My First Day...

So I was able to get through my first day of classes with not issue. I did receive all paper syllabi, but other then that all went well.

I did convince one of my instructors to put her digital notes online so that we could access them if we were not able to get them all down in class which was a win.

Both my physics and math instructors were intrigued by the tablet that I was using. I think they are both wondering just what I plan to do with it. (kinda don't think they read the email that I sent out but no worries)

I am still getting used to only having one surface in front of me rather then five or six like I would have with paper. I am also contemplating if I should take my notes on a continuous document or have files saved by date. But the note taking process has been made much easier using the tablet. I am able to move back and forth between things add annotations and when I go back later I am able to make things smaller and add more content to the notes from class. It is nice. I suppose we will see just how successful it really has been at the end of the semester when I get my grades but I think that just with the first day under my belt that the tools that I have implemented this semester will give me a great edge.

I still need to invest in Adobe Acrobat 9 to my list of tools and actually pay for the SnagIt (I have been using the trial version).

I have not been able to have much interaction with my professors by asking questions and so on but I do already have homework so I am sure that that will come up soon. I know that I can send it to them just fine my only concern is how they will interact with the files that I send them. For instance... if I send a question about my homework showing them my work with an annotated not asking the question will they be able to answer in a way that will "work".

I am a bit worried that some of my instructors may not be on the same level of tech as I have assumed them to be on. Not to say that they don't know how to turn on the computer but that the programs that are common to me may not be common to them. While they are great at using math based programs and writing in a programing language I know how to access other tools that are more helpful in communicating with others via the internet.

I am in a bit of a tech bubble... and what I think everyone knows, not everybody knows. This is my biggest concern right now.

The overall feel from instructors has been positive. I don't think that I will get much of a negative response but I know for sure that I will have to be taking paper quizzes in my classes. :(

I don't really know how paperless I can go, other then turning in HW digitally and taking notes digitally, if my instructors are not also paperless. The limitations of a student.

As for my digital Calc book. There are still some frustrations going on but as they come I find solutions. I think that it is just a matter of getting used to it. The book seems to be working well. I preloaded the book before class so that I wouldn't have any issue and I think that that will be the best root as far as class prep. I will also need to work out the little kinks (i.e. viewing the font, finding the correct way to navigate through the book, and utalize the tools from the company that I got the ebook from). I am not concerned and I am sure that they will become second nature to me by the end of this week or the next.

I will have more on my ebooks next post ( I forgot to post this one until just now :( )

I should be posting a new post for this week tomorrow or the next day

I was sad... But I see light

So I start school NEXT MONDAY! Super excited, like oh goodness she is a really big nerd excited. I went to buy my textbooks so I could get a head start and look at them and well just play with them. Let me tell you. I am so very happy that I did.
I was able to find two of my four textbook in ebook form, something that I was very happy about. It worked out that I was only able to get my Calculus book in the ebook format but when first trying to use it... it SUCKED! But then I learned some tricks to help out.

On of the first issues that I ran into was that I was only able to see my book after it downloaded every single time I wanted to access it.

Second was that I could only access it when I had access to the internet.

Third I could only really use it on one computer....

These were huge things that would hurt the paperless process completely. I would not have the access I would need for my book at anytime, and at a moments notice.

Well...

After playing with the program for a bit I was able to fix all of those issues as of right now.
I am using CafeScribe. A tool that so far seems to be very cool. Not only will is allow me to use my textbook anywhere but it will also allow me to compare notes with others that have the same book, create study groups, as well as make digital notes within my ebook.

So far things seem to be going well. I will find out on MONDAY just what it means to be a paperless student.

Wish you all the best of luck for those of you that are starting or have started teaching or learning for this school year.

Trial Run

Last week I was able to get good exposure in using the tablet in actual classwork. I was able to take good notes as well as do homework. I have started to implement the tablet in my work setting as well as coupling it with my blackberry to keep up with other parts of my life.

