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Evernote in the Classroom: Five Ideas

Since its launch in 2008, the note-taking app Evernote has exploded in popularity. To highlight the app’s usefulness in the classroom and highlight its multi-device syncing feature, EducationWorld offers five ideas for incorporating Evernote into everyday classroom activities.

evernote
Simplify Communication

Coordinated communication is key in the classroom, and for those with one-to-one tech capabilities, Evernote can streamline the process. The app’s ability to sync all notes across a number of computers and devices means a teacher can create a note detailing a homework assignment, and that note will then appear on every student’s computer or device. It also eliminates the “I didn’t get one” excuse—each note leaves a digital footprint that shows who created the note, when it was created, and who received it.


Coordinate Projects

Class projects can pose a logistical nightmare for teachers. The challenge is getting students on the same page and keeping them on task. Evernote can help with its to-do and task-list feature. A teacher can create a specific list of tasks related to a given project in Evernote. That list appears on students’ computers and devices, and as they accomplish each task, they label it “done.” This label is instantly viewable on the teacher’s app, making it easy to determine how groups or students are progressing.


Provide Audio Instructions

One of the more popular Evernote features is its ability to produce voice and audio notes. These allow teachers to go beyond the typical syllabus. Rather than handing out multiple copies of assignment directions and instructions, teachers can record narrated overviews that students play back at their leisure. The use of voice provides tone and allows for digression in a way that simple text cannot. This feature is also wonderful for supplying absent students with a rundown of what they’ve missed.


Facilitate 'Reaction' Assignments

Asking student to share their reactions provides great writing practice, and Evernote can instantly collect those reactions. Again, using the multiple-device syncing function, encourage students to pen their reactions to a guest speaker or classmate’s presentation. These reactions should be brief, so as to meet the app’s character limit for notes.


Help Students Show Their Work

Because Evernote was designed to share research notes, teachers can use it for lengthy assignments that require students to hand in source materials. Book reports, research papers and other similar assignments get a digital boost with Evernote. Students keep a record of their research with the app and can easily share those records with the teacher. This eliminates the problems of misplaced materials and disorganized piles of resources.



Article by Jason Tomaszewski, EducationWorld Associate Editor
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