Category Archives: Student

iPads, Make Tech Easier, Student, Students

Sending a Keynote file to your teacher

“Why” explained below. First, “How”:

You’ve created a Keynote presentation, and need to get it to your teacher in a way that can be viewed on their laptop [which does NOT have Keynote installed]. Here is how to make sure your presentation can be viewed [and thus graded!]. Click any picture below to see a bigger version.

  1. On your iPad, open up the presentation.
  2. Click the “Share” icon – square with arrow coming out of it.
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  3. If you want to email the file, see #4 below.
    If you want to upload a PDF or Powerpoint file to Drive from your keynote presentation, see #5 below.
  4. Select “Send a Copy”
    15B

    1. Pick a file format – PDF or PowerPoint. Ask your Teacher if you don’t know which to use.
    2. Select “Mail”.14B                        Fill out the email, and send it.
  5. Select “Open in Another App”
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    1. Pick a file format – PDF or PowerPoint. Ask your Teacher if you don’t know which to use.
    2. Select “Open in Drive”.
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    3. Drive will open, and ask “Would you like to upload filename.pptx to My Drive?”
    4. YES, you do!17
    5. After the file has uploaded you can email it, share it with your teacher, view it online, etc.

 

 

What’s this all about? [Some details]

The principle here is dealing with file formats. In this case the students are creating files that the teacher needs to read, but that app is not available for the teacher’s computer [Keynote is a Mac only app, and most MDS teachers have Windows machines].

So how do you deal with the situation where you are creating in one app and need to open it in another?

Here’s your
One Word Explanation:
EXPORT

Find a file format that both sides of the equation can use. Export the file from your app, and the recipient can open it in the app of their choice.

Some file types that commonly transfer nicely include

  • Word processing: rtf, doc, docx
  • Graphics: jpg, png
  • Spreadsheet: csv, xls
  • Video: trickier, because it involves not only the “container” [mp4, mov, avi, wmv, m4a] but also the “codec” [how the video was prepared]. Export the same file a few different ways and see which one works.
  • Text & Graphics: PDF

In the list above, you are walked through the steps of taking a keynote presentation on an iPad, exporting it as either a PDF or PPTX [Powerpoint] file, then uploading it to Drive. The teacher can then open the file up in a PDF reader or Powerpoint.

Faculty, Faculty/Staff, iPads, Student, Students

iPad keyboards

Here are two reviews of ipad keyboards that have received a favorable writeup. Unfortunately they are on the expensive side – unless you can find one on sale.

Logitech Keys-to-Go

Zaggkeys Flex

The Apple Bluetooth keyboard works very well but is pricey [we have two available for use in the library].

The iPad guy uses a Mathias One keyboard, and is impressed with it [but it is NOT battery powered, and requires a USB power source. On the other hand, it can also be used with a laptop/desktop.] On the OTHER other hand, it’s only $29 from MacSales.

iPads, Student, Students

Submit Assignments into Moodle AWAY FROM YOUR iPAD!

Let’s assume for a moment that you have tried to submit a Google Drive file into a Moodle assignment  using your iPad – and it doesn’t work.

Let’s also assume that your Notability backups are working, and that the Notability document you just completed is already in your Drive.

  1. Get to a desktop or laptop [you can even do this using a smartphone, but it’s more aggravating].
  2. Fire up a web browser [Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, etc.]
  3. Open up your Google drive by surfing to drive.google.com [or you could click the link]. login.
  4. Open up the Notability folder, just to make sure the file you need is there. If it isn’t, pull out your iPad and manually export the file from Notability to Google Drive.
  5. Open up a new tab. Get to and login to Moodle. Submit the file – you already know how to do that, right?

Now you know how to bypass a technical issue, get your assignment in on time, AND access your Drive-space away from your iPad.