Paperless Educator/ iPads vs. Smartboards

"Going green" is a huge movement in the world at the moment. We try to go green at home and in our businesses, but is it possible to go green in the classroom? I think it might be.

I read "5 Web Applications for the Paperless Classroom," on QuickOnlineTips.com, and there were some very interesting ways to incorporate technology into the classroom to save paper (for FREE). The first application the article talks about is Evernote.
Evernote is a way to takes notes, organize web pages and pictures, and a bunch of other functions that could potentially take place of notebooks and binders.


The next application is GoogleDocs. We've been using is a bit in my Educational Technology class, and I'm convinced that this is definitely worth your time. Computers are sometimes unreliable. Several people in my classes had their computers crash, and the stuff saved to their computers was inaccessible for quite some time. With GoogleDocs, you can save all of your work to an online folder, so you can access it from any computer. I like knowing that the documents I have saved on GoogleDocs won't be lost with an unexpected computer crash. Not only can you save documents, but you can also create them online. The software though GoogleDocs is very similar to the Microsoft Office Suite.



The third program is called Zoho Challenge. It is a website that can be used to create quizzes and tests, so summative assessment can be done on the technology as well and no paper is needed. I think students would enjoy being able to take tests on computers or iPads.

Prezi is the fourth online application. I'm in the process of making a Prezi for one of my classes, and I found the process quite enjoyable. It is a nice variation on the basic PowerPoint presentation. A teacher can make a Prezi with information for the lesson, and students would love the way the presentation moves. They would also be able to access the presentation on their own computers or iPads.

Finally, the article talked about Wordle, a website we used in my Ed Tech class. I posted my Wordle creation to my blog way back in August. I like using Wordle, and I think kids would find it really interesting as well. If I used it in my class, I would have them make a Wordle with all of their spelling words for the week. It's a way to make learning vocabulary fun and colorful.

I like the idea of saving on paper in the classroom, but I don't think I'd want my classroom to be COMPLETELY paper free. I think students still need to learn how to write correctly with an actual pencil and paper verses learning completely with a stylus and an iPad. Technology is great, but there are still positives to keeping some of the old ways of teaching.


In Ed Tech, we learned about another way that iPads can be used in the classroom, and it actually SAVES money, believe it or not. I'm sure many of you have heard of the Smart Boards and the corresponding projectors that are being installed in many classrooms. They are really cool, and they have some neat functions, but they are expensive as well. If you have a regular projector and a wireless internet connection, AirDisplay is an awesome way to get your iPad mirrored onto the board. If i had my iPad connected through the projector, I would be able to walk around the classroom and teach with different apps and internet sites. There are whiteboard apps that can be used to write, just like I would with an actual whiteboard. I like the idea of the iPad keeping me free to walk around the classroom as I teach.