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Written by Marius Pretorius
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Saturday, 31 July 2010 |
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Microsoft OneNote is truly a killer app for both teachers and students alike. It is a relatively new application and is, as far as I know, one of a kind. Its closest relative is the word processor. However, once you start using OneNote, word processing applications take on the appearance of an overweight dinosaur. I am a promoter of free OpenSource software but this is one instance where there is no pretender to the throne. I unashamedly endorse this Microsoft product.
The concept is simple, enable note taking which includes all
electronic forms of media such as screen clips, web clips as well as
audio and video recordings synchronised with text note taking. Package
it in a user friendly interface which enables you to manage all of this
complex data in such a simple way that even a grownup can use it. Enable
the use of inking or, if you prefer this expression - writing on your
TabletPC.
Image taken from the Microsoft OneNote2010 Guide which installs with OneNote.
As you can see from the image, you can organise your work just as you do
with an ordinary notebook. You can have any number of notebooks, you
can divide a notebook into sections (indicated by tabs at the top), you
can have clusters of sections if your organisation requires that, each
section is divided into pages (indicated by tabs on the side). You can
also insert subpages which can collapse.
In fact there are so many organising possibilities that it boggles the
mind at first. Its like a culture shock. You need to get used to it. One
of the very first strange things that you meet with is, after having
created your OneNote notebook, you never have to save again. There is no
Save button. Work gets saved automatically as you work.
You are allowed to change your mind as well. If you decide to arrange
your work in some other way it is a breeze to move pages to different
sections or to move notes onto new pages or just to rearrange your whole
notebook.
One of the cool new features (I don't really use the word 'cool' but
this is really 'cool') is that you have the functionality of a wiki.
That is you can create links to new pages on the fly. You just type
[[page name]] and a new page with 'page name' is created with a link to
that page.
Did I mention that sharing your notebook or collaboration, for that
matter, has become so much easier in the latest version, OneNote 2010.
You can save your notebook to the web (see Windows Live) where you, or
others, can access it and edit it through a web browser without even
having OneNote installed! If you want to share it on your local network,
you can do that as well. Imagine creating your electronic textbooks or
notes and sharing it with your learners in this way. If you are the
adventurous type you can allow your learners to coedit the notes with
you and it becomes a collaborative effort.
Let me warn you: OneNote is addictive! Once you start using it, you'll look for excuses to use it more.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 02 April 2011 )
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