Favorite tablets/black board equivalents for online lectures?

[half_cadence]

For my music theory courses over Zoom, I found great success with my iPad and Apple Pencil, using the Notability App. I love Notability because it's as simple as I need it (blank pages, as easy as writing on paper and/or a whiteboard), but has easy-to-use features like copying and pasting (selected annotations or entire pages), which definitely came in handy as I taught two sections of the same course. I wish the app had a template for blank music staff manuscript, but I could easily import the appropriate PDF and write all over that. I also tried both the corded and AirPlay screen sharing features. Corded was more reliable for me, as the share would just freeze up after a few minutes of AirPlay. Away from lecturing, I was able to sync notes between my tablet and corresponding computer app, grade student work, all kinds of stuff. Can't say enough good things about the setup!

[clean]

This is what my brother uses to teach High School math. 

Any thoughts on the Ipad necessary to do such things?  A coworker had indicated that by the time he specked out the Ipad he would want (top of the line) it was cheaper to buy a laptop - nearly $2000!

Im not interested in spending $2000 to teach online classes at home!  (at least not just now!)

[onthefringe]

iPad ws, you would need something that uses the apple pencil, which means a Pro or the new air, so yes you are talking at least $600, and I'm sure $2000 isn't out of the realm of possibilities, thoughI think my setup was more in th3 $1200 ramge. I would guess you can do something similar with a surface, which might be cheaper?

[Liquidambar]

I am also interested in tablet recommendations.  Aside from writing during video lectures, I would like a tablet for writing on electronically submitted homework.  So far almost everyone here is saying "iPad," but like clean, I am turned off by the price.  Are none of the less expensive Android tablets good for digital note taking?  (People I polled locally had poor results writing on Android tablets, but that's a sample size of 2, both of whom bought really low end ones.)

I got by okay last semester with my phone camera pointed at a piece of paper, but it could be improved on.  Grading without being able to write on stuff (only able to type standard characters) was a pain.

[Kate]

I am also interested in tablet recommendations.  Aside from writing during video lectures, I would like a tablet for writing on electronically submitted homework.  So far almost everyone here is saying "iPad," but like clean, I am turned off by the price.  Are none of the less expensive Android tablets good for digital note taking?  (People I polled locally had poor results writing on Android tablets, but that's a sample size of 2, both of whom bought really low end ones.)

I got by okay last semester with my phone camera pointed at a piece of paper, but it could be improved on.  Grading without being able to write on stuff (only able to type standard characters) was a pain.

Samsung Galaxy Note Tab S3, S4, S5 or new S6. Pen and software are included.
Superb writing quality. I am obsessed with digital note taking. Have been doing it for years.

Works well with zoom, bb collaborate ultra

[eigen]

iPad ws, you would need something that uses the apple pencil, which means a Pro or the new air, so yes you are talking at least $600, and I'm sure $2000 isn't out of the realm of possibilities, thoughI think my setup was more in th3 $1200 ramge. I would guess you can do something similar with a surface, which might be cheaper?

This is no longer true.

The base iPad now has pencil support, and is available for a bit under $300 most of the time.

With a pencil, it means you're looking at ~$350-400 for a full setup.

Sure, the larger screened pro's can be nice, but they aren't needed for this.

::edit:: Currently on sale for $250 from Amazon for the base 32gb model, which is all you need: https://www.amazon.com/Apple-iPad-10-2-Inch-Wi-Fi-128GB/dp/B07XL7G4H6/

[onthefringe]

Good to know, I had missed that upgrade on the baseline iPad!

[Liquidambar]

I am also interested in tablet recommendations.  Aside from writing during video lectures, I would like a tablet for writing on electronically submitted homework.  So far almost everyone here is saying "iPad," but like clean, I am turned off by the price.  Are none of the less expensive Android tablets good for digital note taking?  (People I polled locally had poor results writing on Android tablets, but that's a sample size of 2, both of whom bought really low end ones.)

I got by okay last semester with my phone camera pointed at a piece of paper, but it could be improved on.  Grading without being able to write on stuff (only able to type standard characters) was a pain.

Samsung Galaxy Note Tab S3, S4, S5 or new S6. Pen and software are included.
Superb writing quality. I am obsessed with digital note taking. Have been doing it for years.

Works well with zoom, bb collaborate ultra

Thank you!  I'll check into those.

And eigen, thanks for clarifying about the iPad.  I too had thought the baseline ones didn't have that capability.

[Beebee]

Thank you all, this is awesome! Double sign-in it is, then.

