TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN �HIGHER EDUCATION
A Resource Book - Written by EDIT2000E Students
SPRING 2024 EDIT2000E
Tools for Learning in Higher Education
DIRECTIONS FOR AUTHORS
Tools for Learning in Higher Education
Tools for Learning in Higher Education
HOW TO COMMENT
Tools for Learning in Higher Education
Tools for Learning in Higher Education
EXAMPLE
Tools for Learning in Higher Education
Tools for Learning in Higher Education
Stress Stemming from Grades
Many undergraduate students are under pressure to get good grades, which can lead to a lot of stress. The pressure of wanting to achieve perfect grades is difficult for me to manage, and at times it feels as though there are no resources to which I can turn in order to obtain new information sources. The findings of the survey I administered to my friends led me to the conclusion that they, like me, are struggling with the same problem. We frequently want access to more information in order to expand on what we are learning in order to effectively study and write so we can achieve high grades and at the same time, reduce our levels of stress.
Schoology provides resources and information in a blog formatting from a wide range of uses/teachers on many subjects for students to read and interact with. With discussion and response based interaction between teachers and students, it has an easy to communicate design that is found below the blog posts.
It's a free online platform that allows students to interact with one another, their professors, other professionals, and with new material. Because of its interactive design, students are able to be exposed to the material and review and learn what they need before quizzes and exams. Overall, it has a very user friendly design that is easy to navigate.The platform is transitioning over to Powerschool, but all old material is still accessible on Schoology. To learn more about it, click HERE. If you are wanting to look more into Powerschool, click here which is free as well.
Schoology
Schoology (Powerschool) is a free technology tool that enhances collaboration between students and teachers. Its solid course-building and assessment tools, personalized learning capabilities, and integration with other apps allows for the students to have access to new information and work with different people to learn the material better. Schoology has the design where students can connect with one another and with teachers to ask questions and collaborate on assignments. Another feature of Schoology is that it has a blogging design where new posts are uploaded with explanations about different subjects that can be viewed by the public.
Author: Hyejin Jinny Hwang
EXAMPLE
SAMPLE COMMENTS
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
TEMPLATE
Duplicate the next slide and use it for your task.
** Please don’t delete, move, or change the template (slide #7)!!
Tools for Learning in Higher Education
Tools for Learning in Higher Education
Your Chosen Problem
Description of the Academic Problem
(add a caption here)
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Tool Name
Description of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Author: (Your Name)
REPLACE THIS IMAGE WITH A SCREENSHOT OF YOUR TOOL
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Balancing School and Social Lifes
Many students feel overwhelmed when it comes to trying to get all of their school work done while also maintaining a healthy social life. This especially comes into play for lower performing students that tend to prioritize their social lives over finishing all of their school work.
Session provides an easy to understand interface that lets you see the calendar and timer at once. You can add things to the calendar to keep track of tasks before you move on to the next one. It will also let you know how close you are to needing to leave to attend social events
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Session
Session functions as a timer for students that tend to get distracted by the things around them. This tool can greatly help students focus on their studies and stop wasting valuable time when it comes to studying. This can greatly help students focus on the work that they need to and than have time to hang out with their friends afterwards. The app also have a feature that lets you create a calendar that can start the timer or not so if you wanted to break your study sessions out into different topics you can do that before you actually start working instead of making judgement calls in the moment. Any student could be greatly impacted by this tool as it allows for you to set aside time to focus on what's important in order to have time to yourself for later.
Author: Mitchell Greer
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Efficient Note Taking
Many students find it challenging to capture important information while simultaneously comprehending the material being presented. This difficulty often leads to incomplete or disorganized notes, hindering their ability to review and study effectively later on. As a result, students may struggle to grasp key concepts and perform well in assessments.
note-taking software developed by Microsoft. It is available as part of the Microsoft 365 suite and since 2014 has been free on all platforms outside the suite. OneNote is designed for free-form information gathering and multi-user collaboration
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
OneNote
OneNote offers a versatile platform for efficient note-taking, seamlessly integrating text, images, audio, and even handwritten notes. Its organizational features, such as notebooks, sections, and pages, allow users to structure their notes intuitively. With its syncing capabilities across devices, notes are accessible anywhere, anytime, ensuring no idea is lost. The ability to search through handwritten and typed notes alike makes retrieving information effortless. With the application of microsoft onedrive, this app is a bit more seamless than some alternative note-taking apps
Author: Owen Leland
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Time Management and Daily Planning
There are many factors that have an effect on the difficulty of academic life and I believe that time management is the most important. Being able to manage your time efficiently is the battle that all undergraduate students face on a daily basis. Whether it be the desire for a social life through hanging out with friends, checking in on family members, balancing work, or getting in time to exercise, each student has to analyze their values and decide what they want to focus on.
Teamworks is The Operating System for Sports™, connecting the best in sports technology and home to best-in-class products for each stage of the athlete lifecycle. It’s ONE complete solution that connects, focuses, and empowers staff, coaches, and athletes to drive holistic performance.
