In the recent Exploring Whiteboard Approaches blog post we shared different ways of presenting mathematical writing using whiteboards we touched on how OneNote might be used as a tool for demonstrating handwritten content as well as a collaborative space for mathematical note taking.
To expand how how to use this approach we have added some further explanation below:
Writing Maths with OneNote
OneNote is an ideal note-taking tool that allows for simple hand-writing tools to be used, but also have a convert to maths function available.
- Create math equations using ink or text with Math Assistant in OneNote
- Change handwritten ink to text or math in OneNote for Windows 10
Writing with the ink and creating a conversion is relatively straight-forward, by using the “Fix it” option you can quickly sub-select components of your handwriting to find alternative symbols used in your maths writing.
This will need to be tried with your handwriting and device to test for suitability.
Use in Tutorial Session
To broadcast live annotations I would suggest the following approach if you have a desktop/laptop with stylus/tablet setup.
- Use desktop/laptop for Blackboard Collaborate, and choose to share your screen
- Use the tablet input to write your maths on OneNote
- Your annotations will appear on the shared screen after a short delay
Potential Issues
- There are some reports the convert to maths option is not available on some tablet app versions of OneNote
- If broadcasting your screen from a desktop, but writing on a tablet with OneNote there may be slight lag in updating the Cloud version
Heather Yorston has been using a similar approach and gave a short overview of this at a recent Teaching Hour with a session titled, “How do I teach Maths online?”.
