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iPad Pro Using iPad Pro for lecturing? Expert tips and suggestions?
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Two points. First, yes there are a ton of other styli that work with the iPad Pro--any capacitive stylus will do. Unfortunately they are all dreadful. I must have tried 25 styli on my iPads over the years and not one of them allowed handwriting at the speed I can write on a piece of paper. Then the IPP and Apple Pencil came along and I have finally found a stylus that works properly for handwriting.
Second, as for walking around while lecturing, you should be able to do that using an iPad connected to the projector via AirPlay streaming.
Second, as for walking around while lecturing, you should be able to do that using an iPad connected to the projector via AirPlay streaming.
I too own every stylus and I agree. In my Creating with the iPad class we would reflect on why it was so difficult to emulate what is so trivial on paper.
As for AirPlay, in my university unit, with our projectors, that requires an Apple TV and authorization to use the campus wifi network. I only have access to that configuration in two classrooms. All the others require a wired connection to the projector
The 3rd gen Apple TV does not require a wifi network to enable airplay mirroring; it connects to your Apple device directly via bluetooth and wifi.
My point is I only use Apple TV when my uni provides it. I'm not going to purchase and carry around my own Apple TV.
(And my uni takes a dim view of ad hoc networks.)In case y'all missed it, macnn.com has an article on presenting with the iPad Pro. There are a few nuances mentioned that haven't been brought up yet, most notably the battery drain that the author experienced even when using the adapter to connect to a projector. You can read the article here: http://www.macnn.com/articles/16/01...ail&utm_term=0_9d2654d74e-1543b759c2-70454937
Good article, thanks for posting that link.
I just tried running a Keynote presentation from my iPad Pro to my TV using an Apple TV, and as that article says, it's fine once you get a presentation up and running, but in order to start the presentation, you first have to turn on screen mirroring, so your audience gets a glimpse of all the other presentations you have on your iPad when you start/end a presentation. Not ideal. It should work like video, where playing a video streams only the video to the TV, not the video player interface.
My point is I only use Apple TV when my uni provides it. I'm not going to purchase and carry around my own Apple TV.
Yuck. Imagine carrying around an Apple TV and trying to set it up in every room you go into. Sounds like a nightmare
I'm coming at this from both ends - I'm currently a full time student but I have previous been a teacher and still teach part time!
I've been using iPads in various forms for teaching since the 1, the VGA and HDMI outputs work absolutely fine - I've had no issues with them at all. Additionally with the lightning adaptors (unlike the old 30 pin ones!) you can charge your iPad at the same time as doing image out so if there does turn out to be an issue with battery drain you can get around it.
Personally I've been using Notability a lot, now, I'm still using an iPad Air 2 so don't have the advantage of that large screen or the Apple Pencil, but it's been doing the trick admirably. There's a top menu where you can pick pen, highlighter, erasers, scissors (lasso and move) or the hand just for navigation. Each of the first three options have various size adjusters, and the first two have a selection of 16 colours each. You can choose different kinds of paper (lined/grid with different spacing, colours...), and import documents and write on top of them. When you open a document in Notability (or copy to now) you can choose the notebook to import it to (I do this per class), and if you want to create a new note, or append it to an existing one. As well as being able to import documents you can also add photos, figures (which gives you a separate page to draw on), web clips, and stickies (post its). I have my Notability set to back up to Dropbox which means I have a nice stack of PDFs sat there waiting for me to archive them at the end of the semester - there's also a share button where you can export directly from in the app. Additionally you can also do audio recordings whilst making notes - a feature that may or may not be useful to you.
Not trying to sell you on Notability in particular, just giving you a comprehensive rundown of the features! I've also heard great things about Goodnotes and other applications but as Notability has been working so well for me I'm going to stick with it.
Now I just need Apple to release the Air 3 with pencil support, or for my willpower to cave and allow me to buy myself an iPad Pro!
Edit: Changed how I described the hand tool.
I've been using iPads in various forms for teaching since the 1, the VGA and HDMI outputs work absolutely fine - I've had no issues with them at all. Additionally with the lightning adaptors (unlike the old 30 pin ones!) you can charge your iPad at the same time as doing image out so if there does turn out to be an issue with battery drain you can get around it.
