Techie Tuesday: DocScan App

Hello Friends!  I'm back to share with you another cool app that you may or may not have heard about. And if you haven't, then trust me when I say, you want to know about it. I learned about it from fellow blogger, Catherine, over at The Brown-Bag Teacher.  If you haven't checked out her blog, I encourage you to do so. 

DocScan is an app which allows you to snap pictures and turn them into PDFs.  The basic app is free but if you want to have more features available to you, it costs only $1.99 to upgrade on your phone or $3.99 on your iPad. Within a matter of minutes of having it, I decided to upgrade so I could export my PDF to different locations.

If you are like me and you have a 1:1 device school this app is AWESOME to allow you to quickly take a picture and send it as a PDF to your student.  It even allows you to decide if you want the PDF to be in color or black and white. You can adjust the brightness of the picture as well. 

What the folder looks like.

Here is an example of how I used it the first time. I took a picture of our Science Lab pages since I typically have to make hard copies for each student.  I created a folder that held both photos of the lab page front and back side.  After I adjusted the cropping (they even let you fix curled pages!), I uploaded my folder to Dropbox.  Since I had put the photos into the same folder, it automatically made it a two page PDF.  After I had the PDF in our class Dropbox, my students were easily able to grab it and open it in Notability (another AMAZING app!).  In Notability they are able to write on the PDF like they would with a pen and paper. After they completed the lab, they uploaded their final assignment onto our class Edmodo page for me to look over and grade.  Easy - easy - easy!!!

I love it because it's easy, saves paper, and allows me to quickly provide my students with what I need them to have WHEN I need them to have it. No more running to the copier room last minute for me!

What the PDF looks like.

My students love it because they get to use their iPad and do what we call App Smash - using multiple apps to complete a project. 

I highly encourage you to check this app out ASAP - and trust me. It's worth the $1.99 or $3.99 (depending on your device) to upgrade. :-)

What apps do you use for PDFs?

New Year Resolutions and a Freebie

Happy 2014!!  I simply cannot believe another year has passed.  I'm looking forward to all that this upcoming year has to offer and have already begun making plans. 

I'm a firm believer in making goals (ones that I really PLAN on keeping).  So I decided to link up with Jessica from First Grade Nest.  So let's get started!

 

In addition to those up above here are some more. :-)

I have been wanting to update my blog look for a long time.  So this is the year that I am taking the plunge and have begun working with someone to give my blog a whole new look. I'm excited to see what comes out of it all and look forward to sharing it with you guys!

 

Start to create at least one freebie each month to share with everyone.  I often create stuff for my classroom....now it's just a matter of taking it to the next step and providing it online. :-)

 

In addition to the ones I listed up top, my other personal goal is to spend more quality time with my two daughters. My oldest is turning three this year and I'm in complete shock over it! Time just goes by so very fast so I really need to slow down and enjoy them now.   We have even planned our first Disneyland trip for the end of January with the girls. 

 

Doing laundry!!!  Haha - okay that one isn't happening. I would like to give up spending too much time getting ready. So tomorrow I am going to CHOP my hair off to make it an easier do. I'm pretty excited about it!

  

I would REALLY like to have one of my products featured in the TpT newsletter. So I'm going to concentrate on continuing to create great products and working on making that happen.

And those my friends are the goals I am working on this year.  As I mentioned above, one of my goals was to provide some more freebies to all of you.  Every year, I have my students review the prior year and concentrate on a few goals they have for the new year.  Here is a little New Year Pennant Banner I created.  You have a selection of different colors to choose from.  I hope you and your students enjoy this project!!  If you do, please don't forget to leave some feedback on TpT. :-)

And finally, I'm always looking to find new blogs to read and follow.  If you are like me, you know we learn best from each other.  So I'm linking up with Jennifer from Simply Kinder.  Head on over there to find some new great blogs. 

 

Happy New Year!  And be sure to back soon to see my new blog image. :-)