One thing that I have run into was creating my full homework assignment as one pdf. I have decided to add Adobe Acrobat to my arsenal of tools, which will allow me to actually add pages to a pdf. The down fall to this is that I now have three programs that I have to go through just to submit my homework or anything else for that matter to my instructors that I want to write out by hand. I don't mind the extra steps, where I have issues is that it allows for yet another program to mess up some how and get in the way of me getting my work in on time and readable for my instructor.

My big brother suggest that I download a driver that would allow me to print to a pdf which would be nice, so I am in search for a driver that would allow me to do that.

If anyone else has any other advice I would love to hear from you.

I have continued my research on other students going paperless and I am not finding much from the students point of view. There are many instructors tying it out, but much of that is in the k-12 world. While I think that it is wonderful that there is a movement to implement tech in the k-12 setting I would like to know what is the plan for those students when they get to college setting? Are we setting them up for a completely online college experience or will be able to meet them at their technological level?

But anyways.... I was very happy to see that our University of La Verne Bookstore is now offering digital copies of textbooks. (For the textbooks that have digital copies anyways) I will be taking advantage of this option this semester for most of my textbooks. Super happy about this.

I am wondering about how I will be able to master multiple screens with only one computer. I may need to supplement some screen space with my mac so that I will be able to read and take notes at the same time. That actually seems to the biggest issue even at this point. I have cut down so much on what I can see all at the same time I feel a bit limited. I almost want mulitple screens to look at rather then just one.

Running into a problem... Problem solved!

The issue lies in the fact that I cant seen to get my hands on any tablets that I am interested in buying before I buy it. I have been able to use Bryan's tablet (thank you!) but I have yet to find a tablet to call my very own. I had planned to go with the Lenovo as previously mentioned but I have sneaking suspicions that it will not be as good as I thought it could be.
I have been online all morning trying very hard to find one that I could get but I run into the issue of not being able to go some place and actually test the computer or the issue of a massive bill. (Far out of the budget I had in mind for this project)....

So, I have been able to solve the problem mentioned above. Bryan has given me permission to use his tablet for this up coming semester.

There may be plans for future expansion of this experiment. But they are still very whisper in the wind status, so that is all I can say for right now.

Software for paperless

So I have decieded on what hardware I will be using for my paperless semester(Lenovo tablet netbook). As of right now I am searching for possible software that will help out with what I am trying to do in my classes next semester. Here are the things that I need with in my classes:
-Handwritten notes
-Files that can be saved in multiple file types (Microsoft Journal does not allow this)
-Traditional Word, Excel, and Power Point access.
-Graphing and sketch capabilities
And I am sure that there will be other things that I will think of as the semester comes closer to a start as well as through out the term.

The great and wonderful Bryan Best has been so kind to allow me the use of his Toshiba Tablet for the past couple of days so that I might get used to the actual feel of it and test some programs that would fit what I need.

As I have found Microsoft Journal is a very nice basic program and but I would like the main program that I use to have a bit more versatility. Right now I am looking at the Beta version of Inkseine by Microsoft in combination with Snagit.

Inkseine (just as a side note) super cool little program from what I have seen. It allows you to not only write free hand on your tablet but it goes one step further and allows you to add search links from your personal files saved on your computer as well as the web. Still in the process of playing around with the program but so far I'm liking what I have seen so far.

On a side not that has not much to do with tech, I am finding that this idea of paperless in one area of my life is slowly starting to spread into other areas of my life. I am seeing the logic in not using paper in a world that allows other options. Its kinda nice.

Just a Fast Post...

Hello,

I will be updating my blog page later today with info about my paperless semester. Right now I am drinking coffee at home procrastinating getting ready to head out for the day.

But what I really wanted to say in this oh so fast post was that I will be setting up a proper blog with a better URL so that it will be easier to find out whats going on in the paperless world of me.

Have a great morning.