BP9_Qipit

Qipit White - http://www.qipit.com/products/qipitwhite/

© Qipit, Inc 2009.

Qipit White is a great tool that uses an existing Smartphone’s camera to turn it into a digital copy machine. With the application installed on the phone, you simply point the camera and take a picture. The picture is then analyzed to remove glare, shadow and distortion. It then turns the picture into an ink on white scan quality digital pdf file that you can share via email, Evernote, Facebook and others. Plus, copies can be stored and browsed right on the phone for quick access.

I can see numerous uses within the classroom for a product like this. Notes that are put up on the whiteboard can now be quickly and easily converted into a pdf file without having to have expensive interactive whiteboard hardware. In addition, you can already take what a lot of students have, a Smartphone, and allow them to use it. Now they can have no excuse for not having the notes. In addition, group work can become simplified. No longer would every person in the group have to write the same information down. They could designate or take turns with one person writing and the others can take a picture.

New research keeps saying that teachers should welcome the use of cell phones within the classroom for educational use. While most of them refer to using Internet enabled phones for quick and easy access to research, this tool would be another great use. With the right use, a teacher could almost turn their classroom into a paperless classroom.