Well it took us pretty much right up until classes started but we finally have our required applications and work flow set. It took some trial and error in order for us to find (and be happy with) the applications selected for use for the semester, but I really think the work has paid off.
What we envisioned needing:
What we settled on:
Presentation Application for Instructors: Keynote
Instructors often create presentations to go along with lectures. We found the best application for this was simply Keynote. Keynote is pretty common to people that use Macs already and provided much of the same flow as the normal computer software. By providing the instructors with an iPad, Keynote, and a connector to hook up the iPad to the projector, instructors need only bring the iPad to class without having to worry about a computer as well.
Word-Processing: Pages
Pages, while originally the first application we downloaded, was not immediately agreed upon. The main issue we had with it was that it did not easily integrate with a file-sharing service/application such as Dropbox. We tested out a couple of others but kept returning to Pages because of the depth of the program. The others would not accept images or format nearly as easily as Pages would. Once we decided that Pages was definitely the application we wanted to go with we had a new problem--how do we share if it doesn't play with Dropbox?
File-Sharing: SugarSync
I met with Brad Kozlek about blogging one morning and mentioned the issues we were having with Pages not working with Dropbox. He then suggested SugarSync. SugarSync is a free application that allows users to upload files, create folders based on subject or viewer authorization, and allow others to view and edit content. By signing up for a free account, users can also surf straight to sugarsync.com and use the Web interface (which works very well on the iPad!). There is, however, one extra step to get Pages to play properly. Pages will currently only export (and you need to be hooked up to a computer) or allow the user to email the documents they create. The process to add the file to share is emailing it to SugarSync via a special email address the login information gives your account. It will then show up in your account for you to share with others for viewing/editing/grading.
Peer-Review and Grading: iAnnotatePDF
Working in just Pages, the user loses the ability to track changes or see edits made by others. For this reason, we examined tools that allow users to make annotations. With a document uploaded in Sugarsync or received via e-mail, another student or instructor can choose to open the file with iAnnotatePDF. This application allows users to do things such as leave comments, highlight, write on/over, copy/paste, bookmark, etc. Once the editing/review/grading is complete, the document can be uploaded back to Sugarsync or emailed back to the original author.
Integrating the Blogs at Penn State Platform
While this is not really an application, it was a a major need. When I originally tested out going to the blogs site with the iPad, I was redirected to the mobile page that only allowed me to make a post or edit entries to a blog that I had already created. I worked with Brad again to get the system to recognize iPad users and display the normal dashboard Web page upon log-in. This allows users to have all of the necessary functions such as creating new blogs and pages, as well as making/editing entries. One downside--you can't add files or use the rich text editor. Providing the students with a few simple HTML commands solved the formatting issue, but we still needed a way to upload images.
Writing Entries and Posting Images to Blogs: BlogPress
BlogPress is a simple application that allows users to link up their account with blogs, Flickr, or Picassa, and create entries with included images, etc. It solves the problem of uploading files because the application loads the file to your Flickr or Picassa account instead of into the blogs asset area. Entries come up in the Blogs at Penn State platform looking just like they were created on the normal dashboard. Users can even choose to allow the application to post the location of where they created the entry.
What we envisioned needing:
- A presentation application for the instructors
- Some sort of word-processing application
- A way to share files among classmates/instructors
- A way to easily peer review (students) and grade (instructors)
- Blogs at Penn State to work "better" with the iPad
- An application to allow for the posting of images, etc. to blogs
What we settled on:
Presentation Application for Instructors: Keynote
Instructors often create presentations to go along with lectures. We found the best application for this was simply Keynote. Keynote is pretty common to people that use Macs already and provided much of the same flow as the normal computer software. By providing the instructors with an iPad, Keynote, and a connector to hook up the iPad to the projector, instructors need only bring the iPad to class without having to worry about a computer as well.
Word-Processing: Pages
Pages, while originally the first application we downloaded, was not immediately agreed upon. The main issue we had with it was that it did not easily integrate with a file-sharing service/application such as Dropbox. We tested out a couple of others but kept returning to Pages because of the depth of the program. The others would not accept images or format nearly as easily as Pages would. Once we decided that Pages was definitely the application we wanted to go with we had a new problem--how do we share if it doesn't play with Dropbox?
File-Sharing: SugarSync
I met with Brad Kozlek about blogging one morning and mentioned the issues we were having with Pages not working with Dropbox. He then suggested SugarSync. SugarSync is a free application that allows users to upload files, create folders based on subject or viewer authorization, and allow others to view and edit content. By signing up for a free account, users can also surf straight to sugarsync.com and use the Web interface (which works very well on the iPad!). There is, however, one extra step to get Pages to play properly. Pages will currently only export (and you need to be hooked up to a computer) or allow the user to email the documents they create. The process to add the file to share is emailing it to SugarSync via a special email address the login information gives your account. It will then show up in your account for you to share with others for viewing/editing/grading.
Peer-Review and Grading: iAnnotatePDF
Working in just Pages, the user loses the ability to track changes or see edits made by others. For this reason, we examined tools that allow users to make annotations. With a document uploaded in Sugarsync or received via e-mail, another student or instructor can choose to open the file with iAnnotatePDF. This application allows users to do things such as leave comments, highlight, write on/over, copy/paste, bookmark, etc. Once the editing/review/grading is complete, the document can be uploaded back to Sugarsync or emailed back to the original author.
Integrating the Blogs at Penn State Platform
While this is not really an application, it was a a major need. When I originally tested out going to the blogs site with the iPad, I was redirected to the mobile page that only allowed me to make a post or edit entries to a blog that I had already created. I worked with Brad again to get the system to recognize iPad users and display the normal dashboard Web page upon log-in. This allows users to have all of the necessary functions such as creating new blogs and pages, as well as making/editing entries. One downside--you can't add files or use the rich text editor. Providing the students with a few simple HTML commands solved the formatting issue, but we still needed a way to upload images.
Writing Entries and Posting Images to Blogs: BlogPress
BlogPress is a simple application that allows users to link up their account with blogs, Flickr, or Picassa, and create entries with included images, etc. It solves the problem of uploading files because the application loads the file to your Flickr or Picassa account instead of into the blogs asset area. Entries come up in the Blogs at Penn State platform looking just like they were created on the normal dashboard. Users can even choose to allow the application to post the location of where they created the entry.
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