The Class Nerd

🔗 Spending Time with iPadOS 13 — Robby Burns

This week on Robby’s personal blog, he shared some of his favorite features of Apple’s upcoming iPadOS 13. While he’s been on the beta far longer than I have, I agree with this list.

I did want to highlight two features I think will be most beneficial for teachers and students in an education setting: Desktop Class Safari and PencilKit.

Unfortunately, education is a field slow to embrace the latest technologies, and services like Infinite Campus, my school’s SIS, have been difficult to use from iOS’s version of Safari. No more. With a desktop class browser, all sites teachers need to use should be accessible from an iPad. I say should because I’m sure there will be outliers, but this is a big step forward.

With PencilKit, app developers will be able to incorporate Apple’s own Apple Pencil writing tools into their apps instead of having to design their own. In my classroom, I model writing and math problems regularly using GoodNotes over my projector. While GoodNotes’s pencil experience is good, it is slightly different than other apps like Apple Notes. Now I will can have a consistent writing experience across my entire device if developers adopt PencilKit.

I’m only on day 2 of my personal beta test with iPadOS 13, but working from an iPad has never been so good. I can’t wait to see how teachers are able to use it starting this fall.

→ 9:44 AM, Jul 25

Agenda 6.0 Adds Full Integration with Apple’s Reminders – MacStories

I have been on the beta of this feature, but with it being summer time haven’t been able to really utilize it in lesson planning. That said, in combination with Apple’s updates to the Reminders app coming to iOS, iPadOS and macOS this fall, Agenda and Reminders has the potential to be a powerhouse tool for teachers.

→ 9:27 AM, Jul 2

MindNode 6

Recently, Robby and I released an episode of The Class Nerd Podcast devoted to mind mapping. We spent most of our time discussing the amazing app MindNode.

Today, MindNode 6 is being released on The App Store.

I won’t go into all of the new features here. You can read about those on the Ideas on Canvas blog.

I want to specifically mention one aspect of MindNode 6 I think would be great for teachers: Focus Mode.

Focus mode brings only the nodes you want to the foreground, which will be great for presenting content to students. I’m excited to try it in my own classroom once our marathon of state testing is done.

MindNode 6 is a free upgrade for users of MindNode 5. It can be purchased both on iOS and the Mac.

→ 10:50 AM, Apr 24

Grader+

If you’ve been with The Class Nerd for a while, you may remember the name Peter Davison-Reiber. He contributed several articles to the site a couple years ago. Well today, Peter is releasing his first app to the App Store: a great utility for teachers called Grader+.

Peter created this app out of a need he had in the classroom. In his own words:

What I wanted was a way to record an individual mark with a single tap, and then save each mark quickly and easily. That core functionality was the inspiration of this app, and then the other features grew from there.

You can check out his blog post to learn more about the features.

Grader+ is available on the App Store for free with a $.99 in-app purchase to unlock dark mode and CSV export.

It’s a great tool, and I encourage you to check it out.

→ 9:36 AM, Apr 20

Today, Flexibits has released Cardhop for iOS which we discussed in our parent communication episode. It’s a really great way to manage contacts (especially groups) on iOS, and is on sale for $3.99 at launch.

→ 9:34 AM, Mar 27

Semester 2 Episode 10 - The Wrap Up Grab Bag
In the final episode of Semester 2, Robby and Craig revisit lesson planning. Then they get into a discussion of “Sticky Tech,” or apps and services that they keep coming back to.

Previous Lesson Planning Episode

Agenda - iOS, Mac

Bear - iOS, Mac

KeepIt - iOS, KeepIt

GoodNotes 5

OmniOutliner - iOS, Mac

DayOne - iOS, Mac

Calendar Episode

BusyCal

RSS

eMac

Feedly

FeedBin

Reeder

Fiery Feeds

PDF Expert - iOS, Mac

Overcast

Exit Ticket

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→ 9:49 PM, Mar 26

We are aware of an issue with the latest episode and are working to fix it.

→ 9:47 PM, Mar 26

Semester 2 Episode 9 - Mind Mapping
In today’s episode, Craig and Robby explorer tools for mind mapping and how it can be useful for teachers in the classroom.

Show Outline in MindNode

MindNode

iThoughts

Linea Sketch

Paper

Concepts

OmniOutliner

OmniFocus

OmniGraffle

MarginNote 3

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→ 8:01 AM, Mar 21

Semester 2 Episode 8 - Shortcuts
In this week’s episode, Craig and Robby try to explain what Shortcuts are (though Apple’s naming doesn’t make it easy), share several of their favorite shortcuts as inspiration, and then get to some listener questions.

Also, Craig’s kids were home during the recording of this episode…and you can definitely tell. Apologies.

