Classroom Evernote Accounts

iPads are a great productivity tool. You just have to rethink the old ways of doing things. For example, the biggest complaint I still hear is "there isn't Word for the iPad". Who cares? There are several great, free alternatives. Evernote has always been one of my favorites. So when it came time to think of how our students could research, word process, and publish with their iPads, Evernote seemed like a great place to start.

Last week, I created two classroom accounts, one for Mrs. Guillory and one for Mrs. Heath. The plan is to use these as a shared drive for students to create and manage their work. There are several benefits for Evernote in this structure. 

First, we can create a notebook for each student to use. It will take some teaching, but the goal is for students to learn how to create notes in their notebook. Then they'll be able to store all of their files for the entire year, a kind of portfolio. Yes, they'll have access to their classmates' work, but they've always had that with their shared drives as well. So I don't think it's that big a deal. 

Second, the Evernote app allows for sign-in/sign-out. I went and signed in on each of the ten iPads in each classroom. Now when the students open the Evernote app, it automatically takes them into their class account. We aren't going to need to sign in each time which will save a lot of instructional time. 

I'm really looking forward to seeing how this works. I think it will be great for word processing and compiling research materials. I'm sure we'll have to make modifications along the way, but that's what makes it so fun.