10 Ways of Consulting with an iPad

Today I challenged my coworker by asking her, “Do you think there are 10 ways of consulting using an iPad?”

As expected, she paused, gave me an adorable inquisitive look, and thought for a moment. I asked her again, “You don’t think it’s possible, do you?”

To this, she responded with caution, “It depends on how many apps you have.”

I challenged her by responding, “It is not about the number of apps you have, it’s all about the number of creative ways that you can utilize the iPad.”

As an iConsultant, I have worked with students who are inhibited about the use of technology when examining their papers. Sometimes they seem to “forget” to email me their drafts, but they always have a hard copy. Here is my solution to this issue:

1. Email - You can access your email through an iPad and download files or access pertinent information about a class.
2. Apps - iPads can be used to download documents and view them using a variety of apps such as Notability, ShowMe, Evernote, Penultimate, Fluent MM, TurboNote, etc. Since I live by Notability, the following ideas are derived from my personal experience using this app.
3. Download documents – You can use Notability to open up Word documents or .pdf files (sometimes .pdf files work better because the formatting does not get altered in the conversion process).
4. Recording - Notability allows you to record your conversation/reflection and save it for posterity.
5. Highlighting - Visual interaction makes the writing, revising, and rewriting process easier and more stimulating for the eyes. There is a variety of colors and you can also change the width of the highlighter’s mark to suit your needs!
6.  Underlining/circling – Another awesome tool for reviewing/revising is the stylus because it allows you to write directly on the document and save it for future references.
7. Typing – Sometimes the stylus does not permit for the writing of long, comprehensive sentences. Therefore, I like to use the typing tool because it allows me to help a client rewrite an entire sentence or add a new idea without having to open a new document. This adds a professional touch when I am consulting a writer.
8. Research – Believe it or not, students love consulting with me about formatting. It may also seem hard to believe this, but, after having worked with both APA and MLA for so many years, I no longer recall the difference between the two of them, and I have to consult Purdue OWL every time I write a paper. Therefore, during my iSessions, when a student asks me about formatting in Chicago style, I casually state, “Let’s double check the rules on Purdue OWL so that you know of the tools that are available to you when you are reviewing the rest of your paper at home,” and we go straight to the website from the iPad.
9. Brainstorming/outlining – There are students who have no ideas or they have a million ideas, and they simply do not know where to begin. I usually ask them to start listing ideas out loud as I create some sort of an outline or mind map using those ideas. It may seem like we are simplifying the task; however, this is a great tool for empowering students because it allows them to realize their mental potential through concrete ideas on a visual map. 
10. Presentation – Lastly, I have students who want to receive feedback on a presentation that they might have created for a class. By using a toggle to connect the iPad to a flat screen, we have now created a perfect space for the student to do everything from writing a paper, reading it out loud and reflecting upon it to revising it and presenting it for the consultation session.

In conclusion, an iPad will enhance your sessions by engaging your learner and challenging them to think outside the paper and onto the big screen. Furthermore, it allows you to exercise multiple skills beyond reading, writing and highlighting, such as researching, brainstorming, reflecting, and presenting. Using technology allows consultants to develop a holistic experience for their clients by engaging them and activating multiple modes of interaction. So, what about you? How can you use an iPad to improve your consultation session? 

By Nilofer Bharwani, M.A. in Spanish Literature (in progress)