Ideas for information literacy instruction in a classroom where the instructor has an iPad and students have their own devices (mostly laptops but some tablets).

1. Instant Whiteboard (or Chalkboard)
1)
setup level
easy
Use a whiteboard app to record students’ comments from discussion
Activity
Suggested Apps
Lensoo Create, Inkflow, Baiboard
Advantages
Challenges
oWriting with your finger is tricky
oEasy for students to see
oQuick transition to next iPad activity
oSave or screenshot and embed in libguide after class

2. Instant Class Feedback
2)
setup level
medium
Use a quiz app to get instant responses from students
Activity
Suggested Apps
Socrative, Kahoot (web-based), Poll Everywhere
Advantages
Challenges
oWhile the links make it relatively simple for students to participate, some might still find it difficult to navigate a new system.
oGet a quick idea of what a class knows
oSave data for assessment
oAllow students to respond anonymously or non-anonymously
oStudents only need a link to respond

3. Paper to Digital
3)
setup level
supereasy
Have students do a paper-based activity and share their work with the class using the iPad camera
Activity
Suggested Apps
Camera
Advantages
Challenges
oiPad projection can go a little crazy switching from landscape to portrait as students pass the device around. It’s best to lock the screen so it can’t turn during this activity.
oCreates an instant visual while students explain their work
oAllows students to take the lead in the class

4. Collective Writing and Editing
4)
setup level
Have the entire class make notes on a document (such as a page from a journal article), or put students in groups and have each group edit a document
Activity
Suggested App
Groupboard
Advantages
Challenges
oGroupboard does not function on a tablet without the app installed, so it is best for students to use a laptop or desktop
oA max of five users can edit a groupboard at a time
oThere is no way to undo erasing
oAllows students to work together and contribute to the discussion even without speaking
oThis activity is similar to collectively editing a Google Doc, but Groupboard has a freewriting pen tool instead of being text-based
oCreate an unlimited number of Groupboards and easily generate links for students to access the editing interface
difficult

5. Collective Mind Mapping
5)
setup level
medium
Draw a basic mind map about a topic on A Web Whiteboard, then give small groups of students each a subtopic and have them add to the mind map.
Activity
Suggested Apps
A Web Whiteboard (web-based, works well on a tablet)
Advantages
Challenges
oA Web Whiteboard is relatively easy to use, but you might have to spend a couple minutes showing students how to type and draw on it.
oQuick activity
oPromotes discussion of topic and keyword development
oAllows students to work together

6. Original Content from Students
6)
setup level
medium
Have students take pictures or videos on their own devices, share them via email or Instagram, and use hashtags to describe. Use instructor iPad to display and discuss.
Activity
Suggested Apps
Mail, Instagram
Advantages
Challenges
oYou either have to ask students to use their own account (where they might not want to post nerdy library pictures), or have them log out of their account and log into the library’s account on their own device.
oAllow student s to take ownership of the session by taking pictures
oVersatile in terms of what you ask students to take pictures of and the platform they use to share
oCan engage with forms of social media students already use

7. Apps to Prompt Discussion
7)
setup level
easy
App(s)
Discussion Topic
Twitter or Instagram
Hashtags ≈ Controlled Vocabulary
Yik Yak
What does Yik Yak have in common with scholarly conversations?
Article Search, JSTOR, Wiley Spotlight Apps
How do database apps compare to traditional library databases? Issues of accessibility and the Open Access Movement

8. Apps for Flips and Follow-ups
8)
setup level
easy
App
Use
ThingLink
Create an interactive picture of anything, including a screenshot or a page of an article. Embed it in a Libguide as a tutorial.
Animoto
After an activity where students take pictures, combine them into a class video and post on a Libguide or library social media.
Tackk
Have students anonymously post questions to an online bulletin board before or after class. Answer with text or video. All questions and answers are visible to everyone with the link.