iPad Pro iPad Pro for teachers?

[silverblack]

I need to purchase a tablet with stylus for my classes. In the past, I use a Windows with Microsoft Journal, but I absolutely hate Windows. iPad Pro is a promising alternative, but it doesn't look like it can deliver my needs at this point.

My workflow:
1. Prepare barebone lecture notes with Powerpoint
2. "Print" the Powerpoint file to Journal format (.jnt), (kind of like printing a file to .pdf)
3. Connect tablet to vga projector, open file in Journal, and write while lecturing (mostly short phrases, and solving lots of mathematical problems). So my need of the pen functions is very basic (different color pen, an eraser, and some highlighter).
4. Journal can save all my writing in .jnt, and the file can be shared with and viewed/edited by any Windows computers. This is important as I still want access to these files years in the future, even when I no longer have the tablet.
5. If needed, I could also convert the .jnt file to .pdf for posting (e.g., to Mac users that couldn't open .jnt)

By the way, the 'best' app I could think of is Onenote. But the file structure is very poor, in handling hundreds of pages of powerpoint slides, into multiple files. For example, I can't have one file per lecture. The 'cloud only' file storage is also another huge limitation.

Right now, due to the lack of a suitable app(s), I don't see how the iPad Pro could achieve all of the above. Please comment if you think I missed anything about the iPad Pro. I would love to be proved wrong, and buy a iPad Pro instead of a Surface Pro 4.

 

[JonSarge3108]

I thought powerpoint could now store 'annotation' ?

As for 'cloud', use dropbox and you can favourite files to be stored locally and still sync'ed with the 'cloud' of Dropbox ?

 

[AlliFlowers]

If your school uses Smartboards, you might consider looking at switching to Smart Notebook instead of ppt. Smart Notebook does everything you want, and you can use the current iOS app to project, save, or edit.

 

[silverblack]

I thought powerpoint could now store 'annotation' ?

As for 'cloud', use dropbox and you can favourite files to be stored locally and still sync'ed with the 'cloud' of Dropbox ?

No, Powerpoint (Mac 2016) does not save annotations.
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...s/aa08700a-5220-4cb7-8dad-d8168826f1a4?auth=1
I am not sure about Powerpoint on iPad. Could anyone answer this?


The cloud storage limitation is only part of the issue. Inability to save individual files (one per lecture) in Onenote is the main problem.

If your school uses Smartboards, you might consider looking at switching to Smart Notebook instead of ppt. Smart Notebook does everything you want, and you can use the current iOS app to project, save, or edit.

Thanks for suggesting SMART notes. But I prefer not to use any uncommon apps, as they may disappear in the market in a year or a two.

 

[AJsAWiz]

Sounds like an iPad Air would fill your needs and the iPad Pro might be over kill unless you just want one.
When I taught the regular iPad worked for me. However, I share your disdain for the other operating system. Need fully understood (other than pricing) why some schools/systems opt for those damn Chromebooks. Sometimes you get what you pay for

 

[Abazigal]

Is there a reason you are insisting on the .jnt file format? To maintain compatibility with other Windows users?

You could simply save your slides as a pdf, then annotate on them in an app like pdf expert (iOS does have a wide variety of pdf annotation apps). The problem is that Windows PCs are notoriously bad for interacting with PDFs (at least, prior to Windows 8), so your teacher colleagues might be inconvenienced here.

 

[silverblack]

Sounds like an iPad Air would fill your needs and the iPad Pro might be over kill unless you just want one.

iPad Air? I need good quality inking annotation for writing pages and pages of equations in relatively small fonts. Those fake 3rd party stylus for iPad won't cut it.

Is there a reason you are insisting on the .jnt file format? To maintain compatibility with other Windows users?

I just want a file format that is widely accessible to lots of students. I am looking into .ppt now. It turns out the inking is quite good for Windows version. Only that it is not available in Mac version if I want to add ink annotation within the document (not in presentation mode).

.pdf is OK, but not the best. Each equation, or multiple equations will be treated as one block/object. You can't go back and edit within the object, except delete and make a new one.

 

[AlliFlowers]

Thanks for suggesting SMART notes. But I prefer not to use any uncommon apps, as they may disappear in the market in a year or a two.

This has been a staple in classrooms for years already, and comes with the purchase of a Smartboard. (I'm talking about SmartNotebook, not SMART notes (not sure what that is).

School systems that use interactive white boards generally go with Smart or Promethian. I'm sure Promethian has something similar, so you should definitely see what your school already owns a license to.

 

[mkitchen]

I teach Middle School math and have been using an iPad for the last 2-3 years. I just bought the iPad Pro as I think it is the ultimate teaching machine.

You should probably change your workflow.

#1 - Use an Apple TV or Airserver/Reflector. I find the software options to be not very reliable, but air playing the iPad through an Apple TV is perfect.

