iPad in place of StarBoard (whiteboard

[agilitygordons]

I teach math and currently I use the computer in the classroom, showing powerpoint slides, and then writing on them using the StarBoard--a smaller white board. I can then save these as jpg's and post them on my class's website.

We are looking at writing a grant to get instructors iPads to use in the classroom. My questions, if anyone can help, are:
1. Can I use the iPad like an HP tablet, walking around the room, having what I write on the iPad show up on the overhead monitor?
2. Will I be able to annotate my slides as I show them, working out the problem and saving my notes?
3. Is there a good stylus that will work? Right now, the StarBoard's pen is 'shaky', and my handwriting looks like some little 'kid' wrote it.

If anyone has used the iPad in this manner can you let me know how it goes?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Spink10]

hand writing is very shaky - you must write very slow to get good recognition from stylus'

 

[firstbass]

2. Will I be able to annotate my slides as I show them, working out the problem and saving my notes?

I use the iPad during my math class. I like displaying PDFs using GoodReader, marking them up, and saving the annotated slides as new PDFs.

Probably no getting around shaky handwriting, even though I like my Targus stylus. Wish GoodReader had a "Zoom" writing feature like Noteshelf. Writing looks very nice on that.

 

[chowdown]

Hi.

I teach maths and have been playing with the iPad for the last few weeks while on holidays. When I go back to work I want to use it to:

• print PDFs that I've made
• display those PDFs and others onto my whiteboard (non-interactive)
• throw away my whiteboard pens and do all my writing on the iPad while projecting onto the whiteboard
• save those writings as PDFs
• keep an organized record of all the PDFs I've used and/or created​

In my set-up, the iPad remains connected to the projector, but hopefully it will be easy on/off.

The apps I'm currently using are

• Neu Notes (best projecting app for note by far that I've seen. Covers the whole of the whiteboard and displays at any zoom. I'm only just coming to grips with the ramifications of this for teaching maths)
• Neu Annotate
• Note Taker HD
• Crop Suey
• iPad Photo app
• GoodReader​

I also make use the iPad's screen-capture facility a lot.

Because I use Neu Notes, Neu Annotate and a Targus (aka Griffin, v. similar to Boxwave) stylus, my printed and projected renderings can be as surgically precise as I want them to be.

I'm happy to answer any questions. For me, in three days the theorizing will be over and I'll be able to see what's what in the real world.

Good luck.

 

[firstbass]

Though I haven't tried it in class yet, I want to mention one other idea:

Expedition is a web browser that has VGA support, unlike Safari, and I imagine using Wolfram|Alpha via wolframalpha.com to display the output of Mathematica commands.

 

[mkoan]

Using an iPad (with Splashtop) instead of a StarBoard

Sorry to revive an old thread, but we have been testing various solutions for this task at my institution and believe we have a viable solution. The most intuitive way we've found so far is to install the Splashtop HD app ($4.99) on instructor iPads and the free Splashtop Streamer software on the instructor station to which the StarBoard is connected. Instructors can then remote control the computer and access the StarBoard software installed on it from their iPads for annotation, drawing, etc. -- while projecting to the class. This solution preserves all of the StarBoard functionality, including the ability to save the files generated on the computer.

Of course, they can also use whatever stylus they prefer with their iPads.

Hope this helps.