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Teamworks
For myself and the majority of my friends at UGA, we have had to balance academics and athletics through football. In order to be successful, we use an app called Teamworks that outlines each academic session and football meeting/practice that we must attend. Each session is outlined with the date and time that each assignment must be completed. Along with a schedule that is already set in stone, teamworks has the ability to relay important information from coaches, nutritionists, compliance, NIL workers, etc., to each athlete on the team. Although this software is technically designed for “teams” I think that any business or group could benefit from its immense scheduling opportunities and streamline communication possibilities.
Author: Dan Jackson
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Time management
After conducting my research, I found that many college students struggle with time management skills, more specifically, they find it difficult to balance school work with their other commitments. It's easy to get caught up in all of the exciting events happening on and off our college campus. I myself find that I will often put off important assignments to attend an event or spend time with my friends. Finding a way to better manage time and prioritize important assignments will prove to be extremely beneficial to college students in the long run. It's all about balance, and while it may seem like a daunting task, doing so will lessen stress and improve academic standing.
Here you can see that Todoist allows users to break down each aspect of their day, thus ensuring nothing is overlooked
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Todoist
Todoist would serve as essential tool for students struggling with their time management skills. Todoist allows users to organize tasks, assignments, deadlines, and study schedules in a streamlined manner. The tools also allows users to create separate categories for each aspect of student life, thus making it simple for students to balance their social and academic lives, and prioritize and focus on whatever they find to be most important. Moreover, Todoist’s various capabilities make it simple for students to set achievable goals and break down large assignments into smaller, more manageable tasks, therefore ensuring they don’t become overwhelmed by their workloads. Todoist even sends students notifications reminding them of work that still requires completion so it doesn’t slip their minds.
Author: Sydney Kirksey
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Student’s Personal Health
A large problem that I have seen and taken further notice in over the years in college is how well students take care of themselves and their personal health. Getting caught up in classes, homework, and extra curriculars is easy to do and most tend to forget about themselves. Some skip meals, some tend to not do physical activity, and some tend to miss normal personal hygiene routines as well. I am super routine oriented and need to stick to a routine to make sure I am doing what I need to do everyday. I know some may not partake in working out or much physical activity but I would recommend for all because it is good for your health in all different aspects.
Here is a little snapshot of what my notes/reminders look like and what the platform entails!
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Google Keep
Google Keep is a free online platform where reminders, schedules, notes, or anything to help you remember the things needed to be done can be kept or anything along those lines for you to not forget. Most of you know about Google and the main things we use it for like surfing the web, documents, powerpoints etc. But Google has so much more to offer in tools including this one in Google Keep. You can also get creative with it and create drawings as notes or reminders as well as include images from the web or personal library. For those who also work on top of their class work, you can schedule in the things you need to do for work or to be best prepared so that you are keeping yourself aligned and making sure not to forget about what is most important!
Author: Sal Sengson
REPLACE THIS IMAGE WITH A SCREENSHOT OF YOUR TOOL
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Time Management and Planning
This the business and complex schedules of a undergrad student, planning and organization can be very time consuming but worth it when an app is very accessible and easy to manage and use. Discipline and Focus plays a huge role in integrates the aspects of time management and planning. Most of my participants through my survey said that they struggled with time management as well as every student here at the university does. Providing a very detailed and specific app tailored to college students that allows apple and google calendar; I feel as if it would make their lives a lot easier. The features in the screenshot show that you can also plan live events as well as tasks in the future that can relate to your academic as well as personal life.
Dashboard of My ‘Today’ App
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Today
The Technology Solution behind the “Today” app, is an organizer and planner. Its purpose has a range of different features with align with task management and can enhance productivity. It is also has a feature where it integrates with google calender and apple calendar allowing all of your tasks to be grouped together and make it the easiest way to manage your task. There is also a reminder feature that allows students and user to stay on top on their and to make sure that they are committed to their work. Through the user’s eye view the “Today” app has made it very easy to use easy navigation and and quick data access through google to keep everything up to speed and easy to see.
Author: Dallas Pettus
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Time Management and Organization
With students frequently juggling a diverse range of academic, personal, and possibly work-related responsibilities, managing time efficiently becomes crucial. Poor time management can compromise both the quality and timeliness of assignments, leading to increased stress and difficulty in balancing life's various demands. Most of my survey participants agreed that time management was one of their biggest obstacles when it came to their educational journeys. A technology-driven solution that assists students in allocating their time for assignments could be incredibly beneficial. By providing a tailored approach, this tool could help students effectively plan their academic workload, potentially reducing procrastination and enhancing their academic performance.
