Using the Collected Images Folder

By Erin Flanagan

The Collected folder on PicCollage can be used to streamline creation and save time when using PicCollage regularly in the classroom. Learn how to collect clips, what clips to collect, and how to use them in your PicCollage projects!

What is the Collected folder for?

The collected folder is to store any images and clips you want to save on PicCollage.  Instead of searching the web again or redrawing on a picture, your favorite clips can all be stored in one place. Think of it like a “favorites” board that is curated by you!

To open the Collected folder, touch anywhere on the PicCollage canvas or touch the plus sign to open the main menu.  One of the choices is a purple Collected folder.

If you are reading this section then your collection is most likely empty. But I’m going to teach you how to fill it up!

Storing Clips in Your Collected Folder

Anytime you add a clip to PicCollage, you can double click and touch Collected. This stores the clip and any edits you made to the folder.

For example, if you searched the web and found a bunch of domino images and you want to save them to use later during math centers, you double touch the images and touch Collect.

I also like to store any drawings I made using the Effects tool as explained in more detail here. Basically, I double touch an image, choose Effects, then Draw and draw over the image, clip it, and save it to My Collections.  With that workflow, I can create and store my own “Emojis” to use!

However, keep in mind that as of now, you cannot store drawings made using the main Doodle button, you need to do the hack listed above.

The Collected folder also saves any clipping you might have done to an image so that you do not need to re-clip the image again!

You can even store GIFS in the folder to save and use later.

What to Store?

If you are using PicCollage regularly in the classroom, I suggest having students store clips that are used often across the subject areas.  Think of it as creating and storing your own educational “sticker pack!”

Here are some of the images I have students search for, clip, and store in their Collected folders:

• Dice
• Dominoes
• Ruler
• Tens
• Ones
• Counters
• Various Arrows
• Lined Paper
• Grid Paper
• Shapes
• Sticky Note
• Frequently used graphic organizers (Venn Diagrams, T-charts, Webs, etc)
• Underlines, circles, stars and other markups

If you do not have access to the Search on PicCollage, you can also have students take pictures and clip those to save to My Collections.

You can store up to 50 items in the folder!

Searching Tips

If you can use the search feature, I always instruct students to add the word “png” after their query so they get transparent images. If not, they can manually clip the items. Most of the items in my list above were found this way.

For sticky notes, I searched “sticky notes png,” then touched a bunch to add them to my collage.  Then I touched each and added them to the collected folder one at a time.  Now I have them saved and easy to access if we are using PicCollage for notes or annotating.

For markups, I searched each term with png to get transparent markups to use on my images.  The circle and underlines are great to add to reading passages pulled up in PicCollage!

Graphic organizers are another great clip to collect.  Students can take pictures of the paper copies you use in class, then open them in PicCollage or they can search for them by name in the Web Search.  Saving them to the collected folder means they are always on hand for PicCollages in reading and writing!

Using Collections

The collected clips are saved to that particular iPad. If you are 1:1 that is a non-issue, but classes sharing iPads should be sure this is communicated to students.

Whenever you make a new PicCollage, you can open the Collected folder and insert one or many of the saved items by touching them and touching the check.  Just like other clips, they can be edited and duplicated.

Deleting the collected clip from the canvas does not remove it from the Collect folder.

Editing Collected Clips

You can edit your collection by opening it and touching the editing icon in the bottom right.  Then touch the clips to remove and touch delete.

If you haven’t used the Collected folder yet in PicCollage, I highly recommend showing your students how it works!  The one thing we always need more of is time; by saving frequently needed graphic organizers, manipulatives and graphics to the Collected folder, we definitely save time when using PicCollage in the classroom!

 

Erin Flanagan is technology enthusiast, the teacher behind Erintegration, and a PicCollage Ambassador.  It is her passion to help teachers by sharing resources, lesson plans, reviews, and tips for using iPads, Google Apps, and other devices to engage digital learners in all curriculum areas. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram to see how she’s integrating technology across the curriculum and be sure to tag her to share other ways you have used PicCollage!