WWDC 2021
WWDC is an annual conference, held by Apple, for developers, to showcase new features and capabilities within the numerous Apple’s operating systems. It gives the general public, and educators alike, an opportunity to also see what is coming soon to their devices. This year’s event was held June 7th through June 11th.
After a week of workshops for the developer community and a keynote presentation that gave an appetizing insight into future software releases, developers and educators have been a buzz here at Showbie HQ discussing what impact the announcements and features will have within the classroom.
Let’s spotlight some of the great features coming to iOS, iPadOS and MacOS and what this might mean for the future of the education landscape.
“For me, the feature that is going to provide parity and access for all in learning is the ‘Live Text’ feature within iOS and MacOS. This is the ability to take a photo and the device will automatically transfer it to typed text.
I can see a plethora of possibilities for this for students to take notes, to translating languages. Furthermore, I see this feature in particular as the feature that will knock down barriers for those with Visual Impairments or those who speak English as an Additional Language – I can see students taking an image and using Apple’s accessibility tools to their full potential and, of course, uploading back to Showbie!
On a personal level, Universal Control is something that I can see revolutionising my workflow, meaning iPad and Mac can work seamlessly together. I hope the features can lead to a more impactful and effective use of my time.
Lastly, the new multitasking features and the easier use of them, in iOS15, will make it easier for students and teachers to use multiple apps side-by-side; not only increasing productivity but meaning multiple versions apps can run at the same time!”
Chris Lawson, Senior Leader & Showbie Certified Educator
“One ‘stand-out’ feature for me was the use of the ‘quick notes’ feature with Apple Pencil. Being able to take notes immediately, with a swipe up from the bottom corner of the device will allow for quick jottings, idea generation and creative thinking. This is then transferred into the powerful notes app which then provides a wealth of options, including sharing to Showbie.
Another area which I can see teachers and students utilising is the ‘Safari Tab Grouping’ – this will allow for teachers and students to export a group of websites into a document (Pages for example) and signpost the recipient to the information that counts. I can see this being a foundation of teacher led research or collaborative research projects.”
Abdul Chohan, VP Learning, Showbie
“For me, something that blew me away was the ‘App Building’ in Swift Playgrounds. This means that a whole new world has opened up to the future programmers and developers of tomorrow; they no longer require a Mac to create an app and place it onto the App Store – wow!
This means there is a potential for a student to design, create and publish an app, within school, guided and supported by the teacher. ”
Graham Trick, Learning Specialist, Showbie
Find out more about this event here.