My ClickUp Dashboard
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
ClickUp
ClickUp is a project management platform ideal for students struggling with time management for their academic assignments. It features robust task management to organize assignments by class, priority, or due date, and built-in time tracking to log and optimize study patterns. ClickUp supports various views like List, Board, and Calendar, allowing for effective schedule visualization and planning. It integrates seamlessly with tools like Google Calendar, Docs, and even Notion, centralizing resources. Collaborative features streamline group projects, while customization and automation minimize routine management, enhancing focus on studies. With mobile accessibility, ClickUp enables students to manage tasks anywhere, boosting productivity and helping maintain a balanced academic and personal life.
Author: Angela Canales
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Being More Effective With The Presentation Tools Available
Watching other present during classes seems like a cycle of the same fonts, styles, and lack of visuals. I feel this stems from not knowing what better resources there are out there for presentation tools. I myself have constantly used Google Slides or PowerPoint; however, I have learned that these do not provide the best tools for a presentation that will hook others. When I started this class I had opened myself to a new world of tools and found many that could help. My survey showed that 80% of the participants used PowerPoint or Google Slides and that was it. I will be using a tool that will make presentation fun to make a extremely visual. This tool connects with the ISTE Standard of a “Creative Communicator” as it allows students to communicate clearly and express creatively.
You can see in the screenshot on the left the different graphics you can use. It has a greater quantity than the usual tool that are used.
Using this tool is ideally simple as it gives you a tour around when you start and makes it easy to understand where everything is. All you need is a computer that supports the browser and bang, you’re in. I you want to dive in for you next project and give it a shot, the link is https://genial.ly/?logout=true.
Genial.ly
Genial.ly is a way for people to create content for classrooms and even jobs. It provides the templates needed to help push you in the right direction of creating something spectacular. With a wide selection of graphics, you can create work that is appealing and not bland. Something that will catch people’s eyes and want to know more. It started in 2015 and has empowered students to deliver string presentations. But wait, there’s more. You can create infographics, videos, training modules, etc. So give “Genial.ly” a try!
Author: Thomas Stocks
REPLACE THIS IMAGE WITH A SCREENSHOT OF YOUR TOOL
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Note Taking
Many students struggle to take good notes, and this leads to bad studying because oftentimes professors do not post everything they go over. If students were able to take better notes, studying would be less stressful
(add a caption here)
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Tool Name
Description of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Author: Owen Leland
REPLACE THIS IMAGE WITH A SCREENSHOT OF YOUR TOOL
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Class Participation
As a student, I have found that one of the main difficulties in undergraduate-level classes is active participation with the material during class time. Though the topics are very intriguing, there are a number of factors that may lead to a lack of participation. When conducting my survey, some of the reasons for this lack of participation can be placed on fear, large class size, and an overall lack of motivation while in class. This is an issue that many students report dealing with throughout their academic career. Though it is a common struggle, I feel as if the issue is rarely addressed. I feel that participation is an essential step in the learning process as it helps students engage with the material and aids in learning retention.
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Top Hat
Top Hat is an academic tool that promotes active participation in class. It serves as a vessel for education within the classroom, making class participation more approachable and applicable. This platform allows students to answer questions from the professor using an app on their phone. Top Hat can be utilized in both large and small lecture classes to improve participation. In large classes, it may be hard to speak up due to fear or simply because of the volume of students. Top Hat solves this issue by enabling students to answer questions from their phone. The app also provides the teacher with an overview of the class's understanding of certain topics, giving teachers the ability to focus on areas that may not be fully grasped by the class. In addition to helping students engage in class, teachers can use the app to build exams and homework, making TopHat a one stop shop for all assignments in a course..
Author: Kerith Bizzell
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Creating Time for Memorization
The academic challenge I have selected is time management to memorize information meaningfully. Every student struggles with the new freedom of planning their own schedule. One of the most difficult aspects of time management is making sure they have time for all of their non-academic aspects of their lives, which would allow them to be in a good headspace to memorize information effectively. Memorization is a stressful task among all of their other responsibilities. Our education system has switched to a memorization contest in many settings, especially standardized test taking. Implementing memorization in small increments in everyday life instead of cramming would allow students to meaningfully learn the subjects that require more memorization and actually remember them.
Evernote: the tool I wish I knew about at the start of college! This tool is extremely comprehensive… it includes note taking, links to Google Drive, and the ability to incorporate AI.
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Evernote
The textbook suggests Evernote, a note taking app, to help with memorization in small increments. It easily connects with other apps, like Google Drive, allowing for notes to be transmitted into memorization tools, like Quizlet. You can add attachments, tasks, and links. This would allow for more mentally stimulating notes that allow for easier, more active memorization. It also incorporates AI. This would help to connect to other apps that use things like flashcards to memorize information without having to spend time making flashcards.
Author: Julia Andrews
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TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Studying
An academic problem I believe is important to solve is studying. Specifically studying for a test or quiz and how to manage your time to prepare yourself the best way you can. I chose to analyze this problem because in my survey a lot of my applicants mentioned how they can get distracted and have a hard time staying focused. The way our academic system is currently set up, tests account for much of student's grades so it is very important that students try and study and prepare themselves for such tasks. I think technology can play a big role in helping students because there are already a lot of tools out there that can help students study.
