Throughout this course, I have learned about many technology tools that have been helpful over the past few weeks. However, I have resonated with three in particular: Study Scheduler, Trello, and note taking.
Although a little difficult to adjust to at first, the Study Scheduler app became super helpful when it came to studying for my courses. The Study Scheduler app provided a great way to stay motivated while studying by providing an interactive experience while studying. During your scheduled study time, the app would ask you certain questions about your studying, the conditions that you are studying in (alone, in your dorm or library, noise level, etc.) and kept me engaged in the studying I was doing. After using Study Scheduler, I have become more aware of my surroundings while studying, and the app has proven that I am more efficient when I am alone doing my work and if the noise level is low. However, it was a little difficult in trying to figure out how to use Study Scheduler when it was first assigned, so I believe that if I knew more about the app I would not have run into issues with it. The Study Scheduler app can be found on the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store and can be easily downloaded. The photo attached is what the app looks like on the inside.
The Trello website was a great way to stay organized during the week. The Trello board allowed for a weekly organization board that allows you to move your assignments/plans for the week in a specific order. For example, when I had an assignment for my Political Science class, I added an assignment card to a category entitled “doing,” and when I completed the assignment I moved the assignment card to another category entitled “done.” This approach was something I had never done in the past, but I truly believed that it helped my organization skills for the duration of the week when I planned it out. One disadvantage of Trello was that, as I added more assignment cards into my weekly schedule, it got overwhelming and a little difficult to follow. I believe that if I made different Trello boards for each of my courses, it would have been easier to follow all of my assignment for each course. The link provided will lead you to a page entitled “Getting started with Trello video demo,” which will consist of in depth videos on how to use the website. https://help.trello.com/category/694-category Additionally, the picture provided shows a sample week of Trello in full swing.
Before taking this course, I had always been a pretty good note taker. However, after reading the articles on online reading and note-taking, it has become apparent to me that there can be other ways to enhance my note taking skills in the future. The reading Gaining the Most from What You Read by Ryan Watkins clearly outlined different strategies to read online and actively participate in eLearning in efficient ways. The article breaks down different ways in which note taking should place. It surprised me when I read this, because I thought I was doing a sufficient job of not taking. However, the article states that there are a bunch of factors that should be considered during note taking. Some include previewing the reading, creating a good reading environment, questioning the reading, and reflecting on notes after they’ve been taken. I had always just taken notes to keep myself engaged in a discussion or lecture, but after reading this article, I now know that I cannot just take notes, but I also must interact with them once they are taken. The only disadvantage with note taking is that, with current day technology, many notes are taken online and I prefer to have handwritten notes. However, there are many apps that are now available that can be downloaded and used as a makeshift notebook. For example, the app Notability, which can be downloaded on the Apple App Store, offers a great way to still take handwritten notes but on a high-technology device.
Additionally, I will continue to use these study strategies during the rest of my career as a student and even after I graduate. I will be sure to check my classmate’s pages as well to understand what helps them study, and I will apply them to my own study strategies, and I will be sure to share my page with my classmates if they ever need suggestions for organization and study skills.