USE CASE: You want to annotate your PowerPoint while teaching, and/or use a whiteboard for equations, diagrams, or other shared notes during a Zoom class session. Here were several ways of doing so, depending on the hardware you have. 

• For basic highlighting or underlining of a concept in your PowerPoint slide, the basic built-in PowerPoint annotation with your mouse works just fine, instructions here. You can also use the Zoom annotation tools,  instructions here.
  
  
• I have a Mac laptop or a Windows laptop (no touchscreen). Here are your options:
  
  • You can use your mouse to annotate using the software built in in the application you are using (i.e PPT, PDF)
  • Connect a Wacom tablet (pictured right) to your laptop (Windows or Apple) and use the pen to guide annotation on your laptop. Purchase it from Amazon. 
  • Get an Apple iPad + Pencil, or an Android tablet with a stylus. Install the Zoom app and Office applications, and join the meeting from this device.
    
    
• I have an iPad + Apple Pencil
  You will need to open the PPT  (or the whiteboard application) on your iPad and use your Pencil to annotate. Connect your iPad to the Zoom meeting, and your iPad screen will be visible to all participants. Navigate through the slides, annotating as you go. When you close your PPT, you will have the option to save the file with the annotations. Connect your iPad to Zoom in the following ways:
  • • Mac – Connect your iPad to your computer via Airplay or USB cable. Instructions.
    • Windows – Connect your iPad to your computer via USB cable (have to install a plug-in first). Instructions.
    • OR, join the same Zoom meeting from your iPad using the Zoom app –> click Share Screen –> Screen –> Start Broadcast. 
    • Quick tip – You’ll want to make sure your Apple Pencil is fully charged and also correctly paired via Bluetooth to the iPad you will use to annotate ahead of time. 
      
      

• I have a Surface Pro or a Surface Studio
• • This is an all in one computer. Launch Zoom, share your content and annotate freely. 
  • Annotate slides, write on blank slides, take notes in OneNote, MS Whiteboard, etc.
  • Wide selection of different colors and ink thickness. Ability to erase with back of pen.
    
    
• I have a laptop with touch screen (such as the Lenovo X1 Yoga)
  • Chances are your laptop came with a stylus. Use it!
  • See computer options for faculty and staff on the KIS website.

Whiteboard Applications

Below are some software tools for annotation, available to you at no cost under our Microsoft Campus Agreement. Other recommendations used by faculty  in their digital classroom are listed in the Digital Innovation Playbook: https://canvas.northwestern.edu/courses/122998/pages/teaching-technologies?module_item_id=1689542.

• MS Whiteboard (free) - Log in
  
  • Consider this as an infinite whiteboard, zoom in or out, move to right or left.
  • It is web based, accessible from your Mac via a web browser, or via an app on your Windows laptop and tablet (iPad, Android, etc)
  • Share your web browser in a Zoom meeting, or share the app from your tablet
  • After class, export your whiteboard as a picture and upload to Canvas
  • Youtube how-to video
  • Tips & tricks >
    
    
    
• Microsoft OneNote (free) - Log in
  • Connected to your O365 account
  • Accessible via computer, tablet, phone
  • Draw using pencil
  • Share your OneNote screen via web or app during a Zoom call
    
    
• Annotating in PowerPoint or Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, instructions available on the KIS website. 

PowerPoint

Create professional slide layouts with PowerPoint Designer, a new feature that is part of our Microsoft O365 package. It automatically generates design ideas to choose from, and can reformat your existing content in a more engaging and modern way.  View videos and how-tos here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/create-professional-slide-layouts-with-powerpoint-designer-53c77d7b-dc40-45c2-b684-81415eac0617.

Keynote

Mac users, create presentations that stand out beautifully. With its powerful tools and dazzling effects, Keynote makes it easy to create stunning and memorable presentations, and comes included with most Apple devices. See examples and learn more here: https://www.apple.com/keynote. NOTE: these animations may not render correctly when sharing through Zoom. Please check in a test Zoom session. 

Prezi

Prezi is a presentation tool that can be used as an alternative to traditional slide making programs such as PowerPoint. Instead of slides, Prezi makes use of one large canvas that allows you to pan and zoom to various parts of the canvas and emphasize the ideas presented there. Create inspiring, engaging visuals in minutes, then appear alongside them as you present. Record to share later or go live with your favorite videoconferencing tools. NOTE: these animations may not render correctly when sharing through Zoom. Please check in a test Zoom session. 

The Basic license is free to use for everyone that wants to start making presentations either from a template or from existing PowerPoint slides with our online editor, record videos in the Prezi Video online editor or create dynamic designs and data visualizations with Prezi Design

Learn more here: https://prezi.com. 

Mural

USE CASE: Ability to facilitate Individual and group interaction from students. Set up a template with questions. Students would write responses on sticky notes and post them to the template. Then groups could work with those sticky notes moving them around sorting and organizing them to come up with themes. 

SOLUTION: Mural Mural is a digital workspace for visual collaboration. See it in action here: https://www.mural.co

Here is a how-to use webinar done by Mural: https://mural.zoom.us/rec/share/2_RbdrXJ-W9LTa_Ns16YZK0qHqb5eaa81SMX86FfxRuhUNyw7ONsUHehNcwp57Da?startTime=1593100803000

Here is the link to get your educational license discount: https://mural.co/education. Its free for instructors and students. MURAL brings a lot of benefits to students and lecturers. If you are a lecturer or a student, you are eligible for a FREE account to use in classroom education between teachers and students. To apply, fill in the form in the link above using your educational email.

Perusall
Perusall is an annotation tool that integrates with Canvas. Perusall allows students and instructors to discuss, comment on, collaboratively mark up, and post questions on documents and textbooks. Students can take notes and answer each other's questions directly within the text, while instructors can create assignments and groups.

Hypothesis
Hypothesis enables students to collaboratively comment on or annotate online texts, such as web pages, online PDFs, digital articles, or even specific course files in Canvas.

Flipgrid
Flipgrid is a free video discussion platform from Microsoft. In Flipgrid, instructors post discussion prompts and students respond and reply to each other with short videos. In Canvas, Flipgrid can be added to your course's left navigation. Flipgrid is similar to the Discussions tool in Canvas, only students post and reply with self-made videos. Flipgrid offers additional options, such as adding links or sticky notes to videos. 

Qualtrics
Put Qualtrics surveys in your Canvas course. SurveyNU is an LTI tool that you can use to embed Qualtrics surveys into your Canvas course. Information from Canvas such as user name, course enrollment counts, instructor email addresses and more can be forwarded to Qualtrics automatically using this tool.

See Additional Learning Apps >