.  Once student audio and action were complete the video was exported to the camera roll.  The finished product on the camera roll was submitted as an assignment on Canvas.

...and all of this was so simple because students WERE NOT sharing iPads.  Blessed!



View how Spanish II teachers utilized this same process with students.

Utilizing Open In - Workflow & Notability Apps Made It Happen

After taking five screenshots with my iPad based on the digital workflow of utilizing the "Open In" feature that I used, I utilized the Workflow App and the process of a screenshot how-to workflow. Once I completed the workflow, I exported the product into Notability.  Notability helped me add text and additional direction lines.

The finished product was then exported into Google Drive for sharing!

Two apps made my life easier:

• Workflow
• Notability

View the final product!

Twitter Notifications To Control Words That Are Viewed

Pulaski Community School District has focused to promote the great things happening in our district through Twitter.  As of Tuesday, November 15, Twitter is providing a mute button for users to essentially "block" any words from their Twitter feed.  Below is the workflow for students and adults to control what they see.  This workflow is based on using a computer.  The app that I have on my iPad doesn't have these features as of right now.  A student or teacher may be able to travel to Safari and log into Twitter from there.  The features may be present.

If it doesn't appear today, Twitter will continue to roll out this feature in the coming weeks.

Under notifications, the settings link will appear.

Options for Notifications:

First Time Directions:

Start Adding Words:

Remove Flipboard Article From Magazine in iOS in 20 Seconds

Swiping Right On An iPad/iPhone For Efficiency

Today, I'm handing out free tickets to our staff to inform them of the Lunch N' Learn topic: "Swiping Right On An iPad/iPhone For Efficiency".  Free Ticket Generator works on the iPad or on a computer!

I like using this type of stuff as it provides something different.  I received a great email from a teacher once she received the ticket at the door.

Swiping right on an iPad can provide efficient features for staff and students as they progress through getting to know their iPad.  I love creating with Keynote on Mac, AirDropping it to my iPad Mini, and then presenting to our staff.  However, to get the Keynote easily shared with staff, I export the Keynote on my Mac as a Powerpoint and upload it to Google Drive.  The presentation is below.
Slide Highlights:

• Slide 3: Widget Defined
• Slide 4: Each Bubble is a Widget
• Slide 8: Bubbles Provide Options
• Slide 11: iPhone View

Additional Resources:

• How to use the new lock screen
• Apple Ecosystem For Educators

View my Flipboard Magazine.

Canvas - Assessment Statistics Are Available

Today's Lunch N' Learn will focus on the many options Canvas provides once an assessment is given.

View The Options

Some conversation topics arose while teaching over four lunches.

• Have students take the tests while in Safari on an iPad
• "Moderate This Quiz" - Click Student Name - View Log (provides an in depth documentation of exactly what the student did during every second of the quiz.
• Teachers are telling students exactly what they can see based on their activity.  This is helping to reduce the fear of "cheating" while taking a digital assessment.
• If choosing "Shuffle Answers" and having one of the options as "All of the Above", the statement needs to change to something similar to "All of the Answers"

The Writing Process - Apps To Fuel Production

This is a preliminary digital workflow for students to complete the writing process on an iPad.
View a PDF version

Mindly Free

Google Docs Free

Notability Paid

Using Safari Efficiently on the iPad

Today's Lunch N' Learn is all about using Safari with all of its amazing built in features to efficiently and effectively complete research and reading on the iPad.  It is my hope to instruct teachers who will in turn share these great features with their students.

Highlights:

• Slide 3: Sharrow
• Slide 7: "Add to Reading List" explained
• Slide 10: "Favorites" defined
• Slide 13: "Bookmarks" understanding them
• Slide 16: "Add to Home Screen" quickly make link an "app"
• Slide 18: "Find on Page" this is awesome!
• Slide 21: "Request Desktop Site" why this would be helpful

Thanks to @tonyvincent for inspiring further investigation based on his creation on slide 18.  For further iPad efficiency, learn about these symbols.

*Integration Coaches: I created the presentation on my Mac in Keynote.  I used AirDrop to send it to my iPad which is what I will use for presenting.  I exported the Keynote from my Mac as a PowerPoint which in turn was uploaded to Google Drive for sharing!