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As the spouse of a high school math teacher, I've seen how difficult it is for the last month. Getting kids internet service, a computer or tablet to work with,

As the spouse of a high school math teacher, I've seen how difficult it is for the last month. Getting kids internet service, a computer or tablet to work with, the software they need, and then just getting them to login and read or do the work. It's a real challenge. We tweaked my wife's setup and it works pretty well now, though she is dreading if they choose to do live online learning in the fall, as that will be something completely new to tackle. Currently she uses Google Classroom, Desmos, and Kahn Academy for the teaching side. She plans and distributes lessons in Google, uses Desmos for some interactive activities where Desmos scripting allows her to check work and give feedback, and Kahn Academy as some supplemental teaching to her notes. In addition she has certain hours everyday for certain classes and uses an iPad + Google Meet to show notes to her students and work problems they may have an issue with. So far that's been working. Live teaching would be a little more difficult with this setup but it could work.

dorchadas 6y ago
I'm a math/science teacher myself, and I've already decided the first thing I'm gonna do is buy a nice big whiteboard if we do online teaching this fall, to try to solve some of those issues. But I pray we don't have to do that, as just so much gets lost doing it at home versus in person.
- pfranz 6y ago
  Wouldn't whiteboard software be better? Like Khan Academy uses? I've been in some physical whiteboard video chat lectures and it's rough; they rarely have a lav mic (which means the audio quality is horrible and you have problems hearing), you need enough space to frame the whiteboard properly with the camera, they're difficult to light because they're reflective, you need to write the correct size so it's legible, you have the problem you often have in person where your hand or body blocks what is being written. I find cutting to an infinite whiteboard and/or video picture-in-picture to be the easiest way to convey whiteboard ideas. Teachers seem to get really adept at writing with a mouse, but I would heavily suggest investing in a Wacom--even a used 10+ year old Wacom would be sufficient.
  - pdx_flyer 6y ago
    Do you happen to know what that whiteboard software is and if it's available for the iPad? My wife loves the Apple Pencil for writing her math notes because it is so similar to writing on a document camera (which is what they use in the classrooms).
    - pfranz 6y ago
      Oh, right! An iPad and Apple Pencil is probably more commonly available. I'm not entirely sure about iPad software and integration with video chat. If it's prerecorded she might be able to use whatever she wants and iPad's screen recording. What might be easier (if you have a compatible Mac) is to use Sidecar [1]. A desktop app will probably have more options for drawing and more options for integrating with video chat software. [1] https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210380 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210380 I'm not familiar with the landscape of software out there. There's a whole bunch, but I don't know what's good. Maybe a web-based whiteboard could be done on her iPad while she streams video and shared from a desktop? For reference, Khan Academy uses [2] SmoothDraw [3] (Windows Only) and a Wacom Bamboo. [2] https://web.archive.org/web/20130429170548/http://khanacademy.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/329318-what-software-program-equipment-is-used-to-make-khan-academy-videos- https://web.archive.org/web/20130429170548/http://khanacadem... [3] http://www.smoothdraw.com/sd http://www.smoothdraw.com/sd
    - Delfino 6y ago
      I really enjoyed using Explain Everything on the iPad when I was making videos for my math classes. You can have prepared slides, with what you've drawn out pre-recorded but still edit in realtime. Show or hide features like webcam video, easily bring in outside resources like images, graphs, videos, etc... and record the live session and play it back later.
- scollet 6y ago
  Can you do screen share and use a drawing/navigational tablet instead? I've done some whiteboarding interview/collab this way and it's surprisingly effective for a lower cost and higher resolution.
  - dorchadas 6y ago
    The problem is I'd have to get a tablet too. I haven't looked into whiteboards yet, so it still might be cheaper. Of course, I might also just take my laptop to my classroom and use that one.
    - scollet 6y ago
      I got a nav tablet for $80 (bamboo wacom) and it worked great for a year before the usb leads came loose. Look for smth in the $120~~ range and you will save on buying a whiteboard (which has a singular purpose). Keep in mind, I invested for art, but found much more versatility.
      - scollet 6y ago
        And/or secondhand is a viable option. That bamboo can also be set up wirelessly with a wireless chip and a rechargable batt. That's what I did when the usb connector failed.

dorchadas 6y ago

I'm a math/science teacher myself, and I've already decided the first thing I'm gonna do is buy a nice big whiteboard if we do online teaching this fall, to try to solve some of those issues. But I pray we don't have to do that, as just so much gets lost doing it at home versus in person.

pfranz 6y ago
Wouldn't whiteboard software be better? Like Khan Academy uses? I've been in some physical whiteboard video chat lectures and it's rough; they rarely have a lav mic (which means the audio quality is horrible and you have problems hearing), you need enough space to frame the whiteboard properly with the camera, they're difficult to light because they're reflective, you need to write the correct size so it's legible, you have the problem you often have in person where your hand or body blocks what is being written. I find cutting to an infinite whiteboard and/or video picture-in-picture to be the easiest way to convey whiteboard ideas. Teachers seem to get really adept at writing with a mouse, but I would heavily suggest investing in a Wacom--even a used 10+ year old Wacom would be sufficient.
- pdx_flyer 6y ago
  Do you happen to know what that whiteboard software is and if it's available for the iPad? My wife loves the Apple Pencil for writing her math notes because it is so similar to writing on a document camera (which is what they use in the classrooms).
  - pfranz 6y ago
    Oh, right! An iPad and Apple Pencil is probably more commonly available. I'm not entirely sure about iPad software and integration with video chat. If it's prerecorded she might be able to use whatever she wants and iPad's screen recording. What might be easier (if you have a compatible Mac) is to use Sidecar [1]. A desktop app will probably have more options for drawing and more options for integrating with video chat software. [1] https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210380 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210380 I'm not familiar with the landscape of software out there. There's a whole bunch, but I don't know what's good. Maybe a web-based whiteboard could be done on her iPad while she streams video and shared from a desktop? For reference, Khan Academy uses [2] SmoothDraw [3] (Windows Only) and a Wacom Bamboo. [2] https://web.archive.org/web/20130429170548/http://khanacademy.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/329318-what-software-program-equipment-is-used-to-make-khan-academy-videos- https://web.archive.org/web/20130429170548/http://khanacadem... [3] http://www.smoothdraw.com/sd http://www.smoothdraw.com/sd
  - Delfino 6y ago
    I really enjoyed using Explain Everything on the iPad when I was making videos for my math classes. You can have prepared slides, with what you've drawn out pre-recorded but still edit in realtime. Show or hide features like webcam video, easily bring in outside resources like images, graphs, videos, etc... and record the live session and play it back later.
scollet 6y ago
Can you do screen share and use a drawing/navigational tablet instead? I've done some whiteboarding interview/collab this way and it's surprisingly effective for a lower cost and higher resolution.
- dorchadas 6y ago
  The problem is I'd have to get a tablet too. I haven't looked into whiteboards yet, so it still might be cheaper. Of course, I might also just take my laptop to my classroom and use that one.
  - scollet 6y ago
    I got a nav tablet for $80 (bamboo wacom) and it worked great for a year before the usb leads came loose. Look for smth in the $120~~ range and you will save on buying a whiteboard (which has a singular purpose). Keep in mind, I invested for art, but found much more versatility.
    - scollet 6y ago
      And/or secondhand is a viable option. That bamboo can also be set up wirelessly with a wireless chip and a rechargable batt. That's what I did when the usb connector failed.