File Sharing & Annotating

by | Sep 7, 2023 | iPad | 0 comments

Do you create lecture slides, but want the ability to draw examples and visuals during your lectures? Would you like to edit or write on a PDF to take notes for yourself or as part of a lesson? Would you like to highlight important information in your lectures and keep students stimulated by keeping the visuals changing?

[A special thanks to Stacey Corle and Kristen Pearson for compiling the information below on File Sharing and Annotating!]

Today’s Tip

Drawing on a PowerPoint or PDF is called “annotating.” Annotation can be beneficial for freehand writing during your lectures when you project via AppleTV. It can highlight important information in your content for students or allow you to take notes while you are reading.

Annotation also allows you to deliver content in multiple ways for students. This is especially helpful for a student that might prefer to consume visuals, rather than text. It also increases engagement during a lecture by regularly changing the visual.

Accessing a PowerPoint on Canvas and Writing Notes on the PowerPoint

  1. On your iPad, open the Canvas Teacher app.
  2. In Canvas, open the class you would like to access the PowerPoint from.
  3. Find the PowerPoint in your course (likely in Files or Modules).
  4. Click the PowerPoint you wish to show on the screen
  5. In the bottom right-hand corner under the PowerPoint, there is a box with an arrow above it.
  6. Select the box. You want to export your PowerPoint to the PowerPoint application. If you do not see the icon across the top, then slide the whole way to the end of the icons and hit the three dot button.
  7. Scroll down and find PowerPoint.
  8. Your PowerPoint will open in the application.
  9. At the top, hit Slide Show and then hit From Start.
  10. You can use your pen now to make any notes on the PowerPoint.
  11. Once you are finished with the PowerPoint, you can swipe to exit.

NOTE:  This does NOT save your notes. It is live note-taking. If you wish to save your notes you must mark the Powerpoint in a different way.

Accessing and Editing a pdf in Adobe with your Apple Pencil

  1. Open the Self Service app on your iPad.
  2. Under Browse All, select the All category.
  3. Install the Adobe Acrobat Reader app.
  4. Find the app on your Home screen or in the App library. Open Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  5. In the top right-hand corner, click the little circle to log in. You want to log in with your PSU Adobe account, which is the same as your Access account.
  6. In the bottom right-hand corner, click the plus (+) sign and choose Open File.
  7. Under locations, choose where the pdf is located. You may need to log in to your different file locations as you choose them.
  8. Click on the document.  In the top right-hand corner, select Choose.

Once the PDF is opened, you can edit the document.

  1. If you are not logged in to your PSU Adobe account, you can make a copy of the document to change it from “Read Only.” Once the copy is created, you can open and edit it.
  2. If you would like to make edits to the text of your PDF, click the blue pencil icon in the bottom right-hand corner.
  3. Select Edit PDF.
  4. Click into any of the text in the PDF and make edits. Select Done when you are finished.
  5. If you would like to write with your Apple Pencil, double tap on the PDF that you have opened.  Your pencil should be accessible from here.
  6. When the options pop up, choose “Draw”. You can use the tool bar at the top to change the pencil options, including the color of your pencil.
  7. Begin to write on your PDF.
  8. When you are finished, select Done.

Additional Support

Check out some of the resources we’ve curated on this topic for more support: