Digital whiteboarding is another way to collaborate in (or out) of the classroom. It doesn’t require any fancy applications, but iPads and Apple Pencils make it much more fun and more akin to real whiteboarding.
Benefits of Digital Whiteboarding
We know there’s nothing quite like the thrill of uncapping a brand-new dry-erase marker and putting it to a freshly cleaned whiteboard, but maybe these perks will sway you to the dark side:
- Customize it. Note-taking apps give you a wide array of tools, ink colors, and background colors/patterns with the tap of a button.
- Limitless possibilities. You’ll never run out of digital whiteboard space and the pens will never run dry. Bonus: You don’t have to clean anything.
- Save and share afterward. No need to take a picture of the whiteboard only to realize later that the image quality is too low to see what was written in the bottom-right corner!
- Everyone can see. Remote participants and those watching a session recording will have difficulty seeing the whiteboard, and depending on the size of the room, placement of the whiteboard, and strength of your marker, in-person participants could also struggle to see what you write! (The whiteboards in our large group classroom, especially SAC 241, are notoriously difficult.)
- Accessibility. Digital whiteboarding supports people who have visual impairments.
Keep It Simple
The easiest way to digitally whiteboard is to share your iPad screen to the Zoom meeting or classroom screen while you take notes in an application. Learn more about these iPad note-taking apps:
If you are whiteboarding from SAC 241, you can use the Zoom Room unit to annotate on top of your shared content.
Make It Interactive
If you want to replicate the kind of experience where anyone can go “up” to the board, consider using one of these applications:
Best Practices
- Always use a digital whiteboard when you’re in a large group session or there are remote participants.
- Your best whiteboarding tools are your iPad and Apple Pencil ; trying to whiteboard from your laptop’s trackpad could be a frustrating experience.
- Be yourself. Just like with a physical whiteboard, nobody cares if you have the most beautiful handwriting or the best artistic skills!
- We recommend sharing with a wired connection for a smoother, more consistent experience.
Don’t have an iPad or Apple Pencil? Reach out to the Office of Technology!