Another interesting iPad application is AirSketch from qrayon. This
application allows you to mirror to a web browser on a computer running on the
same Wi-Fi network what you are drawing on the iPad. The computer can be projecting
the web page onto a screen for students to watch. Initially I did not see much
value in having college students in a classroom watch me draw squiggles on a
sketch pad. However, AirSketch allows you to have pictures as background
images which can be written upon. Aha! I have often shown in my classroom pages
out of a textbook – tables, charts, worked-out examples, etc. I have used document
cameras and marked the documents up for the class. I have converted documents
to pdf’s and used Adobe Acrobat to view them and the clunky mouse interface to
annotate and mark up pdf’s for students watching on the big screen. But now I
can convert those documents to a jpg, put them into a picture folder on the
iPad, easily pull up the picture as my wallpaper, and draw on it. I am now untethered
to the lectern! As long as there is a Wi-Fi network to connect the iPad and
computer, I can walk around the classroom, demonstrate to individual students
while carrying my iPad, and using a stylus (or my finger) draw on the relevant
diagram, chart, or whatever else I care to show students, while my markings show
up for everyone to see. This program can also be used for students using the
iPad for group work to share their creations with the rest of the class on the
big screen.
