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Hello,

This is just a quick post to say thank you to everyone to took the time to read my blog over the past 2 years! I started this blog with an ambition to document my learning with iPad and its been fun to write the posts as well as read the old ones! The blog actually started as part of a proposed “Diary project”, but I did not hear about it again (nor did I enquire again), so I just continued to blog independently. Nevertheless, the blog did gain a lot of attention in it’s own right – being shown at events and other Universities; and this is something I am really proud of.

Its been an amazing journey and when I graduate Westminster this July, I will continue to use iPad in my future career. This means I may continue to post about my learning journey with iPad in the coming months.

As a student in their final year, semester 2 was really good in terms of iPad use. A lecturer managed to squeeze in the “Keynote Live” feature into their presentation which made it easier to follow the slides and read small text. It was an experimental thing, I’m sure, but I can see it having many advantages. I believe there was a limit of 50 viewers, so if Apple increases this (without reducing quality or something), it might be something worth doing in many other lectures.

As far as learning with iPad goes, it remained consistent with previous years I have talked about it. Its great to have a device on the go for revision and using the free apps from FST, and it was something I will always appreciate about Westminster. I only wish that we were given iPads in the first year!

Like I’ve said previously, my journey at Westminster might be over, but my learning journey doesn’t end here. I will continue to embrace my new “skills” with my personal iPad. Not to sound like an ad, but the iPad is something I really enjoyed using as it became part of me. I’ll be honest, it was not too useful for a Computer Science student, but it was good for the non-programming side of things. I’ve been told you can program on an iPad, but IMO it’s not as immersive as a traditional computer.

Also, I can’t forget the fact that the iPad gave me “access” to a hidden room at Apple Regent Street! It was great to visit the store and pick up all the information about probing and using iPad apps.

Secret: The hidden room is just as appealing as the rest of the redesigned store.

I hope you have enjoyed reading my blog as much as I enjoyed writing the posts, and hope you will come again to read the posts again.

Special thanks to all of the Apple Education team (P. Hutton!), the University of Westminster and Academia for making this learning journey, on My iPad Diary, possible in the first place.

Look out for more posts coming in the next few months – I can’t wait to tell you whats next! It’s really exciting.

Thank you,

Irfan

Visit to Apple Regent Street

On Friday 31st March, lucky Digital Ambassadors (including myself!) were invited to take part at an event at Apple Regent Street (yes, it’s no longer officially called “Apple Store”). Although Apple have done this before, this was the first time Westminster collaborated with them.

In case you didn’t know, the redesigned store has been visioned by Jony Ive, who designs nearly all of Apples latest devices, including iOS. We also got to see a room very little people get to see; the new board room!

The day lasted 3 hours and was packed with talks by Apple members of staff including Creatives who talked about Apple awareness. A video at the start talked about how iPad is enabling people to get things done from anywhere – including the top of a mountain where there may or may not be 4G…

After a lengthy talk about how to help people through effective questioning, we were shown how to use iMovie, Slide-over, the Camera app, and Keynote. This was a really useful section of the event as I picked up some new skills.

They explained how these tools can be used together to create content. I had never used the ‘instant alpha’ feature in Keynote before, and I suggest you try it out too – it eliminates colours in an image to make them transparent. I know I will be using it more often!

We were then tasked to create our own presentations on a topic of our choice, related to our course.

After presentations, we were given a store tour which included lots of interesting facts such as:

• Apple moved the pillars on the top floors of the store to be in line with the ones at the bottom floor of the store – the attention to detail
• Apple Regent Street was the first Apple Store in Europe
• It was also the largest store in Europe
• The walls are covered in marble and use Jony Ive’s idea for the design of the stair bannisters.

An amazing day with lots of information taken away, including new skills picked up by tutors, who are already using their newly learned skills. One tutor has experimented (successfully) with Keynote Live in the lecture:

Irfan

iPad As A Supplementary Display

I have found one of the best uses of the iPad in a workflow – using it as another display which can display lecture slides, codes and other useful information while you get work done on a laptop.