Basic Information for Marinaratimer
Marinaratimer
Marinaratimer is a website you can use to exploit the benefits of the Pomodoro technique. This technique basically suggest that it is efficient to work for 25 minutes than take a 5 minute break. However, Marinaratimer isn't exactly like this technique as it offers the ability to tailor the timer to your productivity needs. The timer will help you fight against distractions and work efficiently.
Disclaimer: Any common clock or stopwatch will work just as fine for the intervals, rather students should focus more on Pomodoro technique to implement not necessarily the website.
Author: Mitchell Valderrama
The Pomodoro timer is a well-known productivity interval that has been shown to improve your productivity. It gives you a prescribed interval of 25 minutes of work followed by a 5-minute break. After 4 work intervals, there is a 15-minute break.
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Lack of Academic Course Structure
Numerous undergraduate students surveyed admitted to facing pressure to excel academically, a burden that often results in significant stress. Personally, I find managing the desire for perfect grades challenging, especially when it seems there's a scarcity of accessible information sources. After conducting this survey, it became clear that many of us are grappling with the same issue. We frequently seek out additional resources to complement our studies, aiming to enhance our learning experiences and reduce stress levels while striving for academic excellence. In striving for this level of excellence, I think most every student can agree that organization is the root of success or failure.
Syllabeye is a online platform and downloadable application that allows students to upload images of their course syllabi and have them turned into an academic calendar. This creates a ease of use platform for students all over the world to be able to attach their course work into their day-to-day calendars with ease.
Syllabeye is a free online platform designed to streamline students' academic experiences by offering innovative tools such as scanning course syllabi and generating attachable calendars. With Syllabeye, students can easily organize their coursework, stay ahead of deadlines, and enhance their learning through interactive features. The platform prioritizes user privacy and does not collect or store protected information. As Syllabeye transitions to Powerschool, users can still access all previous material on Schoology. For more information on Syllabeye, click HERE.
Syllabeye
Syllabeye is an innovative technology platform designed to foster collaboration and streamline communication between students and educators. With its course management tools, personalized learning features, and seamless integration with other applications, Syllabeye empowers students to access course materials efficiently and engage with peers for enhanced learning experiences. The platform's intuitive design facilitates student-to-student and student-to-teacher interactions, allowing for seamless communication, question asking, and collaboration on assignments. Additionally, Syllabeye incorporates a blogging feature, enabling users to share insights and explanations on various subjects with the public. The only downfall, is that it is unavailable for download in the US.
Author: Nicholas WInters
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Struggle of Organized Scheduling/Time Management
Students often struggle with keeping their schedules organized and avoiding procrastination, which adds to their stress. With numerous deadlines, exams, and activities to juggle, it's easy for things to feel overwhelming. Despite their efforts, many find themselves procrastinating and rushing to catch up on work after they lose track of their commitments and obligations. Balancing academic and personal responsibilities becomes a challenge. After reviewing the results of my survey, it became clear just how big of a problem personal organization can be in a students life. Even students that said they do not experience many issues of missing obligations or deadlines, they still said it stresses them out at the idea of forgetting their responsibilities.
This photo shows how the reminders are presented to you when a obligation is coming up
Todoist's intuitive design simplifies the process of organizing tasks and schedules for all users. Available across multiple platforms, including PCs, mobile devices, and more, Todoist ensures seamless access to your tasks regardless of the device you're using. While the basic features are available for free, Todoist does offer more premium level with additional functionalities such as task labels, reminders, comments, and file uploads. Click Here for Link
Todoist
Todoist is an online application that aims to solve this problem of undue stress on students. This application is able to take scheduling to the next level. By utilizing its intuitive task management features, students can efficiently organize their deadlines, exams, and activities in one centralized platform. With Todoist's ability to set deadlines, prioritize tasks, and create recurring reminders, students can stay on top of their responsibilities without feeling overwhelmed. The app's user-friendly interface allows for seamless navigation, making it easy to create to-do lists and categorize tasks according to urgency and importance. Additionally, Todoist's synchronization across devices ensures that students can access their tasks anytime, anywhere, facilitating better time management and reducing the likelihood of procrastination. Overall, Todoist empowers students to take control of their schedules, alleviate stress, and enhance productivity in their academic endeavors.
Author: Carter Davis
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Struggle of Organized Scheduling/Time Management
Students often struggle with keeping their schedules organized and avoiding procrastination, which adds to their stress. With numerous deadlines, exams, and activities to juggle, it's easy for things to feel overwhelming. Despite their efforts, many find themselves procrastinating and rushing to catch up on work after they lose track of their commitments and obligations. Balancing academic and personal responsibilities becomes a challenge. After reviewing the results of my survey, it became clear just how big of a problem personal organization can be in a students life. Even students that said they do not experience many issues of missing obligations or deadlines, they still said it stresses them out at the idea of forgetting their responsibilities.
