Evernote

Evernote

Free

Available for Blackberry, Android, Kindle Fire HD, Windows 8 mobile OS and iOS mobile platforms

My students report using the tool for capturing notes whether typed, image or recording, as shown below:

“[Evernote] create notes, take snapshots so like of lecture materials, like the slides and anything that is written down on the blackboard [Whiteboard], also you can tag in your notes and tag them together and share your notes”

Application enables learners to igather information, collate and organise their learning notes to the benefit of their learning and experience.    Our previous research of providing students with audio devices and encouraging them to use the devices to support their learning, the students were found to readily ubiquitously captured their ephemeral learning experiences to the benefit of their learning experience, (Middleton et al, 2009).   Therefore in principle any app that supports students to igather their learning will aid learners to deepen their learning.  

Personally I use Evernote to back up my Penultimate notebooks as Evernote owns Penultimate.  However the app is very popular with my students.   The mobile app enables the user to type, capture audio recordings, location of note and images from camera or upload image from photo library.  Also add tags enabling the users to collate notes with the same tag together.   Notes can be made on of course on other mobile apps and uploaded to Evernote, for example Explain Everything and Penultimate both have the functionality to upload to Evernote cloud, enabling the notes to be backuped, stored and managed.   Like Google Docs the files can be shared with other Evernote account holders.  

Reference

Middleton, A., Nortcliffe, A., & Owens, R. (2009). iGather: Learners as responsible audio collectors of tutor, peer and self reflection, A Word in Your Ear - Audio Feedback Conference, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK, available on-line: http://research.shu.ac.uk/lti/awordinyourear2009/docs/Middleton-Nortcliffe-Owens-iGather_final.pdf, last viewed 24^th March 2013