Author: Laura Plotts

TLT

Faculty Guest Post: iPad and vText

Laura Plotts

Today our guest blogger is E. Berenice Marquina, Adjunct Instructor in the department of Hispanic Studies.

We are using the book Aventuras (Vista Higher Learning), and the online homework platform called “Supersite”. The Supersite offers access to the vText. Every time that I need to access the book, I have to log-in into the Supersite. The iPad saves you time, and if you are moving from one classroom to another (I am teaching five SPAN-190 classes this semester), you just need to log-in once, and connect and disconnect your iPad in each classroom. If you connect your iPad to the projector, students can follow your explanations and work in the activities with you.

The vText has a highlighting tool, and it allows you to write notes or comments on the book, but it is not the instructor edition.  You can see the highlighting text, and open the notes, but you cannot do it in the iPad(I’m sure there is a way, but I haven’t find it yet). So, I have to write and highlight the notes in the vText in my computer. The book has icons that connect with videos, tutorials, presentations and recordings resources in the Supersite. If I need to play a video or a recording I just “click” on the icon. It’s easy and simple.

I really like the vText, and my students seem to like it when I use the projector to support my explanations.  I think students benefit listening to the recordings that come with the text because they have access to different accents from all the Spanish-speaking countries.

Aventuras has also an ebook, but I haven’t tried it yet. We just adopted the book this semester, and I decided to start with the vText. The ipad is great, but I still use the computer to access the Supersite and the vText some days. It is not because I don’t like the iPad, but because I move around the classroom all the time. I wish there were a wireless way to just connect the iPad to the projector without using the computer. 

Checkout Equipment, iPad, TLT

Product review: iPad Stylus

Laura Plotts

In my search for the perfect stylus I have tried  everything from a Dollar Store stylus to the $75.00 Jot Script.  Here is a list of Pros and Cons for 7 different stylus.  I used each of these on my iPad mini with a note taking app.  Click on the stylus name for an image and more information.

Boxwave  $8.00

PROS:

  • Perforated tip makes writing easy and no drag

  • Tip is replaceable

  • Length similar to a pen

  • Barrel of the stylus is hollow, which makes the stylus slightly lighter than some other  such as the Bamboo Stylus

CONS:

  • None

roocase $10.00

PROS:

  • Price

CONS:

  • Large sponge tip caused drag when writing

  • Short body. Similar to golf pencil

pogo sketch $15.00

PROS:

  • Lightweight

CONS:

  • Because body is so thin, my fingers tended to slide around

  • Short body. Similar to golf pencil

adonit Jot Classics $16.00

PROS:

  • Very different tip from other stylus. Not foam, but instead is a plastic tip which made for very easy writing with no drag

CONS:

  • Sound of plastic tip hitting the iPad glass was distracting
  • Having to always have to remove the cap to use the stylus.

pogo sketch pro $25.00 *Top pick

PROS:

  • Tapered body (not a standard pen or stylus body type)

  • Ergonomic grip kept fingers from sliding off stylus

  • Special (replaceable) tip makes it very easy to write with and no drag

CONS:

  • Price

Bamboo Stylus by Wacom  $28.00

PROS:

  • Tip is a good size for writing.  Feel like you  can write more precisely than with other  styluses.

CONS:

  • Attached pen clip – some may like this, but I thought it got in the way

  • Price

  • Length. Not quite as long as a pen.  More like a golf pencil in length.


Jot Script  $75.00

PROS:

  • Pixelpoint tip. Most like a pen than any other stylus I have tried so far

  • Works with Penultimate which is a note taking app I use along with Evernote

CONS:

  • Price

  • Relying on batteries

  • Much thicker than most stylus

  • Without constant use must turn it on before using

If you would like to test out a stylus yourself first before purchasing,  TLT does have all those tested above that you can checkout for 10 days except for the Jot Script.   To checkout, visit https://blogs.charleston.edu/tlt/technology/checkout-equipment/ 

Honorable Mention:

Walgreens stylus – At $5.00 I found it comparable with the $15.00 pogo sketch.  Pros:  price and because of how light it is there is no drag when writing.  Cons:  Short.  I prefer a stylus that is the same length of a pen.

Smith & Wesson Tactical Stylus – My favorite pen/stylus combo at $25.00.  Pros:  Length. I prefer a stylus that is the same length of a pen.  I like a pen/stylus combo.  Cons: a bit heavy and large tip causes it to drag on the screen a little more than others I had tested.

What is next for me? http://www.fiftythree.com/pencil

Do you have a stylus you recommend or not?  Let us know!

TLT

Faculty Guest Post: Using iPads for Research

Laura Plotts

Our guest poster this week is Dr. Ghazi Abuhakema, Department of Asian Studies.  Dr. Abuhakema attended the Summer 2012 FTI.

In the summer of 2012, I was overseas on a business trip. While touring the city where I worked, I came across an interesting idea to research. I was interested in analyzing the language of written ads, including the use of images. To do that, I started collecting newspapers and magazines. However, that was not convenient, since I did not need the entire issues, and I was coming back to the United States to do the research and writing. But I also needed to document those ads on billboards. I did not have a camera or even a good phone handy to talk pictures. It came to my mind that I had my iPad. Therefore I started using it to take photos of all ads I come across on the streets. I also used it as a camera to take photos of printed ads in newspapers and magazines. That way, I did not have to worry about the weight and the inconvenience of transporting all those hard copies of newspapers of magazines. Based on the ads that I collected during my trip, I was able to write an article and publish it in a peer refereed journal. I am now involved in another article where the data comes from those images that I have collected and stored on my iPad.

1-1-1, TLT

Faculty Guest Post: Tools from the FTI

Laura Plotts

Our guest blogger this week is Janalyn Byrne in Hispanic Studies and she shares with us the tools she is using that she was introduced to at the Faculty Technology Institute  in June 2013.

The FTI this summer was tremendously helpful and I’ve already implemented a few features into my classroom.  None of them are particularly life changing, as the curriculum and syllabus requirements of basic language courses are predetermined, but I’ve implemented the following tools thus far:
Google Moderator as a forum for students to post questions and comments prior to exams.  My students enjoy using Google Moderator and were able to receive more personalized help they need before an exam.  I used their comments to determine what topics to focus on during review sessions and also to clarify details that they missed.  Some of them even took to helping each other in the comments section.
PPT games from www.powerpointgames.com, for in-class practice and review prior to exams.
Remind 101 to contact students with reminders about quizzes, exams, and to cancel class last minute.

Also, while I haven’t required it for an assignment, I’ve mentioned Popplet to students and showed them how to use it as a study tool to organize the things they have learned, such as:

Tenses and conjugations/endings
Pronoun charts (subject, direct object, indirect object, reflexive)
Vocabulary words with uploaded corresponding photos

Thank you to the wonderful TLT team for organizing and hosting the 2013 FTI and for the continued classroom and technology support!

iPad

App for creating presentations

Laura Plotts

Looking for an app to create a PowerPoint type presentation all on your iPad?   Then checkout Haiku Deck.

Haiku Deck is the simple new way to create  presentations.  Sort, select, and import multiple images in one step from your iPad’s Camera Roll or Albums.  Automatic image attribution and sizing for Creative Commons and Getty Images saves time. It is a free and easy app that you can share via email, Twitter, Facebook or embed in your blog or website.

For a list of more apps for creating presentations, please see our iPad matrix.