Simplenote

Free!

Simplenote allows users to create notes. The notes are stored in the app and can be accessed on other devices with Simplenote downloaded to them. To ensure transfer and security, Simplenote does require users to first register with their email address and password before creating notes. To create a note, users select the “Pen” icon on the bottom right of the screen to add a new note, and then they can type their note. Additionally, users can tap the “Upload” button to share their note with others, or they can “i” button to publish it. If published, Simplenote provides users with a URL for their note, so other users can access it online. Also, to organize the content, Simplenote includes a menu that stores the notes in-app, and the note’s first line is used as its title. Plus, users can add tags to the notes, which also helps finding them. To search for notes, users must tap the “Magnifying” button on the top right of the app, and users can type in key terms and tags to search for notes. To delete a note, users pull up the note and then tap the “…” button on the top right.

Instructional Ideas

1. When lecturing about a topic or viewing a presentation, teachers can require students to take notes using this app. To do so, the first line of the note can be the title or topic of the lecture/presentation. The remainder of the note can capture key ideas, vocabulary words and definitions, and significant facts that were mentioned.
2. If students are assigned a group project, they can collaborate when planning and completing the project using this app. To do so, students will first have to create a note and then choose the “publish” option to share it with classmates. At this point, other students can access the note and add or modify it before reposting it.
3. Teachers can have students publish their notes and post the URL to a class website to share them. This will allow students who were absent or may have missed something during a lecture to access to the content.
4. When taking notes during an instructional unit, teachers can instruct students what to tag or title the notes. This will help students make connections between the lessons and topics discussed when reviewing.

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