One of the most frequently used iPad educational apps is Keynote. As an Apple Distinguished School, our goal is to maximise the potential of the apps that our iPads come with, as many are flexible and open-ended.

For our students, creating Keynote presentations is a great option for them to ‘show what they know’. There are many features built into Keynote, and I’ve shared some of our student’s favourites below, including tutorial videos by Jacob Woolcock, which are simple and easy for students to follow.

Animation

This feature is definitely the most popular! Students love being able to create short animations using the Animate Action, Line Draw and Magic Move features.

Insert Objects

Another popular feature is using the Insert Shape option for drawings and animations. This is one of the simpler features in Keynote, which students of all ages can easily learn.

Fill Text

You can jazz up titles using this feature to fill the text with photos.

Instant Alpha

This is a fun feature that students love using. It can be a little time-consuming to set up the ‘perfect shot’, so allow plenty of time for exploration.

Keynote, whilst not built specifically for education, is a simple and versatile app for students and teachers alike. Teachers can use Keynote to create their own presentations for class, whether to present in person or share with students for viewing on their own devices or as a template for students to complete. Students can use Keynote as their go-to presentation tool, using the app’s many features to create a visual demonstration of their learning. Exploring the many ways Keynote can be used (beyond a simple presentation tool) is a worthwhile investment in time.