I would prefer an Android tablet if possible, less for the price and more because I am a lot more used to the interface. Someone in my department also mentioned Samsung Galaxy; I have been an avid user of their phones and used to have a tablet - so maybe that's the way to go? Specific model and app recommendations and tips are still appreciated.

[the_geneticist]

This is what my brother uses to teach High School math. 

Any thoughts on the Ipad necessary to do such things?  A coworker had indicated that by the time he specked out the Ipad he would want (top of the line) it was cheaper to buy a laptop - nearly $2000!

Im not interested in spending $2000 to teach online classes at home!  (at least not just now!)

Sounds like your co-worker is doing the "if you want a kitten, ask for a pony" routine.  Or they are hoping no one will question their request and they will get a much nicer than needed iPad.

[spork]

I am now peripherally involved in classroom technology acquisition at my university. If the OP is going to be teaching in the classrooms, I recommend checking whether those classrooms come equipped with a document camera (such as Elmo brand). You scribble on paper that's under the document cam, it gets shown on the projector wall screen for students in the room and screen shared to students not in the room.

Using a video camera stationed in the middle of the room to capture images on a wall screen or white board for transmission to remote students is generally not a feasible solution. Unless you are on a professionally-lit stage, there will be too much glare, too little contrast.

[the_geneticist]

I am now peripherally involved in classroom technology acquisition at my university. If the OP is going to be teaching in the classrooms, I recommend checking whether those classrooms come equipped with a document camera (such as Elmo brand). You scribble on paper that's under the document cam, it gets shown on the projector wall screen for students in the room and screen shared to students not in the room.

Using a video camera stationed in the middle of the room to capture images on a wall screen or white board for transmission to remote students is generally not a feasible solution. Unless you are on a professionally-lit stage, there will be too much glare, too little contrast.

And if you are trying to get a video of a monitor screen (giant TV), the image is going to be terrible.  Video cameras can't take a good video of a screen.  You'll get weird images, especially if the screen refreshes.  That's why professional videographers tape you in front of a blank screen or green screen and add in screen images digitally afterwards.

[Beebee]

I am now peripherally involved in classroom technology acquisition at my university. If the OP is going to be teaching in the classrooms, I recommend checking whether those classrooms come equipped with a document camera (such as Elmo brand). You scribble on paper that's under the document cam, it gets shown on the projector wall screen for students in the room and screen shared to students not in the room.

Using a video camera stationed in the middle of the room to capture images on a wall screen or white board for transmission to remote students is generally not a feasible solution. Unless you are on a professionally-lit stage, there will be too much glare, too little contrast.

Thank you! I (for now) noted my course will be "hybrid"; I expect to do some synchronous classes, and some weeks that combine videos with discussion/brainstorming/tutorial sessions done in sections. There will be some online-only students; we'll see how it all shakes out after all. In any case, I won't be doing the lectures in a classroom unless I need to, because then I will need to wear a mask (I think?) and nobody would be able to see my facial movement, which is a problem in my opinion.

There is some discussion of classroom technology, but it is in flux and I don't plan to rely on that. In any case, figuring out how to do this more effectively seems to be a good long-term skill.

[spork]

[. . .]

There is some discussion of classroom technology, but it is in flux and I don't plan to rely on that. In any case, figuring out how to do this more effectively seems to be a good long-term skill.

The typical scenario where I work:

Expensive instructional technology is purchased without input from the people who will supposedly use it while teaching. Instructors interested in learning how to use the new equipment find out that it is not reliable or doesn't simplify their jobs. Bringing in tech support to troubleshoot means at least 20% of class time is wasted trying to get the equipment to function. Systems then gather dust until they are replaced by the next generation of newfangled gadgets and the cycle is repeated.

Faculty often use their own privately-purchased "solutions" instead.

[Biologist_]

In the physical classroom, I write on my powerpoint slides on a Microsoft Surface Pro.

When I do that while recording the screen in Camtasia, the SurfacePro seems to heat up a bit too much. Since it's my personal machine, I don't want to wear it out, so my college gave me a Wacom One tablet that I can connect to my university Windows PC.

I start the PPT slide show on the Wacom One, open Camtasia, and record the Wacom display while I run the slide show. Mostly, I just draw on top of figures in my slides, but occasionally I write out a whole calculation on a blank slide and it works great. The Wacom One is about $400.

I pre-record my lectures, but I do live discussion/problem sets during class time and office hours over Zoom. I don't like the Zoom whiteboard because it tends to open on the wrong display and won't let me move it, so I just open a powerpoint file full of empty slides instead and select that if I want to share my screen and draw something.