#2 - Use Good Notes (http://www.goodnotesapp.com). I create a notebook for each standard. And I write out my bell work and rich problems (I don't teach through lecture notes, but rather problem based learning) on separate slides. I then "play" these live via airplay and write over top of them. I can screen shot and then "undo" all the marks we just made to go back to the original - or have duplicates of the original.

This is where the Pencil is pretty much my dream teaching tool. I have been using a Jot Pro and iPad Air and it is very much less than enjoyable.

Teaching this way allows me to circulate around the room and never be tied to the front of my room.

That is a quick over view of what I do. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[silverblack]

This has been a staple in classrooms for years already, and comes with the purchase of a Smartboard. (I'm talking about SmartNotebook, not SMART notes (not sure what that is).

School systems that use interactive white boards generally go with Smart or Promethian. I'm sure Promethian has something similar, so you should definitely see what your school already owns a license to.

Sorry for the confusion. I meant to write SmartNotebook. Anyway, there isn't a Smart-board in my classroom, only two projectors with two huge screens.

#1 - Use an Apple TV or Airserver/Reflector. I find the software options to be not very reliable, but air playing the iPad through an Apple TV is perfect.

#2 - Use Good Notes (http://www.goodnotesapp.com). I create a notebook for each standard.

Teaching this way allows me to circulate around the room and never be tied to the front of my room.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll check out Good Notes. But after doing some web searches, I realized Microsoft have enabled inking in Office for iPad pro. So I already picked up an iPP on my way home. Now all I need is to track down a pencil to test that function (which is disable without the pencil).

 

[biosci]

Don't forget to sign up for Office 365. I believe they've required the login with the iPad Pro. Looks like a bunch of teachers here. Me included (well, I transitioned to an Instructional Tech Admin). Glad to see a few of you using your iPads in the classroom! I've always done the Air Server route in the past with no problems but an AppleTV works quite well too when you don't have a MacBook / Mac handy. The .jnt format is from the Journal app on windows laptops that have the stylus for the touch screens. We used to use those too at the high school.

 

[AlliFlowers]

Sorry for the confusion. I meant to write SmartNotebook. Anyway, there isn't a Smart-board in my classroom, only two projectors with two huge screens.

That's the beauty of it. You don't need the Smartboard, just the software. It's like ppt on steroids. I could never go back to ppt.

 

[silverblack]

That's the beauty of it. You don't need the Smartboard, just the software. It's like ppt on steroids. I could never go back to ppt.

I am assuming that files generated by that app can only be viewed and edited by that app. If so, I'll pass.

My institution offers Office 365 free subscription to students and faculty. PowerPoint with inking will be more than enough for my needs.

Now I just need to hunt down a pencil to activate the inking option.

 

[iPadDad]

I need to purchase a tablet with stylus for my classes. In the past, I use a Windows with Microsoft Journal, but I absolutely hate Windows. iPad Pro is a promising alternative, but it doesn't look like it can deliver my needs at this point.

My workflow:
1. Prepare barebone lecture notes with Powerpoint
2. "Print" the Powerpoint file to Journal format (.jnt), (kind of like printing a file to .pdf)
3. Connect tablet to vga projector, open file in Journal, and write while lecturing (mostly short phrases, and solving lots of mathematical problems). So my need of the pen functions is very basic (different color pen, an eraser, and some highlighter).
4. Journal can save all my writing in .jnt, and the file can be shared with and viewed/edited by any Windows computers. This is important as I still want access to these files years in the future, even when I no longer have the tablet.
5. If needed, I could also convert the .jnt file to .pdf for posting (e.g., to Mac users that couldn't open .jnt)

1.) You can use PowerPoint on iPad and it is very good!
2.) I am sure you could print to PDF then simply open the PDF in an app that can print to .jnt if there really is no other format you can or are allowed to print to.
3.) You get lightning to VGA adapters I use them, now with the pro you will need a USB-C to lightning adaptor untill they make them but I am sure they will soon.
4.) Use a cloud storage option
5.) there must be apps that can open .jnt or just go wit PDF

 

[silverblack]

1.) You can use PowerPoint on iPad and it is very good!
2.) I am sure you could print to PDF then simply open the PDF in an app that can print to .jnt if there really is no other format you can or are allowed to print to.
3.) You get lightning to VGA adapters I use them, now with the pro you will need a USB-C to lightning adaptor untill they make them but I am sure they will soon.
4.) Use a cloud storage option
5.) there must be apps that can open .jnt or just go wit PDF

Thanks. In my other posts, I indicated that I have already purchased an iPP, and decided to switch from Journal to PowerPoint. Just need to get my hands on an Apple Pencil now.

You do not need USB-C for iPad pro. It just uses lightening.