Assistive Technology - Notetaking tools

What are Notetaking Tools?

Notetaking Tools aid students in taking notes and later in reviewing their notes and studying. None of these notetaking tools take notes for the student. These tools record and create an audio file of a lecture while a student is taking notes – in person and online (live or pre-recorded lectures, webinars, etc.) As the student takes notes, the tool marks the audio file, breaking the recording down into segments. This allows the student to skip around the audio file easily and efficiently when reviewing the notes.

Genio

Genio (previously called Glean) is a browser-based notetaking tool that works within Chrome only. With a built-in organizational feature, Genio is visually friendly and easy to navigate. A student primarily types their notes, though there is a scribble feature available. Genio also allows the student to upload a set of slides, in order to take notes around a specific slide while they follow along an instructor’s presentation.

Once a recording is stopped, the audio can be converted to a transcript. There are also a few extra features with Genio that may aid in studying: an Outline feature and a Quiz feature. Both pull information from the audio recording only.

Genio’s Help feature (the question mark in the top menu bar) provides a Notetaking Course for students that offers tips and techniques for successful notetaking and Video Guides that explain each feature in more detail.

Livescribe ECHO 2 Smart Pen and Ophaya Smart Pen

Both the Ophaya Smart Pen and the ECHO 2 work the same, initially. They differ slightly when reviewing any notes taken. Each brand of smart pen writes like a ball-point pen and only work with the brand-specific notebooks. ARC provides smart pens and supplies for ARC students, with the understanding that the smart pen must be returned to ARC by the end of their time at UWM.

ECHO 2

This all-in-one smart pen records audio to the pen and plays audio back from the pen. While taking notes, the pen recognizes on which page the student is writing and where on the page they are writing.

After a student finishes taking notes, they are able to skip around the audio by tapping the pen on any page and on any place on the page, where they have written. If a student wants to begin reviewing their notes from page two, for example, they can tap the ink of the first note written on page two, and the audio will begin playing from that specific time in the lecture. With an ECHO 2 smart pen, a student only needs the pen and the notebook to record and playback a lecture.

Ophaya Smart Pen

The Ophaya pen writes as a ball-point pen and also recognizes which page a student is writing and where on the page the student is writing. However, the audio is recorded on a mobile device and plays back from this mobile device.

Notes are translated into a digital format simultaneously, as the student takes the notes, and can be customized by line-width and color. A student reviews the notes and skips around the audio recording by tapping the screen of their mobile device, in the area of the page where they would like to list to that piece of audio again.

Who can use Genio or Smartpens?

Only students who are registered with the ARC and who are approved for notetaking accommodations have free access to Genio or Smartpens. Both Genio and smart pens are available for individual use, at the individual’s expense. Refer to the website for each for more information.

What should I do if I have a question about using my notetaking tool?

Students can reach out to ARC’s Assistive Technology Coordinator (ccraig@uwm.edu) for any questions regarding any of the notetaking tools.

How do I get additional supplies if I am using a smart pen?

Contact ARC’s Assistive Technology Coordinator by email (ccraig@uwm.edu) or by phone (414.251.8397) and let them know what supplies you need and how many of each item. These supplies can then be ready for pick up at ARC’s main office in MIT 115.