I’ve just finished my homework and thought I would take the time to post my experience with the eDGe. I purchased the eDGe over the summer with the expectation of using it for school this coming fall. Well, I have completed my first two weeks of school and thought I would post my experience with the eDGe so far.

For most of the summer, the eDGe had been setting on my desk idle (I did take the time to do the previous updates), but a couple of weeks before school started, I sat down with the unit and really went over it to see what would be the best way to use it. After reading various entries on the forum and researching a few available apps. I download a few applications I thought that may be useful (ex. Jorte, BI Notes, Sketcher, Thinking Space, and okay a couple of games).

I am taking a history, creative writing, and psychology class. I tried to envision how I would use the eDGe and what would be the best way to setup my materials while reminding myself this will be an experiment that will require adjustments along the way. The following preparation plan was devised. I created tags for my class: Eng 35, Hist 12, and Psyc 1. I also created a tag for School Materials. For each of the class tags, I created a journal (notebook). I setup the notebook in the following manner: 1.) I created an intro page 2.)Homework Log sheet (I like to hand-write things) 3.) Class note page. I used the tab editor to create a table of contents so I can click to each area. Each day that I add notes to the Class Notes section I use the tab editor to create another entry using the date (ex 8-24-10). Using this method I have one note book for each subject and I have all my class notes dated in the note book.

Taking notes in class has been fun. I really like that I can change the type paper on any page that I add to the notebook so I can have blank sheets for quick sketches and ruled paper for writing in one notebook. (Note: I did get the Motion L-Series pen, big help)

Along with the “notebooks, I have been recording the lectures of my class with the recorders. I save the recordings with the name of the class and date (ex. Eng 35 8-17-10). The recording quality has been fine and I can hear the instructor and student responses okay. While I am recording the class and taking notes, I do take the time to jot down the time on the record with some of my notes sections so I can easily return to that area in the recording if needed. I have one class that last for 3 hours and the eDGe has lasted the entire class period including recordings with no problems.

I have a printer/scanner/copier and Acrobat Pro 9 at home and I have used it to scan in my syllabus (1 page for one class and 6 pages for another) and the handouts given by the instructor. The scans are fully searchable so I can look up terms on the handouts I am not familiar with,make necessary notes, internet research and link the pages to the notes. The comfort level with the documents on the eDGe is so high the following class period I had actually given a student who missed the first class my handout from the previous class (the instructor didn't have enough extras). I brought my notes and syllabus with me the next class, but I will not be bringing them in the future (I will store them in my file at home just in case). I do take the time to back up and export my files to a USB stick that I leave at home just incase something happens and I (heaven forbid) lose my eDGe.

I guess I will mention here what I use School Materials for. I didn’t want the individual class tags to get too cluttered. When I feel I don’t need the recording I do one of three things: delete the recording if there is no value to me, export the recording to my USB drive if I am a little unsure whether I need it again, or move the recording to the School Material to easy accessibility for later if I want it close. Also if I take screen images or have misc materials that I am linking to my core materials, I will place these in the School Materials tag since I don’t access them as primary materials. Bottom line all “primary material (ex. Books, “notebooks, syllabus, and handouts) goes into the class tag (ex Eng 35) and “secondary material (screen shots, images, recordings, etc.) goes into the School Material tag. I use the Title and the Description fields to indicate the class the material is from so even though all classes are in the School Materials tag I can easily distinguish them.

I turned in my first paper this week in my Creative Writing class that I typed in Word 2010. I like that I was able to have a copy in my eDGe (as a Word document) for myself and was able to refer to it during class discussions while having the handouts open on the other screen and my “notebook available at a touch of a button. So far everything has worked seamlessly and there hasn’t been any real lag time. The amount of time it takes for the other students to shift their books and notes on their desk I am able to do at a press of a button. An observation I should make is when the instructor told us to take out some paper so that we can “create a character, I realized I have to take the time to ask whether or not the material will be handed-in so I’ll know whether or not to use real paper. He was okay with the question and informed us that we would not be handing it in so I used the eDGe. I was writing fairly quickly and the lag time was not a problem. Actually I barely noticed it. All my ideas were present when I was done.

Well this is just an intro of my two weeks of use. I will continue to refine and stream line, but so far I am very happy. I haven’t had to do library research yet, but I am looking forward to it. It may be that all I will need to bring to the library is the eDGe. As of now, all I take to class is my eDGe, some paper and a pen (paper and pen in case of in-class work). All my books, notes, handouts, and various materials are all in the eDGe. Both the students and instructors have express interest and I have receive the standard question of “is this an iPad?. With a smile, I politely tell them no and show some of the general features. So it is definitely making an impression in class.