Personally I've been using Notability a lot, now, I'm still using an iPad Air 2 so don't have the advantage of that large screen or the Apple Pencil, but it's been doing the trick admirably. There's a top menu where you can pick pen, highlighter, erasers, scissors (lasso and move) or the hand just for navigation. Each of the first three options have various size adjusters, and the first two have a selection of 16 colours each. You can choose different kinds of paper (lined/grid with different spacing, colours...), and import documents and write on top of them. When you open a document in Notability (or copy to now) you can choose the notebook to import it to (I do this per class), and if you want to create a new note, or append it to an existing one. As well as being able to import documents you can also add photos, figures (which gives you a separate page to draw on), web clips, and stickies (post its). I have my Notability set to back up to Dropbox which means I have a nice stack of PDFs sat there waiting for me to archive them at the end of the semester - there's also a share button where you can export directly from in the app. Additionally you can also do audio recordings whilst making notes - a feature that may or may not be useful to you.
Not trying to sell you on Notability in particular, just giving you a comprehensive rundown of the features! I've also heard great things about Goodnotes and other applications but as Notability has been working so well for me I'm going to stick with it.
Now I just need Apple to release the Air 3 with pencil support, or for my willpower to cave and allow me to buy myself an iPad Pro!
Edit: Changed how I described the hand tool.
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You can always just start with your presentation (turn on mirroring) and end there as well (turn off mirroring). There's no need to have anything on Apple TV other than what you wish to show. I always turn off mirroring before I navigate out of the presentation so I don't inadvertently disclose what cat videos I was watching before class.
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Used Notability just this morning! We did an in class puzzle type exercise. I had the blank puzzle in Notability and students could just borrow my iPad and draw their solution.
I just read through this, as soon as I'm teaching again more frequently (in a few weeks), I will definitely be exploring GoodNotes, that TV Out mode is going to be a killer feature for me!
Great comments. It's just hard for me to even try out the Pencil - no local store carries it, and Apple Canada would take another 2 to 3 weeks to ship. For compatibility reasons, I might have to end up going with Surface Pro 4, although that doesn't really excite me.
Staples.ca has the Apple Pencil in stock and have a great return policy.
How many different rooms will you be shuffling to?My point is I only use Apple TV when my uni provides it. I'm not going to purchase and carry around my own Apple TV.
Building up your own private infrastructure is never cheap, but if you want to be able to teach the way you want to teach, as opposed to making do with what the school can provide you, there's always a price to pay.
No shuffling. Although I sometimes scurry. Two classrooms have Apple TVs. For the other I use regularly it's much easier to me to just HDMI to the projector.
So, I might be able to locate an Apple Pencil nearby. It seems that many of you really like using your iPad Pro. I'm still thinking that it's more logical to get a Surface Pro, but the reality is that I'll probably underutilize it, nor does it have the simplicity of a tablet. Maybe I'll try the iPad Pro.
Please update this thread when you have your new setup, would be really interested to see what you decided on and how it works out for you!
So, after some back and forth, I decided to take a chance - bank on the store's return policy in case it doesn't work - and picked up the iPad Pro, the Pencil, a Logitech case, and give it try. I lectured with it for 3 hours last week, and some incidental note taking here and there.
Positives so far:
The irony is that my old Macbook Air needs replacing after 5 years (replacement battery isn't holding up) so the thought of an ultraportable (either Surface Book or Surface Pro 4) is appealing, especially one that ALSO allows for pen input. I just really don't like Windows machines all that much.
I have another lecture coming up in a couple of days, along with more meetings, so I have this week to make a final decision.
Positives so far:
- Easy to set up - I basically just backed up my current iPad configuration to it. In fact, I already had Notability - kind of embarrassing that I forgot I even had it. Took longer than I though because of the multimedia backing up (not that I have much).
- Lightweight and premium build. Mind you, I find getting a case negates this to some degree. However, still the lighter the device, the lighter the overall package.
- Very, very smooth pen input. I have not used the Surface Pro pen, but the Apple integration for pen input is excellent. My biggest gripe with the original Surface was the the palm rejection in Windows 8 was spotty. I missed the ability of being able to turn it off as in Windows 7 or having a pen input only screen. Of course, I have heard Surface version 4 is much, much better, so I'm guessing it and Apple are pretty much on par.
- Excellent weighted pen. It's nicely balanced. I could never understand why Windows tablets had such short styli.
- Simple to use - it's an iPad. No fiddling around like on a Windows machine and no cumbersome, poorly timed updates. I loathe how Windows updates you as you sign off and then you're hostage to the damn thing until it's done. Video out works fine - no messing around with mirroring, extended desktops, blah, blah, blah...