This photo shows how the reminders are presented to you when a obligation is coming up
Todoist's intuitive design simplifies the process of organizing tasks and schedules for all users. Available across multiple platforms, including PCs, mobile devices, and more, Todoist ensures seamless access to your tasks regardless of the device you're using. While the basic features are available for free, Todoist does offer more premium level with additional functionalities such as task labels, reminders, comments, and file uploads. Click Here for Link
Todoist
Todoist is an online application that aims to solve this problem of undue stress on students. This application is able to take scheduling to the next level. By utilizing its intuitive task management features, students can efficiently organize their deadlines, exams, and activities in one centralized platform. With Todoist's ability to set deadlines, prioritize tasks, and create recurring reminders, students can stay on top of their responsibilities without feeling overwhelmed. The app's user-friendly interface allows for seamless navigation, making it easy to create to-do lists and categorize tasks according to urgency and importance. Additionally, Todoist's synchronization across devices ensures that students can access their tasks anytime, anywhere, facilitating better time management and reducing the likelihood of procrastination. Overall, Todoist empowers students to take control of their schedules, alleviate stress, and enhance productivity in their academic endeavors.
Author: Carter Davis
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Stress from Overwhelming Course Load
Many students experience stress during their undergraduate studies, from many different areas. I chose to focus on the stress that comes with an overwhelming course load. As a student may have up to 18 hours a semester all with tests, projects, homeworks, and outside readings. The list goes on. It can be difficult to navigate all the due dates, or steps to breakdown a project. Most people can get easily overwhelmed trying to track and manage all of these different tasks and projects while maintaining a good social life in the process.
Goblin Tools has multiple tools within the app, the main one being a tool tracing list and it has an automatic breakdown feature that can give baseline or highly detailed steps to breakdown an issue.
Basic Information for Goblin Tools
Goblin Tools
Goblin tools essentially works as a task tracker with extra tools worked in, you can add tasks and then if you choose Goblin Tools will breakdown each task into smaller steps. You can also choose how in depth you want each step to be broken into. This allows students to breakdown the big projects and assignments to navigate these overwhelming tasks easier. You can then check off these items, there is also a time management feature where you can estimate or Goblin tools can give you an estimate for how long is assumes a task would take. Goblin Tools works by breaking down tasks manually if you have a specific ideas to breakdown a task or it has an AI feature that uses knowledge online from others who have completed the tasks before that can effectively break down tasks as well.
Author: Joey Case
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TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Organizing School and Social
Many students have said that they struggle with being able to organize their schoolwork and social lifes/personal things. Whenever they struggle with keeping up with certain tasks, it hinders their ability to do well in that class due to stress, falling behind on assignments which does not help the student in any case. I think that being organized is extremely important in higher education for those reasons and because you are getting a degree for something you want (might as well try your best). I remember that in elementary school, teachers would send you home with different layered folders for every homework assignment and any other papers. My tool will hopefully be able to remind us that being organized is as easy as it is efficient.
my schedule for the next three days
trello is a great resource that anyone can access easily. The basic version is free so anyone who signs up using an email, but there are different premium accounts that range from 5-18 dollars a month. Unless it is detrimental to have one of the premium version, I suggest using the basic version that lets you have a lot of tools and still can help you tons. It is extremely easy to make a trello (my 6 year old brother could do it) but if you need help, there's always some extra help form their end you can use.
Trello
Trello is a website that I have acquired through my work experience as a customer service representative. The manager sections out which tasks we per employee will do and all the steps that need to be done to finish that task. Using trello, you can make categories such as personal, school, work, and anything else which can help with making it feel like less work. When you click on the tas, there can be many different variables that you can add such as a due date or notifications, and also a checkbox so that when it’s done, a green check appears and you are able to be satisfied by that accomplishment. Also, if you do not get to a task that day, you can always move it over for the next day.
Author: Juliette Rivard
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Making Time to Study
From personal experience, I find it really hard to consistently stay focused and study on the same subject. If I manage to somehow not get distracted, I end up burning myself out and not wanting to do anything anymore. Right before midterms and finals, you see students trying to cram studying all together in one day instead of breaking sessions apart bit by bit. While every student is different, a timer would help avoid feeling burnt out every study session. This is important because if a student ends up feeling tired or unrewarded after studying for long hours, they will end up not having any motivation to continue working.
Picture of the timer
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Forest
Forest serves as a timer that keeps track of how long you set yourself to study. It also incorporates a blacklist and allow list system. With a blacklist, it will ask what websites to put on it so that it can actually block you from them. With an allow list, it will only allow you to enter websites that you have added on the list for the time remaining. When you continually use the app, it will create a makeshift forest which you can grow and view how often you have studied. With in-app currency you make, you can make virtual purchases that actually end up planting trees in real-life. Not only are you creating better study habits with a timer, but you also have the chance to make a difference in our environment.
