Here is an app version of a powerful tool that allows you and your students to have one place where you can capture, organize, and share items in multiple media formats. The different uses for this app are as varied as your ideas and your needs.
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App Overview
This productivity app has numerous features that help with organization, collection, and exchange of digital information. Evernote is actually a cloud-based service that can be accessed on a computer or mobile device connected to the Internet. You can save, organize, and share text, pictures, documents all in one place using any device.
Basic features
- Create and organize notes using text, audio, photos, files, and web pages
- Share notes with fellow students and teachers
- Search for text in all files, folders, and even text in images
- Sync Evernote uses on other devices including phone, tablet, and computer
Notes can be organized in multiple ways.
- Create different notebooks and include different notes within a notebook
- Use tags to organize notes based on specific keywords
Most of the functionality and features of Evernote are available in this app version of the service. The interface is slightly different from a computer to take advantage of the iPad touchscreen.
Curator Rating
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Adherence to task
Provides a great organization tool for saving, sharing, and finding different forms of information.
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Worth the money
Notes sync automatically between different devices making the tool easy to use for multiple purposes.
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Fun factor
This app has broad applications. The degree to which you will find this app engaging will depend upon your unique uses of it.
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Scaffolding of learning
This app would be easier to use if you were already familiar with using Evernote on a computer. Many of the features are intuitive to use, some hints are provided.
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User safety
Evernote states that one be at least 17 years old to download this app since it allows unrestricted web access. Therefore, using this app on your school's wifi with appropriate filters will be important.
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Control and feedback
The app provides a framework that you use to address your specific needs.
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How techie do I need to be?
Intermediate
Instructional Ideas
- The broad applications of this app make it useful for the teacher as a productivity tool, and for the student as a tool to use within a project.
- Have students create their own portfolios, include screencasts, scanned documents, file links, notes, audio, etc.
- Keep a multimedia diary of school projects, thoughts, ideas, etc.
- Have pupils capture images and comment on all the various ways math shows up in one week of their lives.
- Use Evernote to aid and organize the research process
Classroom Considerations
- Each user has a separate, free, Evernote account, which can be logged into using their e-mail address and Evernote password.
- Early elementary learners will find this app too sophisticated to use individually. However, a teacher of those early grades would find it useful for creating student portfolios or homework folders, etc. With guidance, students can navigate through their collected works.
- The handwriting app, Penultimate, can be used to combine handwritten notes or drawings and sync with Evernote
Pros
- The ability to sync notes across devices along with the additional browser tools of the Evernote Web Clipper (for capturing web clips when searching the web) and Evernote Clearly (for highlighting sections of a web page) and the app, Skitch (an annotation app), makes Evernote an immensely powerful productivity tool and useful for many applications.
Cons
- This app is only as useful as the user using it. To gain the maximum benefit from Evernote you need to keep your notes organized by tagging them appropriately and organizing them into logical notebooks. It is also important to title notes accurately.
- Incorporating Evernote by remembering to use it often to capture and save your projects or ideas will help you realize its maximum potential.