Day 12: Online Whiteboards

Teacher Bonus: Use your CFB laptop in Tablet mode to write digitally with your whiteboard tools!

Online whiteboard tools are digital tools that allow users to draw, write, and and often collaborate in a virtual space: Canva Whiteboard, Padlet, Chrome Canvas, Draw & Tell app, Freeform app, & Doodle app.

While all except Padlet are allowed for all grade levels, the 3 iPad apps (Draw & Tell, Freeform, Doodle) are most appropriate for PreK - 1st grade, Canva & Chrome Canvas are widely used on Chromebooks, and Padlet is only for ages 13+.

See below for more details!

How to Access Each

Teacher & Student access:
Canva Whiteboard & Padlet - Log in with Google using CFB credentials via CFB Digital Resources

Chrome Canvas - no login required, go to canvas.apps.chrome to begin

Draw & Tell & Doodle apps - no login required, apps can be found & downloaded from the Locker on the student iPad (Doodle is called "Drawing App: Doodle Draw Pad" in the Locker)

Freeform app - no login required, app is already installed on the student iPad

Getting Started Directions:

Use these links for each tool to find out more about access, getting started, using the tool, & final steps afterwards:

Canva Whiteboards

Canva Whiteboard is a versatile tool for creating interactive presentations and collaborative brainstorming sessions with a wide range of templates and design elements.

Key benefits of using Canva Whiteboard: (click down arrow for more)

Versatility: Canva Whiteboard offers a wide range of features, making it suitable for various educational activities, from brainstorming and mind mapping to presentations and collaborative projects.
Accessibility: The tool is user-friendly and accessible to students making it a great option for both teachers and learners.
Collaboration: Canva Whiteboard supports real-time collaboration, allowing students to work together on projects and share their ideas in a virtual space.
Integration: It seamlessly integrates with other Canva products and tools, making it easy to incorporate into existing workflows, lesson plans, and presentations.
Customization: Students can personalize their designs to suit their individual styles and preferences. With our extensive royalty-free access to audio/visual options, users can customize all they want.
Functionality: Canva Whiteboard offers an infinite canvas, templates, and ablility to import pdfs/images to mark-up and take notes easily. It even allows you to expand any presentation into a whiteboard.

Canva Whiteboard Quick Start

Padlet

Padlet is a virtual bulletin board that allows students to post and interact with various types of content, making it ideal for group projects and discussions.

Key benefits of using Padlet as a whiteboard: (click down arrow for more)

Virtual Bulletin Board: Padlet functions as a digital bulletin board where users can post and interact with various types of content, making it a versatile tool for collaboration and communication.
Flexibility: Padlet supports various content types, including text, images, videos, and links, allowing for diverse forms of expression and engagement.
Interactivity: Users can comment, like, or react to posts, fostering a sense of community and interaction within the digital space.
Organization: Padlet offers features for organizing content, such as walls, categories, and tags, making it easy to manage and navigate large amounts of information.
Accessibility: Padlet is accessible from any device with an internet connection, making it a convenient tool for remote or hybrid learning environments for ages 13+.
Collaboration: It supports real-time collaboration, allowing students to work together on projects and share their ideas in a virtual space. But it also allows for moderation by the teacher so permissions and submissions can be controlled.

Chrome Canvas

Chrome Canvas is a simple and intuitive tool for drawing and annotating directly in your Chrome browser, perfect for quick sketches and ideas.

Key benefits of using Chrome Canvas: (click down arrow for more)

Simplicity: Chrome Canvas offers a straightforward and intuitive interface, making it easy for users of all ages and technical abilities to start drawing and collaborating.
Basic Drawing Tools: While Chrome Canvas may not offer the extensive features of more advanced drawing software, it provides essential tools like pens, markers, and erasers for basic sketching and annotation.
Export Options: Users can export their creations as images or PDFs for further use or sharing.
Functionality on Devices: Easy tool to access on any device but especially beneficial when putting your laptop into Tablet mode. Suggestion when doing this: put device in horizontal laptop mode or vertical table mode first, then open a new Chrome Canvas so orientation is as you like.

Draw & Tell App

Draw & Tell app is designed for storytelling and presentations, allowing students to combine drawings, text, and audio to create engaging narratives.

Key benefits of using the Draw & Tell app as a whiteboard: (click down arrow for more)

Visual Brainstorming: Students can use Draw & Tell to visually brainstorm ideas for projects, presentations, or essays. By drawing and sketching their thoughts, they can better organize and understand their ideas. Draw & Tell is especially designed for storytelling but can be used for brainstorming & storyboarding as well.
Storyboarding: Draw & Tell can be used for storyboarding, creating a series of drawings to plan out a story or presentation. This can be a valuable tool for developing narrative structure and visualizing the flow of ideas.
Concept Mapping: The app can be used to create concept maps, visually representing relationships between ideas or concepts. This can be helpful for understanding complex topics or organizing information for research projects.
Presentation Support: Draw & Tell can be used to create visual aids for presentations, such as diagrams, charts, or illustrations. This can help students communicate their ideas more effectively and engage their audience.
Versatility: It allows the ability to combine drawing with narration, making it a unique tool for creating engaging materials.
Functionality: A few added features in this tool is its built-in backgrounds like lined & graph paper and its ability to import images.

Free Form App

Freeform app is a collaborative workspace that supports a variety of content types, making it suitable for brainstorming, note-taking, and project planning.

Key benefits of using the Freeform app as a whiteboard tool: (click down arrow for more)

Versatility: Freeform offers a wide range of features, making it suitable for various educational activities, from brainstorming and mind mapping to note-taking and storyboarding.
Versatile Content: It supports a variety of content types, including text, images, videos, links, sticky notes, stickers, and many built-in shapes/icons, making it a flexible tool for various educational activities.
Organization: Freeform offers features like shapes, lines, and connectors to help users organize their ideas and create visual representations.
Customization: Users can customize the appearance of their canvas, including background color and font styles, to create a personalized workspace.

Doodle App

Doodle app (called "Drawing App: Doodle Draw Pad" on iPads & App Store) is a basic drawing tool with a focus on simplicity and ease of use, making it a good option for younger students.

Key benefits of using the Doodle app: (click down arrow for more)

Simplicity: Doodle Draw Pad offers a minimalist and intuitive interface, making it easy for users of all ages and technical abilities to start drawing.
Basic Drawing Tools: The app provides essential drawing tools like pens, markers, and erasers, allowing users to create simple sketches and doodles.
Customization: Users can customize their drawings with various colors, line widths, and patterns.
Versatility: It allows the ability to combine drawing with narration, making it a unique tool for creating engaging materials and helping others understand thoughts.
Sharing and Exporting: Doodle allows users to export as images for further use.

Extra Tidbit - CFB Laptop in Tablet Mode

Laptop as a Tablet

You can use your laptop as a tablet to write on with a laptop pen, stylus, or finger.

You can then use a tool like Canva Whiteboards to import an image or pdf to sketch or take notes on.

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