Author: Raul Fernandez
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Procrastination
Putting off tasks until the last minute can result in increased stress and anxiety. When students realize they have limited time to complete assignments or study for exams, they may feel overwhelmed, leading to decreased productivity and performance. Procrastination can also limit opportunities for deep learning and understanding. When students delay starting assignments or studying, they may not have enough time to engage with course material in a meaningful way, hindering their ability to grasp key concepts and develop critical thinking skills.
Organize your day, week, or month with Todoist’s easy to use planner
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Todoist
Todoist allows students to organize tasks into projects, set due dates, and prioritize them according to importance.Todoist enables students to track their progress and completion status for each task. Seeing their accomplishments in real-time can provide motivation and encouragement to continue working productively, reducing the likelihood of procrastination. The app sends reminders for upcoming deadlines, helping users stay on track and avoid leaving tasks until the last minute. These reminders can serve as gentle nudges to encourage students to start working on tasks in a timely manner.
Author: Mickey Meguiar
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Heavy Workload
Many students feel stressed and overwhelmed by the workload that is required for undergraduate and graduate level courses. This is related to limited timeframes, conflicting assignments due, balance between work life and school, and time management. Since eliminating a heavy workload as a whole is not a feasible option, integrating a tool to focus on organization and productivity can help manage and display assignments. By splitting a workload into more manageable chunks, it allows students to promote a healthy school/work/social balance, encourage positive mental health, and gain valuable time management skills.
Write, Plan, Organize, Play
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Notion
Notion is an inclusive platform that allows students to have a customizable workspace, so each individual can tailor Notion to their needs. Notion offers tools to help users organize schedules, notes, projects, and other important tasks. The platform also features a collaboration tool which can be beneficial for students involved in group assignments or to share personal Notion workspaces with a friend. By creating with Notion, students can feel empowered through their learning and assignments - not overwhelmed.
Author: Kendall Hardy
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Focusing on Specific Tasks
Based on the responses from my survey, the academic challenge I've chosen is balancing the workload of multiple classes. More specifically, students struggle to focus on a specific task when they have so much to balance on their plate. This issue arises as professors assign similar deadlines, causing students' workloads to build up. They become overwhelmed and burnt-out, which in-turn makes it difficult for them to focus and get assignments done in a timely manner. Technology tools can alleviate this issue by organizing students' day to day, ensuring they don't overwork themselves in one day.
Trello allows students to create a variety of lists and organize them in customizable ways.
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Trello
Trello is a website that allows users to engage with their schedule, from progress bars for assignments to the integration of other platforms such as Google Drive. Everything is in one place. Some features Trello has includes the ability to create teams and collaborate, automating tasks and workflows, customized templates that bolster engagement, and more. Through these features, Trello can be used to alleviate problems with focusing and task completion.
Author: Niyati Patel
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Time Management and Organization
Through the survey that I conducted and through personal experience I have found that many college students have a difficult time scheduling and staying off of their various commitments. Students struggle to use the time that they have available for productive purposes. It can be hard to determine how long or what should take priority when planning out their day. While it is important to get the academic tasks done throughout the day, other students have prior commitments such as internships, work, and extracurriculars. Students should be able to curate a plan of action for their days that maximizes their time and potential. Students should not have to miss out on certain opportunities because of poor planning. A good balance must be achieved in order to have a productive day.
A photo of adding a new timestamp to the calendar
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Schedule Maker.io
‘Schedule Maker.io’ allows students to create an online schedule to plan out their day. It is broken up hour to hour and students can estimate how long each task will take them. By putting aside time for each class, internship, social event, etc. a student will be able to use their day to the maximum potential. It also allows students to see when they have breaks in their schedule for breaks. This platform is very simple to use. You simply insert the name of event, time, and a description to add it to the schedule. I think the description section could be useful for noting things that you need to bring with you to an event or important things that you don’t want to forget. This platform also gives you the chance to color coat the tasks. This makes it easier to dictate what class/extracurricular.
Author: Audrey Pfitzner
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Scheduling for Time Management
One of the problems with time management is scheduling. In other words, structuring days or weeks in way that allows a person to be the most productive and efficient. Creating and sticking to a schedule can be difficult and based on my survey it is a common problem. Sticking to a schedule is a personal decision that is really up to the individual. However, there are many solutions to creating a schedule that will aid in time management scheduling.
A Preview of Evernote’s Calendar Feature
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Evernote
Evernote is a digital tool that helps people plan ahead and stay organized. Evernote offers many features such as a calendar, lists, note taking, and more. Evernote offers different ways to create a schedule. One way is the Calendar feature, where a person can plan as far into the future as they want. Another way Evernote helps people schedule is the Task feature, where people can jot down their tasks at hand and create To-Do lists. Evernote offers flexible scheduling to their uses to end their digital tool to their users’ needs. Evernote is a great tool to aid the problem o scheduling for time management.
