The website is called visualthesaurus.com and is a way to ‘see’ how words are connected. I am writing a paper and looking for different ways to describe concepts and so far have found this quite helpful. When you type in a word in the search box the website brings up terms that are similar and demonstrates linkages between the terms in a visual manner. If you want, you can select one of the linked words and a new set of words will appear that link to the selected word.

I looked to see if a specific app was available and it is not, but it does work beautifully using Safari. I can see using this for writing papers (as I am doing), but I can also see a use for this in the classroom for someone who is teaching students how to write, or for use in the nursing department to demonstrate the idea of concept mapping or even in the library when looking for search terms to find information on the library database. Hmm, I might take this to my research class.

Here is a screenshot of the website.

I have been using Noteability to write on pdfs and for journal writing. I was pleasantly surprised this evening when I opened the app to find that they had changed some of the features for the better. I had written last time that I wanted to find a stylus with a smaller, more responsive tip because I feel like I am writing with an eraser tip, but I have discovered that Noteability has an answer for that problem. If I open the magnifying window, I can write in the space provided and it gives more more of a feeling of using a pen or pencil. It took a few times to figure out how to wait when I had reached the end of the writing area so it would automatically move to the next space, but it was quite effective. I know that I had tried to use the magnifying box when I first got the app and couldn’t quite figure it out, but by the time I had spent several hours with the app last week doing some work I had the required ‘aha’ moment and figured it out. . .this evening the ‘aha’ was even bigger! The switch from typing to pen is more intuitive than in the past, and there is a copy and paste feature which I never noticed before.

If you have the need to handwrite on documents or just like to take notes by hand, this is definitely the app to have. I have gone from physically picking up the reports I complete to having them emailed to me. . .and this app has made it so I no longer have to print the report sheets and then scan them into the computer when I am done, I can now complete the report on my ipad and not only save paper, but the time it used to take me to scan and email the reports to the next person.

Now if it would only write my papers for me….

10. It makes me look cool to the students!
9. I am really a geek (and always have been).
8. It is a great way to take roll (I can’t misplace the roll sheet).
7. I always have my files handy when I put them in dropbox.
6. I have access to all three of my email accounts when connected to the internet.
5. It is much lighter than my laptop.
4. I can get on webct where ever I am, and I don’t need a magnifying glass to see the words (important when you wear bifocals).
3. I have access to a camera and recorder when necessary.
2. I always have access to a “pen and paper” or word processing software to take notes!
1. It was free!

There you go, all the reasons I enjoy having an IPad! By the way… I love working for UCO!

Recently I renewed my subscription after finding out that they now offer the magazine for the iPad. Although I still love the printed copy, it is amazing what is offered on the app.  Videos, interactive graphics and maps are just a few features.

As a professor of photojournalism, I plan to do everything possible to prepare my students to work in multimedia.  The possibilities are endless and National Geographic Magazine is a perfect example of how the media industry is changing.

Here are a few screengrabs of the app-

Video:  Me browsing through an article about reindeer in the November 2011 issue of NGM.

Click here to view the embedded video.

A few tips:  Leave yourself plenty of time for the download and update. Also, make sure your device is completely charged. It takes awhile to complete the update.

So far I like the changes. iCloud seems to work great. I turned on iCloud for photos, so anything I take on both my iphone and iPad 2 will be shared. No more syncing with itunes or emailing them to my other devices.

The biggest improvement is the ability to project wirelessly to my AppleTV. This changes everything for me when it comes to projecting in the classroom. Now I need to convince my department to purchase one for classroom use.

Here is a video that I shot at home with the wireless mirroring at work using the National Geographic 50 greatest photos App.

video

Good luck on the upgrade!
Mark Zimmerman