Micro Learning Project
I tried using Evernote to take notes and save online resources while completing this course, to see how well it could be used by high school teachers and students for organization and research. There are several paid versions available, but I used the Basic version at no cost since that would be the only way I could recommend it to students. I also researched Evernote compared to Google Keep and Microsoft OneNote and found that it was rated more highly in part because it was more universally compatible with many features. Apple Notes now has many of the features you would want, but if you don’t use an Apple product it is not the best choice. I downloaded the Windows app to Google Chrome and the iPhone app from the App Store. Since I do very little work or coursework on my phone, I used it almost entirely on my laptop except to try out certain features like screen writing.
Research
As you can see in these screenshots of my Instructional Design Notebook Stack, I was able to easily save sources, annotate, or take notes while I read and planned my writing. The Evernote Clipper Chrome Extension makes it simple and quick, giving you options to save the link, a simplified article, a screenshot, or PDF.
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Once you open it in Evernote, you can add annotations and type directly into a Note for that specific source. For full annotation, it is better to use an touch screen, but even without that capability I was able to highlight/bold/underline, change text color, and add comments. The only exceptions was for PDFs, and videos, so I would copy-paste quotes or type my own notes above the file attachment. It is also possible to insert file attachments and record audio right inside the note. If you pay to upgrade, you can create and edit notes with a colleague or classmate the way you would a shared Google Doc.
Product
The Templates included in Evernote for note-taking, organization, and planning are also useful for students and teachers .There is a wide variety of pre-made options to choose from or you can make your own. For my Microlearning Product, I created a personalized Template that I can use for planning and evaluation of my Unit plans based on what I have learned in this course. Click here for the Template and see my example below.
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Reflection
Using Evernote for learning reflects Constructivism, Connectivism, and Andragogy. The feature that best fits with Constructivism is the Note-Taking templates. You can use one of their preloaded templates like Cornell notes, Meeting notes, and Story Mapping or you can create your own to suit your learning needs. The feature that fits best with Connectivism is the ability to share notes with others - articles, websites, notes, contacts, etc. If you can upgrade to a higher version, a group of people can not only share but also edit common notes entries. The feature that fits best with Andragogy is the Getting Things Done section. It includes templates that help guide you with setting goals and managing projects like Event Planning, Sales and Marketing, Home and Garden, Travel, and Fitness.
For this week’s activity, I explored how Evernote can support Constructivist, Connectivist, and Andragogcal methods. Evernote works well for Constructivist learning experiences because it is perfect for research, brainstorming, and writing. It works for Connectivism too because I was purposely saving articles and taking notes for future use in creating resources for teachers as part of professional support and training. Evernote allows me to save screenshots, links, and articles that can be shared, organized, and tagged for use with other teachers. This use of Evernote exemplifies Andragogy because it enables adult learners to save resources and efficiently connect their own interpretations, reflections, and questions to be followed-up on in the process of completing a task or project.
My biggest “Aha” moment relates to why internalizing these theories helped me be more effective with my use of Evernote during this module. This method was effective for me because I tend to take copious notes and try to learn ALL the information when I take a course so I can ace the test or paper. But when I am intrinsically motivated due to professional or personal interest, that is when I stop obsessing so much over learning all the information and let myself focus on getting as much out of the learning experience as possible. For this assignment, I decided to save and annotate fewer articles and instead of taking notes on how to make better videos, I actually pulled out my phone while the guys in the video were demonstrating iPhone features and adjusted settings, practiced with features, and downloaded apps right along with them. Evernote isn’t about creating an encyclopedia of knowledge taken from lectures, videos, and articles. It is about efficiently organizing shared knowledge and integrating it meaningfully with your professional and personal goals.