Author: Lawrence Lee
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TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Class Structure
When it comes to both online and in-person learning, many students have had problems with the lack of cohesion between instructors and online learning platforms. As we know, UGA students and professors have become accustomed to the features and tools provided by elc, but students still struggle academically due to lack of class organization on these platforms. For in-person classes, professors provide students with class updates face-to-face such as test dates, upcoming assignment deadlines, and syllabus changes, but often do not relay the information to the elc class page. When it comes to online classes, professors rely on elc to provide course information, but must stay consistent in communicating with students and monitoring class progress in order to ensure students are not struggling with keeping up with the course.
Student view of class page- the format is similar for the instructor but doesn’t include the categories to monitor class participation, post questions or comments, or create class announcements.
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Blackboard Learn
To alleviate some of these drawbacks for both students and instructors, I chose to experiment with the online platform Blackboard Learn. This platform is an online learning platform that is very easy to access and navigate for both students and instructors. Unlike elc or email, this platform allows students to easily communicate with professors via direct messages that will automatically categorize based on the specific course. Students are also able to create groups with classmates for projects, study sessions, and group assignments. Instructors are able to monitor student activity on the platform and are provided with analytics of class progress as a whole based on grades and tests. Additionally, instructors can schedule announcements ahead of time so that they can ensure important class information is posted for students to access later.
Author: Miller Hollis
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Burnout
The largest issue that I noticed among undergraduate students was burnout. Everyone, at some point or another in their lives has experienced burnout, which by definition is physical or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress. It is common amongst students, as we spend a lot of time in class, studying, and doing extracurriculars, all of which can add up quite easily. When students are asked to do these things over and over again, it can be really hard to find the motivation to keep working towards their goals.
Signing up for a Mentor
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
UGA Mentorship Program
The UGA Mentorship Program has personally helped me significantly when I was experiencing burnout, and it can really reinvigorate a student’s passion for whatever they want to do. The website pairs a mentee with someone with experience in their desired fields, and then the two can meet however often they want to. The matching process is simple and easy, and only takes about 10 minutes to fill out your own desires/preferences. The mentor helps the mentee develop goals, gives advice, and helps keep the mentee on track with what they should be doing to continue having a positive experience in whatever major/field they want to go into. Sometimes having someone to relate to is all you really need to prevent burnout.
Author: Evan Walczak
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TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Study Habits
Study habits and procrastination are a huge problem for students. When the test is coming up and you have no notes, it can feel like an overwhelming burden to start studying. Most students have no idea where to start, when to start, or how to study efficiently. Through the research of tools, I will specifically focus on note taking and organizing so that when the student realizes they should start studying, the can do so efficiently with good notes. This is important and an overall base for the whole studying process. It will ensure that students are actively listening and taking notes so they are not blindsighted by upcoming tests.
Goodnotes Dashboard
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Goodnotes
Goodnotes is a note taking platform where you can create, import templates, and annotate slides during class. You are able to write, type, or draw your notes depending on what device that you are on. It can go across devices so that depending on the class, you can choose your preference that best suits you. This will help students study because they will have clear notes, and eliminate all of time that it takes to look for the information. In Goodnotes, you can make separate folders, units, and notebooks in order to effectively organize and present your information. The tools include a draw option, highlight, shapes, images, eraser, typing, pointing, stickers, and sticky notes.
Author: Julia Wright
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Time Management and Due Dates
Many students have problems with time management for a variety of reasons. Whether this comes from failure to understand when due dates are due to confusing syllabuses and calendars provided by teachers, or a simple lack in executive functioning skills, many students miss deadlines or struggle to meet them on a daily basis. This causes unnecessary stress in students and lower grades from missed assignments. If students had a clear calendar, with all assignments presented in one calendar, many issues regarding time management could be solved, AI is a recent tool that has become widely available, but has not yet been widely integrated into many applications, and the majority of AI tools are stand alone.
This is an example of a calendar within Notion
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Notion AI
Notion Calendar is an application that has a variety of tools within it, creating “databases” with nearly any function imaginable. One specific function that could be used is the calendar template within nothin, used in conjunction with Notion AI, a software built into the application that utilizes GPT 3.5, the same engine from ChatGPT. Students may use Notion AI to give them sub tasks, assisting them in creating sub tasks that work them towards greater goals, such as studying for a test or managing workflow. It also allows for categorization of tasks, letting students see their general coursework in each class at a glance. These then can be integrated into the calendar feature, and provide students with one calendar that not only shown when things are due, but also assists them in maintaining proper study habits.
