You are at:

The iPad Cometh

My iPad arrived yesterday, and I am going to spend the next few weeks exploring the ways this device could be used to extend and enhance teaching and learning at DePaul. It is a pretty cool gadget, so I will be having plenty of fun along the way.

I am writing this whilst traveling to work on a moderately empty Brown Line El. The iPad's virtual (onscreen) keyboard isn't perfect, but it works fairly well. I'm using Apple's Pages App to compose copy, and the combination of predictive text and native spellchecking is keeping me on the straight and narrow.

iPad

My list of required and desired outcomes is starting to form. So far I have:

Basic e-mail

  • e-mail
  • Calendar
  • Address book

Note: Following the DePaul iPhone instructions will allow you to access DePaul e-mail on the iPad

Presentation
  • Present basic Keynote/PowerPoint presentation
  • Present rich-media Keynote/PowerPoint presentation
  • Present movie clips
  • Present and annotate (underline, sketch, write text)
  • Record presentations (podcast and vodcast)

Creation
  • Create and edit text documents
  • Create and edit presentations
  • Create and exit podcasts
  • Basic editing of images
  • Export to PDF

Note: File sharing is possible with iWork Pages, but it gets a little cumbersome.

Social media
  • Tweet/Twitter
  • Post to blog
  • Skype

Note: Apples’s Camera Connection Kit seems to allow USB headsets and keyboard to work.

Microsoft Office
  • Create and edit Excel, Word and PowerPoint

PDF
  • Open and view PDF
  • Annotate PDF
  • Export/save annotations
  • Search for text

Note: iAnnotate PDF seems to work well here.

LMS
  • Access Blackboard and Desire2Learn
  • Post announcements/news
  • Post and respond on discussion board
  • Upload files
  • Download files
  • Grade

Web
  • Basic Web browsing
  • Access Web e-mail
  • View online video

Already I have been distracted by some of the cool ways to consume content on the iPad (I can watch streaming Netflix movies for example), but I am quietly confident that this device can be useful within the work environment.

Comments

Technology Tuesdays: Guest Presentation on Copyright

Mary Devona (DePaul University's Associate General Counsel) will be making a guest presentation on Copyright at the next Technology Tuesday on April 27th from 10-11 a.m. She will discuss a variety of IP issues related to online learning and posting material on the web. Topics will include:

• The TEACH Act
• Fair use
• e-reserves
• Multimedia course material

This promises to be a great presentation - Mary knows what she is talking about, and an understanding of copyright is vital when teaching online and hybrid courses.

Please RSVP if you wish to attend.
Comments
 You are at: