Using your Chromebook stylus to digitally annotate a document
[This post is focused upon educators using a Lenovo C13 Chromebook]
Your C13 Chromebook has a rechargeable USI (Universal Stylus Initiative) pen stowed on the front edge of the device, below the keyboard on the right hand side.
There are a number of ways to use the stylus to annotate a document - whether it be signing a document, adding annotation to an extract or adding feedback to a piece of student work. The ways range in complexity and flexibility. It is worth trying them all and seeing which best fits the task you are trying to complete.
We will focus upon the use of a PDF document.
Using the Gallery app
- Make sure the PDF document is downloaded onto your Chromebook, so that you can see it in the Files app, under Downloads.
- Double click on the PDF file. This will open the file in the Gallery app.
- On the top menu bar - there is a squiggly line - the Annotate tool. Click on the squiggly line.
- You then have the choice of a pen or highlighter, the thickness of the line and colour.
- Once you have finished annotating the document you can click Save - or use the little drop down option next to Save, to Save As - which would save an annotated copy of the original.
Using Kami
- Make sure the PDF file is in your Google Drive.
- Go to kamiapp.com.
- All educators at Campus des Nations have access to a Kami account.
- Click on 'Sign in' → Continue with Google → use your @learning.ecolint.ch account.
- Choose → Open file from... → Google Drive → find the file and click on it.
- The file will open in Kami and then you have a range of choices on the left hand side.
- Have a look at the 'Markup' and 'Drawing' tool sets.
- Once you have finished there is a 'Save' icon on the top menu bar.
Using ManageBac
- This starts with you creating a task which includes a dropbox for students to upload a final product. Require the students to submit a PDF document.
- For each student you have the choice to Annotate and Grade the document.
- The document will open in ManageBac. There is a Drawing tool on the top menu bar.
- The tool seems to have an amount of 'smoothing' which doesn't work well with my hand writing - but others may have more success.
- The annotations auto-save.