Author: Sam Ivey
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Scheduling Conflicts
It is common knowledge that time management is on of the most significant challenges for college students. From my personal experiences and survey results, it's very clear that the daily demands of academic, extracurriculars, sports, and social a stress for many. Juggling multiple responsibilities within a tight schedule often leads to feelings of being overwhelmed and stress. Whether it's the pressure to do well academically, meet deadlines, or participate actively on, the struggle to allocate enough time and prioritize certain tasks is a common struggle among college students. This struggle not only has the potential to impact ones academic performance but can affect the personal physical and mental health of college students. Finding strategies to enhance time management skills becomes paramount in times of extreme stress.
This is an example of a the Any.do landing page and interactive calendar
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Any.do
Any.do is a well-rounded productivity app that is designed to help its users manage their tasks and organize their lives. With many features such as task lists, reminders, teams integration, as well as a interactive calendar, Any.do aids individuals in staying on top of their goals and tasks. Additionally, Any.do offers many collaborative features that are helpful when working in a group which allows users to share their work across one interface. Moreover, Any.do premium if worth the $5.99 due to its vast interactive interface that is not offered by other platforms. Overall, Any.do serves as a tool for streamlining workflow while also enhancing productivity in today's fast-paced world.
Author: Phillip Burns
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Time Management Problem
When students first go to college, this is their first time having complete freedom to do whatever they want in their time. They no longer have school that gives them a set schedule of when to go class, or have their parents plan their days for them. With this new sense of freedom, some students may thrive and become more productive. However, on the contrary, many seem to become less productive throughout the days as they don’t have someone scheduling their days for them.
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Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Chalk
Chalk is a free online planner that allows one to schedule their days in advance. It’s new user friendly and an easier tool to use, compared to Google Calendar, as it set up to imitate a student’s class schedule. Chalk has the capabilities for a student to easily set up their class schedules, write down what unit they are learning that day, write any notes for that day, and many more. It also has options to separate your schedule by semesters or classes, which allows the users to a have a well organized schedule By having students use Chalk and actively scheduling their days in advance, it will give them a mental note of what they have to do throughout the day, which will help them become more productive since their days are planned out ahead of time.
Author: Tommy Kim
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Time Management: Balancing a Schedule
Time management is a critical aspect of undergraduate academic life, especially when balancing coursework with extracurricular commitments like working in student government. Many students face the challenge of effectively allocating time to fulfill their academic responsibilities while actively participating in campus activities. However, planning ahead and setting schedules can significantly alleviate this difficulty. By proactively organizing their time, students can create a structured framework that accommodates both academic and extracurricular obligations. Setting realistic goals, prioritizing tasks, and breaking down larger assignments into manageable chunks can help students stay on track and avoid feeling overwhelmed. Additionally, creating a balance between study sessions and leisure activities is essential for maintaining mental well-being and preventing burnout. Overall, implementing effective time management strategies empowers students to navigate their academic and extracurricular commitments successfully.
This is the scheduling page, where you can estimate the length of the task on the right, and on the left you can sync it to various calendars you may have
Basic Information of the Technology Solution for the Academic Problem
Goblin Tools
Goblin.tools is a collection of small, simple, single-task tools, mostly designed to help neurodivergent people with tasks they find overwhelming or difficult. Most tools will use AI technologies in the back-end to achieve their goals. Currently this includes OpenAI's models. As the tools and backend improve, the intent is to include ethical alternatives. One of the key advantages of Goblin Tools is its versatility. Whether you're tackling a short homework assignment or embarking on a lengthy research project, Goblin Tools adapt to your needs. By breaking down tasks into smaller, manageable sub-tasks, it allows you to estimate the time required for each component, thereby offering a clearer understanding of the overall time investment. With this foresight, you can allocate your resources judiciously and avoid the pitfalls of procrastination.
Author: (Charlie Wickliffe)
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Interviews for Research Projects
I want to create an easy a affordable way for students doing research projects to get into contact with someone who has actually gone through what they’re chosen subject is. For example, If I were to do a research project on the prison system and its flaws, it would be extremely helpful to be able to reach out to former inmates, remotely, and ask them some questions about the environment they were in, and about what they would do differently if they got to change something. I really like that would be an invaluable tool for these research projects as they would become more engaging and the students would learn more from having been in contact with the subjects of the research project they’ve chosen
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Wix is an easy to use website builder that uses AI to create a website centered around the ideas you’ve introduced and the type of website you want to create. I think this is a great tool for people like myself who don’t know how to make a website or how to market one for what they are meaning to do. I think this would be a great place to start my website and really get my idea off the ground. This idea would be great for everyone, teachers, students, and interviewees included. If you would like to use the Wix website please use the link below.
Wix
From the textbook, I chose to use a website building tool called Wix to create my idea of connecting students to people they may want to interview. I felt like Wix was a good way to go because it provides a simple and easy way to make an appealing website was well as accessible routes to your website, making it easier for other people to find. I think my project is a great idea, but the main issue would be getting the word about it out and getting both interviewers and interviewees to sign up and then creating a simple way the can communicate through the website without disclosing any personal information aside from what the interviewee decides to say while being interviewed
Author: Stefanie Ingram
TOOLS FOR LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION