Creating a Paperless Classroom

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A controversial yet necessary topic for educators...

When teachers hear the phrase “paperless classroom“, I get many of the following comments and reactions:

• “I write faster than I type”
  
• "I love the smell and feel of books"
  
• "Students need to practice handwriting" 
  

All these are valid arguments that I would like to address in this post.

The goal of the vlog below is for you to see the value of these tools and implement one or more into your classroom to enhance student learning.

Please click on the following link for more information on Foundational vs. Purpose-Driven Apps

Why Use PDFs?
* The format remains the same and is easier to annotate
* Double-space before saving as a PDF to provide more room for annotations

MS Word and PowerPoint

1. Go to "File" and click "Save As"

2. Select "PDF" from the drop-down menu

Google Drive
1. Go to "File"
2. Click on "Download As"
3. Select "PDF Document"

Online Tools

• Crocodoc
  View and comment on any document.
  Review a Word document, fill out a PDF form, mark up an image, and more...
  All with Crocodoc, all online, all for free.
• PrintFriendly
  PrintFriendly cleans and formats web pages for perfect print experience.
  PrintFriendly removes Ads, Navigation and web page junk, so you save paper and ink when you print.
  It's free and easy to use! Perfect to use at home, the office, or whenever you need to print a web page.

iPad Apps

• TinyScan 
  TinyScan turns your mobile device into a mini scanner for documents, photos, receipts and other texts.
  With TinyScan, you can scan your documents anywhere and store or email them as PDF files. 
• TinyScan Support
  
  

 Note: Free and paid versions available. Keep a constant lookout because the PRO version goes "free for a day" every now and then.

I hope these tools and tips were helpful.
Please comment and provide your feedback below to share ways you have developed a more paperless environment.