- Notability rocks. It does pretty much exactly what I need it to do. So, the Apps for the iPP are probably superior for ease of use.
- Simple to use - it's an iPad. I was lecturing, and my Facebook notification showed up. And it went into powersaving mode, and I almost entered my passcode for everyone to see.
- Lightweight. I need to figure out a way to stabilize it better on the lecturn so that I don't worry about it falling off. Mind you, this is not exclusive to the iPad Pro, but the Surface being a bit heavier makes it a bit more stable.
- Not really a multi-tasking machine. During lecturing, I was only focused on lecturing, so it worked fine. During a meeting later on, I used the IPP to project a slide, but I could have also benefitted from accessing, say, my email. Since it didn't have the full functionality of a regular notebook, so I didn't bother with the effort of "trying to make it work". And I did enter my passcode for all to see! Oops.
- Wish I could use a mouse or touchpad now and then. I know there's a hack, but I'd rather not.
- Pencil is slippery to hold. Not sure why Apple did not provide some texture or grip. But solved with a cheap - and colourful! - grip from Staples.
- Still prefer having an end eraser. I think it's faster to just flip the stylus rather than go to the erase button on the tool menu. Mind you, it's not as bad as I thought.
- Pencil needs a clip or something so that I can clip it to my pocket. Anybody find one? I actually prefer NOT to clip stylus to the actual device. I find they still drop off too easily so I rather clip them to my person.
- Would be nice to have an HDMI out AND the Lightening connector port.
- Wow. Was the case ever expensive...
The irony is that my old Macbook Air needs replacing after 5 years (replacement battery isn't holding up) so the thought of an ultraportable (either Surface Book or Surface Pro 4) is appealing, especially one that ALSO allows for pen input. I just really don't like Windows machines all that much.
I have another lecture coming up in a couple of days, along with more meetings, so I have this week to make a final decision.
I use Notability sometimes too, but you have got to try out GoodNotes too. Things that I find superior:
- option to hide all user interface; i.e., the tool bar is hidden, audience only see a full page displayed, even when you zoom in/out
- perfect palm rejection, when you select pen input only
- choice of ball pen vs. fountain pen (pressure sensitive or not)
- use finger to erase, and automatically revert back to pen after erasing.
People have been adding pen clips to the Pencil, mostly by cannibalizing the clip from another pen. There's also one company selling a magnetic sleeve for the Pencil, that both helps with the grip, and lets you stick the Pencil to the Smart Keyboard/Cover. I keep thinking there must be a way to attach a magnet to your shirt pocket, then use the magnetic sleeve to attach the Pencil to that magnet.
Doesn't Apple's HDMI adapter also have a lightning out port?
Do keep us informed on how you do with the iPP, I'm enjoying reading your experiences and observations.
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Ha! I have GoodNotes too. Got way back. Guess I should try it, eh?
Yes, I've been seeing what clips I have on other old pens. Haven't found one yet.
I don't really want to stick the pen to the case. I'm the type that will lose it. I use a fountain pen too, so I carry my accessories in a separate pouch. I'm just too nerdy.
Bloody right! The adapter does have a Lightning port! Egads. I can't believe I missed it. I've hardly used it in the past, so I just ignored it.
Back when I used to write with a pen, I also had a pen pouch to carry my pens. But if you already carry a pen pouch, doesn't the Pencil fit in it?
Still, I think the Pencil is a case of Apple taking their minimalistic design philosophy too far. It really needs a way of clipping or sticking to things.
Glad you found the lightning out port!
Back when I used to write with a pen, I also had a pen pouch to carry my pens. But if you already carry a pen pouch, doesn't the Pencil fit in it?
Still, I think the Pencil is a case of Apple taking their minimalistic design philosophy too far. It really needs a way of clipping or sticking to things.
Glad you found the lightning out port!
I put my fountain pen in a sleeve. It adds a bit of protection, and makes it harder to lose. The Pencil is a little too long, and with the barrel grip attached, it doesn't fit into the sleeve either. It's more to protect the nib.
I'm just really picky. My wife has great fun at my expense with my nerdiness.
I can be pretty picky myself. I decided that the Pencil wasn't for me, but I don't know what I would have done if I decided to keep it. For the few days I had it, I kept it in an envelope. I think I might have gotten my mom to make me a case for it -- it's handy having a mom who is good at sewing!