MacStories Workflow Review

GoodNotes 5

Shortcuts App on the App Store

Drafts Episode

Number Talks Book

Number Talks Shortcut

Podcast Posting Blog Post

Robby’s Seating Chart Shortcuts

OmniGraffle

OmniOutliner

Start Concert Band

Craig’s Instagram Shortcut

Robby’s Wake Up Shortcut

Robby’s Coffee Shortcut

Robby’s Go to Work Shortcut

Robby’s Good Night Shortcut

Craig’s Makeup Work Shortcut

Variables Tutorial

Canvas Workflow Series Episode 1

MacSparky Video Field Guide

Matthew Cassinelli Twitter

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→ 9:49 AM, Mar 12

Semester 2 Episode 7 - Calendars and Time Management
In this episode, Craig and Robby discuss the differences between task and time management, then get into the apps and workflows they use to manage their busy teacher schedules.

The Class Nerd - Semester 2 Episode 3 - Task, Reminder, Project, and Habit Apps, Oh My!

Timepage

Calendar 366

BusyCal - Mac, iOS

Fantastical - iPhone, iPad, Mac

Fantastically Good Event Parser Drafts Action

Google Calendar

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→ 1:22 PM, Mar 5

Semester 2 Episode 6 - Parent Communication
In this week’s episode, Craig and Robby dive deep into ways to make parent communication easier using technology. Robby gives helpful tips, and Craig goes off the JavaScript deep end.

Canvas

Synergy

Drafts 5

Drafts Episode

Ulysses

Byword

Squarespace

Remind

Band

Drafts Action

To Automate or Not Episode

Textexpander

TextCase

PopClip

Email Episode of TCN

Scriptable

Scriptable Script for Saving Contacts to Contact Group on iOS

Spark

Cardhop

FileMaker Episode

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→ 6:58 AM, Feb 26

Semester 2 Episode 5 - Research and Reading Apps
Teachers (and hopefully people in other professions) should always be lifelong learners. In this week’s episode, Craig and Robby share their workflows, primarily on iPad, to help make continuing education and learning easier.

PDF/Research Apps
Book Reading Apps
- Kindle
- Apple Books
Club MacStories

Everything Buckets (Again)
- Evernote
- Keep-it
Scrivener

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→ 6:47 AM, Feb 19

I should clarify that Agenda probably wouldn’t say the biggest features is a bug fix, but it is to me who has been experiencing this bug for a while.

→ 10:22 AM, Feb 13

The folks at Agenda just released version 5.0, and the biggest feature is a fix for an exporting bug. It’s what initially turned me off from using Agenda as my lesson planning app. With this fixed, I can whole-heartedly recommend Agenda for teachers.

→ 10:20 AM, Feb 13

Semester 2 Episode 4 - Handwritten Note Apps
In this week’s episode, Craig makes Robby’s editing job difficult, and we discuss apps for taking handwritten notes on iPad.

The Class Nerd - Semester 1, Episode 4 - Drafts

The Class Nerd - Semester 1, Episode 3 - Notes

Notability

GoodNotes 5

Penultimate

Linea Sketch

Paper

DayOne

Noteshelf

OneNote

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→ 9:16 AM, Feb 12

We’re having some technical difficulties getting today’s episode posted, and both of us have started our school days. We hope to have it posted by lunch time. Sorry for the inconvenience.

→ 9:04 AM, Feb 12

Semester 2 Episode 3 - Task, Reminder, Project, and Habit Apps, Oh My!
In this week’s episode, Craig and Robby get into a listen requested topic discussing the differences between different types of apps in the productivity category and how we use them.

OmniFocus (iOS), (Mac)

Things 3 (iPhone) (iPad)

Craig’s Things Blog Post

“Getting Things Done” by David Allen

GoodTask

Due

Streaks

Productive

Habitica (Robby referred to this in episode as Habit RPG)

Shortcut for Note Tasks

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→ 9:17 AM, Feb 5

Semester 2 Episode 2 - To Automate or Note to Automate
Craig and Robby wax philosophical about automation, and then turn to everything bucket apps.

Semester 1 Episode 3 - Notes

Bear

Drafts 5

Semester 1 Episode 4 - Drafts

OmniFocus

Robby’s Book

Devonthink

Keep It

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→ 7:38 AM, Jan 29

Semester 2 Episode 1 - Apple Watch in the Classroom
In the first episode of a new semester, Robby and Craig discuss their new iPad Pros and then how they use their Apple Watches in the classroom.

Robby Blog Post about iPads

Semester 1 Health Episode

Apple Watch Complication

Semester 1 Drafts Episode

Craig’s Watch Face

Modular
- Date
- Things
- Calendar
- Activity
Robby’s Watch Face

Infograph Face
- Alarm
- OmniFocus
- Date
- Calendar
- Timer
- Activity
- Drafts 5
- Carrot Weather
- Waterminder
Apps
- 1Password
- Due
- Things
- OmniFocus
- Mail
- Slack
- Timelogger
- Spire
- Breathe
- Tempo
- Tonal Energy
- Tacit (pulse tempo)
- Keynote
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→ 7:44 AM, Jan 22