Why do you need to know about the essential PDF requirements for learning? COVID-19 is affecting most major institutions and causing economic and supply chain upheaval. Almost every planned gathering has been cancelled or postponed to promote social distancing. The education industry is facing similar disruption. Many colleges are extending spring break, delaying classes, or cancelling the semester.
These changes are going to impact the way classes are taught, as many schools are switching to online learning to keep classes from being canceled. If you’re preparing to become an online student, you’ll want to make one tool a part of any plan for the coming months: a PDF reader.
Not all readers are created equal, and picking the right tool for yourself can make all the difference. We’re going to break down four key functions your PDF reader needs to perform to ensure a good e-learning experience.
Highlighting & Annotating
A PDF reader’s function in an online classroom is going to be its note taking capabilities on handouts, eBooks, or other class materials. Most e-readers will just include some type of highlighter. However, identifying a solution that gives students the range of flexibility that they would enjoy in a physical classroom lends itself to the different learning styles.
You’re looking for a tool that allows various forms of markup, like highlighting excerpts, adding comments, or taking handwritten notes.
Add Presentation Value
If you’re a student compiling a report, no online classroom is complete without a good way to let others observe your work. Some PDF readers offer presentation mode, which gives professors and their students the option to convert documents into interactive displays that can include audio recording for creating e-lessons.
Consider Group Work
Classrooms are making a quick shift to online, but that doesn’t have to change the project dynamics. Group projects are still an important, and in some classes, an essential part of the process. An important requirement for the online group project is making sure that sharing notes and work is as seamless as possible. That means finding a reader that makes it easy to export documents with any annotations made on them.
There will be times throughout the semester when resources, like online textbooks or larger documents, won’t fit in an email. That’s why easy integration with the cloud storage solutions is also an online learning must-have. This makes sharing any sized file as quick as copying and pasting a download link.
DON’T FORGET – students use a variety of computers and smart devices. If you’re considering a PDF reader for your whole group and/or class…make sure it’s one that can provide a consistent experience across platforms and devices!
More Than Reading Texts
Reading textbooks and taking notes on class materials is the quintessential purpose of using a PDF reader in an online classroom, but don’t limit yourself (or your students) to only performing these functions!
PDF readers are also great options for facilitating the routine activities involved in the learning process. These include filling out forms, getting syllabi signed, or any other document-related procedure.
Get Started with the Top-Rated PDF Editor for iOS, Mac, Android, and Windows Devices
There’s plenty of PDF readers/editors available, but few meet the wide range of needs that online classrooms will have over the coming months. Kdan’s PDF Reader is a cross-device and cross-platform solution that gives students the freedom to edit and/or annotate documents. After that, they can share across different platforms via email, Google Drive, and Kdan Cloud.
Right now, you can sign up for a special 30-day free trial here using your .edu email to start making the most of your online learning experience!
