Digital Classroom
More students are taking notes digitally, but the quality of these notes is sorely lacking. If you plan on taking notes on your phone or tablet, you need to invest in a good note taking app, and NO, the Notes app on the iPhone does not count. If you tell me that you are taking notes on your phone, I will periodically ask you to send me what you've taken to verify that you are in fact taking notes and not "taking notes."
There are a number of great, inexpensive apps out there. Here are a few I've researched:
Evernote - One of the more widely used apps, but could only type notes, based on my last use
Penultimate - I have used this extensively because it lets me put the notes into different notebooks and use my stylus to write/draw things; but it's been a year or so since I looked for a new one.
Skitch - Looks like a good way to annotate photographs
Goodnotes - Used by students this year, allows you to import PDFs, which we'll use extensively in here.
Upad - My dad has used this for about 2 years in the corporate world and likes it over other apps. He is left handed and this one allows you to adjust for right/left hand, and allows you to create a writing box at the bottom of the page instead of dragging your hand across the screen.
Notes Plus - I have not used this one, but dad says it is okay; no adjustment for right/left at last check.
Notetaker HD - Seems like the others, allows you to annotate PDFs
There are a number of great, inexpensive apps out there. Here are a few I've researched:
Evernote - One of the more widely used apps, but could only type notes, based on my last use
Penultimate - I have used this extensively because it lets me put the notes into different notebooks and use my stylus to write/draw things; but it's been a year or so since I looked for a new one.
Skitch - Looks like a good way to annotate photographs
Goodnotes - Used by students this year, allows you to import PDFs, which we'll use extensively in here.
Upad - My dad has used this for about 2 years in the corporate world and likes it over other apps. He is left handed and this one allows you to adjust for right/left hand, and allows you to create a writing box at the bottom of the page instead of dragging your hand across the screen.
Notes Plus - I have not used this one, but dad says it is okay; no adjustment for right/left at last check.
Notetaker HD - Seems like the others, allows you to annotate PDFs
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Google Stuff
Because of the availability and ease of use, I will be utilizing Google web tools for a variety of things in this class. It is essential that you create a "professional" Google account in order to create and easily share documents, presentations, etc. This will save you the hassle of having to make sure you save the newest version of a document, attach it in an e-mail to send to your partners for editing, have them save a copy, print it out and bring it in on the required day.
When creating your "professional" account, the address should be some your first.lastname, or some variation of that. This will be essential, not just in this class, but when you apply to college, email professors, start looking for jobs, etc.
Creating a Google Account: https://accounts.google.com/SignUp
What to do if you already have another e-mail account: I haven't found a simple way to create an e-mail alias to associate with a current Gmail account, so if you do, please let me know. Here is a temporary fix if you don't plan on checking your "professional" inbox often, but want to be updated when new emails come in. The setup is kind of a pain, but works in the long run.
Step 1: Create a Gmail account
Step 2: Once created, go to your Inbox and click the gear symbol in the top right corner and choose Settings
Step 3: Click the Forwarding and POP/IMAP heading
Step 4: At the top, you should see Add a Forwarding Address; click that button
Step 5: When the box comes up, type in the address that you want this "professional" e-mail forwarded to so that you are able to easily check it; click Next, verify the address and if it is correct, click Proceed.
Step 6: A verification email will be sent to that inbox; open and read the email; there should be a link to click that verifies that Yes, you do want your e-mail forwarded
Step 7: Once you've clicked that link a box will pop up saying that you were successful
Step 8: To make sure it works, go back through Steps 1-4, and make sure the Forward a copy of incoming mail to box is checked, scroll to the bottom and click Save Changes; now any mail that comes to this Inbox should be forwarded to your usual box. You'll still need to come back to this Inbox to reply to me and to use your Google Docs, but you'll at least know when I'm trying to get in touch with you.
Once you have done this, please go to this GOOGLE FORM and complete the information so that I can create Google Groups for each period.
How to share and collaborate (including real-time collaboration) with Google Docs
When creating your "professional" account, the address should be some your first.lastname, or some variation of that. This will be essential, not just in this class, but when you apply to college, email professors, start looking for jobs, etc.
Creating a Google Account: https://accounts.google.com/SignUp
What to do if you already have another e-mail account: I haven't found a simple way to create an e-mail alias to associate with a current Gmail account, so if you do, please let me know. Here is a temporary fix if you don't plan on checking your "professional" inbox often, but want to be updated when new emails come in. The setup is kind of a pain, but works in the long run.
Step 1: Create a Gmail account
Step 2: Once created, go to your Inbox and click the gear symbol in the top right corner and choose Settings
Step 3: Click the Forwarding and POP/IMAP heading
Step 4: At the top, you should see Add a Forwarding Address; click that button
Step 5: When the box comes up, type in the address that you want this "professional" e-mail forwarded to so that you are able to easily check it; click Next, verify the address and if it is correct, click Proceed.
Step 6: A verification email will be sent to that inbox; open and read the email; there should be a link to click that verifies that Yes, you do want your e-mail forwarded
Step 7: Once you've clicked that link a box will pop up saying that you were successful
Step 8: To make sure it works, go back through Steps 1-4, and make sure the Forward a copy of incoming mail to box is checked, scroll to the bottom and click Save Changes; now any mail that comes to this Inbox should be forwarded to your usual box. You'll still need to come back to this Inbox to reply to me and to use your Google Docs, but you'll at least know when I'm trying to get in touch with you.
Once you have done this, please go to this GOOGLE FORM and complete the information so that I can create Google Groups for each period.
How to share and collaborate (including real-time collaboration) with Google Docs