There are a lot of myths out there that online learning is “easier”, “less work”, or even “quicker”. There is nothing quite like being thrown into an online school year to quickly show you how not true those myths are – in fact, online school often requires more work, more planning and preparation, and more self-discipline when it comes to completing assignments, studying for exams, and being prepared.
New to the online school environment and do not know where to start? Good thing you found yourself on this page: here I will share with you some of the tools and technology that have helped me be successful during this transition:
In the #1 spot for organization:
My Study Life
I stumbled upon My Study Life when I was looking for a way to organize my semester. I have never been the person to dive into physical planners or even digital ones (like one’s for your iPad). I wanted something that was easy, something I could update in one sitting (once having received all of my syllabi), and something that had both an app and a desktop/browser feature (for those study sessions when I need to stay off of my phone).
My Study Life does all of this. The initial dashboard shows you what classes you have that day, upcoming tasks (i.e., assignments), and upcoming exams. By creating “classes” within the interface, you can color coordinate classes which automatically coordinates assignments, quizzes, exams, you name it. You can add these classes by quarter, semester, academic year, and even include instructional breaks which will automatically update in your overall schedule. Starting off a new semester? Sit down, bundle up, and download all your syllabi, it is time to get organized.
Above is a screenshot of the desktop version of the app. You can see an overview of today, upcoming and overdue tasks, as well as upcoming exams.
In the #1 spot for notetaking:
Notability
Notetaking can be a daunting task – where to start? How to take notes? What platform to use? Do I print these notes out or just use a digital file? I encourage you to take a deep breath and appreciate that there is no “right” or “wrong” way to take notes – focus on whatever works for you! But if you have an iPad, like taking digital notes, and like having a little fun with them then I have got one word for you: Notability.
Notability is a note-taking plate form that allows you to take digital notes any way you prefer. Do you like having the PowerPoint or pdf available to annotate on? Great, you can directly upload a pdf, PowerPoint, RTF (rich text format), etc., to your notability app and directly annotate on them. Like taking your own notes? Perfect, select your paper style (unlined, lined, graph, the app even includes different paper colors/textures for those of us who may require more contrast) and get to writing! Like typing your notes out? Awesome, there’s a feature that lets you type. Want to record lectures AND take notes at the same time? You are in luck, it can do that too! I think you get the picture. Notability encompasses all of the above and so much more. It allows for the centralization of all your notes, organization of those notes, and creativity within your notes (if that is what you are into).
Notability also has some awesome add on features, if you need to search your notes but you take handwritten notes, no problem, Notability allows you to search your own handwriting, convert your handwriting into text, and even take your handwriting and convert it into mathematical expressions for when your calculus professor keeps spitting out equations. And do not worry, Notability allows you to organize your notes by class (through the use of subject tabs) and by semester (through the use of dividers). So get excited about taking notes again because this app is a game-changer.
Above is a screenshot of a handwritten study guide I made through notability to help organize all the major concepts/themes for an upcoming exam.
And, for the honorable mention recommenda
tion for when group projects are inevitable:
Trello
Trello is an organizational tool that allows you to organize projects and tasks into a “board” (like Pinterest but for work and not-fun recipes). With both an app and desktop feature, Trello allows for self-organization and group collaboration for schoolwork, projects, and even personal agendas.
Trello works by creating different boards for you to work through: what needs to be done, what is actively being worked on, and when something is finished. This is perfect for group projects to gauge what is being done and how close you are to the end goal. Trello also allows the integration of personal goals/agendas as well. You can have multiple boards set up to keep track of multiple things – after all, we are multi-dimensional beings, we need more than one board (just like Pinterest). In an online environment, group work can be even more stressful – you do not meet up with your group mates, there are multiple tasks that need to be accomplished, and it can be hard to keep track of what everyone is doing. Feeling a bit overwhelmed with group work? Give Trello a try, it may just help you hate group projects – less (this is not a guarantee but worth a shot right?).
Above is an example of what a potential Trello board could look like for personal use. The integration of multiple boards helps to gauge what needs to be done week by week.