I find it particularly useful for iOS programming where I can have Xcode open on the Mac, with the lecture notes open on the iPad. Sure I can open the notes on the Mac, but having it on the side makes the workflow less cumbersome. Just a few glances and its done.

Still trying to work out how to use Core Data though 🙂

Irfan

Why I Like iPad For Learning

The more posts I write, and the more I go back and look at them – the more I realise that I haven’t explicitly told you my reasons for liking iPad for learning with at uni. So here is a list of just that. 

1. It’s the future!
2. It’s useful for tube journeys (shameless previous post plug!)
3. Blackboard is quick to access
4. I like having my uni stuff separate from personal iPad and iPhone stuff. 
5. Don’t need to carry laptop just to take, download or follow notes
6. I can annotate on notes!
7. Syncing of files is excellent (iCloud)
8. iTunes U is the best education app I have ever used – lots of useful courses and videos 
9. The app selection is incredible – “there’s an app for that”
10. Good for typing quick emails and for keeping a tab on incoming emails too
11. It doesn’t complain if I leave it at home 
12. It’s thin and light and I barely know it’s in my bag
13. iPad doesn’t act like a barrier between me and the lecturer like a laptop does
14. The battery lasts longer than my laptop sometimes
15. My timetable works perfectly with the native calendar app
16. Because I have my timetable in calendar, it tells me the times I should leave so I won’t be late
17. Two things at once on screen mean I can have Pages and News open (Slide Over)
18. AirDrop notes and things to my laptop/iPhone is very convenient 
19. I can access OneDrive, iCloud Drive and Google Drive without logging in every time 
20. It’s the best tool I’ve used for revision – lightweight and easy to revise on
21. iBooks keeps my coursework specs in one place

I’m sure this post sounded more like an iPad ad in some ways, but those are all valid points! There are loads more, but can’t think of anymore right now. 

Some things I don’t like about using the iPad for learning:

1. Due to the MDM profile, I’m forced to type in a long password, when I would really like to use a quicker pin (it doesn’t have Touch ID)
2. I’m reminded on the lock screen and settings app that my iPad is managed by the university and that my location and web traffic is monitored. While this is fine, it still would be nice if it didn’t word it that way!
3. Can’t code on it
4. Blackboard app is not reliable. It’s easier and quicker to use Safari to access Blackboard!

Irfan

Start of semester 2 – My Thoughts

Although its still the first week back, I think I can talk a bit about how semester 2 has started.

Firstly, tutors seem more relaxed with the idea of having iPads in the classroom – and thats GREAT.

2 of my lecturers have already emphasised that we should bring the iPads to every lecture as they hope to incorporate apps to help us follow the slides. One lecturer used a service called “Zeetings” to broadcast his slide show with some interactive questions in between.

Broadcasting slides is something other lecturers have done using NearPod, but I like how this lecturer has introduced a new app. We were able to run it all through Safari which was good because we didn’t have to install something new. Having slides right in front of you is handy if you’re sat at the back or can’t see the text at the bottom of the screen. I did notice, however, that you couldn’t go back to the previous slide when the lecturer has gone to the next slide, which is a minor annoyance.

Nevertheless, he went as far as saying that laptops create a sort of barrier between students the lecturer, and iPads are great because they lie flatter on the desks, which I agree with.

Digital Ambassadors can be located by these tags at the Digifest

Secondly, the Digifest has been off to a great start with many students interested in learning new things about the iPads. They didn’t know just how much power they are carrying around and its nice to be able to pass on some knowledge.

Students found the split keyboard, touch keyboard and slide over very useful features of the iPad and they said they could see them using those features on a regular basis.

There’s still 11 weeks to go, and I am confident tutors and lecturers will come out of their comfort zone and incorporate iPads a lot more!

Irfan