Trello
General Description
In this section we will go over the advantages and disadvantages of using Trello, as well as my personal user experience and things I have found out about the site through trial and error. This online platform allows one to virtually connect with other people and create a board where you can organize different tasks, make a time line, file resources, and collaborate on group projects. It has been very useful for me to have up on my screen, and glance at what I need to as well as move and organize it to different broken down sections: “To-Do,” “Doing,” and “Done.” As well as important materials on the side like all my course syllabuses so I have them for immediate access and don’t need to go search for them. As a new user to Trello I found it very user friendly: I was able to make weekly To-Do lists and organize what I needed to do on a daily basis. Additionally, I took advantage of the extra resources and was able to copy and paste the rubrics for each assignment under the assignment name I created in Trello. For example:
Extra resources available to user: The right hand control bar shows the different resources you can add to the card. In the image I have shown my Biology ICA homework, and the attachment I have added is the instruction for how to complete the assignment.
The other features of Trello that I have been thoroughly enjoying are the numerous backgrounds available that just brighten up my desk top, as I keep Trello open on my laptop with these different backdrops. Personally, it makes it more personal as it make me feel like it is my own space. Some examples of backdrops I use include the following:
Advantages
Some of the advantages of Trello include an easily organizable To-Do work space. Trello is very user friendly in terms of setting up different categories and labeling what is due and adding supplemental information to each specific task so you don’t have to flip back and forth between different tabs to find instructions. Additionally, the customizable desk space really makes it feel personal to your likes and dislikes. One is also able to turn on notifications and connect it to your email through Trello so you are notified when something gets done or when a due date is approaching. This platform is very good for group projects as it allows everyone in the group to see what the other members are working on, and what is left to do in the project. It is very easy to invite other people to use the board via email. Another advantage of the side is their “Butler” function which is an automated helper that tries to collect data from what you have done vs what you need to do to organize and prioritize your schedule; Butler also make short cuts to help you save time and more effectively finish your work.
Disadvantages
Some of the few disadvantages of the site include getting use to setting up different tasks within boards, as there is so many option on how to set up an assignment and this can be a little overwhelming to a new user (luckily is gets better with a short explanatory video). Another disadvantage is the sheer number of functions “Butler” has it is very extensive and takes sometime to master. With that, on the far left hand side of your board is a grid box and when you click that it gives you many collaboration softwares linked to Trello. Some of the other site applications is Confluence: a collaboration document for up to ten users; Jira Software, which allows you to track your progress for multiple users at the same time; lastly, Bitbucket, which allows you to manage coding for a project. Although they have useful functions, they are not very user friendly in terms of how to navigate the numerous sites. I feel like they could be better explained and laid out.
Supplemental Information
More information on how to navigate Trello can be found through watching this youtube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xky48zyL9iA).
This video is very helpful to a new user and goes over the basics of the software and clearly outlines how to be successful in setting up your own board.
Study Scheduler
General Description
In this next section we will go over the advantages and disadvantages of Study Scheduler, as well overview of my personal experience using the app. I have been using study scheduler for a little while now, and I find it very helpful for organizing your time without the hassle of carrying a planner around a planner. It allows me to organize my time and allot time for certain subjects. Study Scheduler is great for having a calendar that sends you notifications. The app constantly asked me “Ark you studying?” and that reminder really kept me on track, especially with finals around the corner. The app is very user friendly as it is very easy to input a study time and description into the app. *At the bottom of this section the first image is the general calendar view found under the “Study Events” tab at the bottom of the app. *The second image below that is the view you can see of your schedule when you chose to “My Footprint” tab this allows you to see a more dispersed view of what events you have coming up, who you are studying with, and where you are supposed to be meeting/studying.
Advantages
Some advantages of the Study Scheduler app include the ability to get notification when you are supposed to be meeting/studying/completing an assignment. This is allows you to stay on tack of time and what is due next. Blocking out time to focus on a specific assignment is a great way to minimize distractions which is exactly what Study Scheduler offers to users. It is also very easy to use and navigate it is as simple as clicking “create and event” and adding all the necessary information about who you are studying with, where you are meeting, and what time you need to be there. The calendar view lets you add events months in advance and this is great for staying ahead of course work material. It has a very simplistic layout and I think that is part of the charm of this app as it doesn’t seem cluttered with different tool but has a more minimalist style.
Disadvantages
Some disadvantages I found where when the app notifies you it says “are you studying?” but I feel that it would be more effective to notify the user in advance of the blocked out time and with what material you are supposed to be studying at that point in the day. This would minimize the time wasted from going into the app and looking up that day. Additionally, I feel like since this app is so new and definitely useful, there should be some expansion on the graphics. This should make it more interactive and less simplistic in terms of the visuals of the app. It is very plain in comparison to the other two apps I have been reviewing.
Supplemental Information
An easy tutorial of how to use study scheduler can be found through this link, as well as a brief description of how it can help you stay on top of course material and the importance of a schedule to academic success https://dl.ehe.osu.edu/esm/
*Study Events tab gives you this calendar view.
*Foot Prints tab gives you a closer view of what you have to do when and where.
In the footprints tab when you click on an event it gives you full event details.
Prezi
General Description
In this section we will be going over the advantages and disadvantages of Prezi, as well as my personal user experience and things I have learned about the software through trial and error. I used this app for my bio final presentation, and it was super easy to navigate and I was able to make a very easy and visual presentation for my lab course. I recommend this app over google slides or power point as it is a “new age” version and allow for viewer interaction with the presentation in their own time as well. It allows for different settings: for students, for business, and for educators. When I was working on my work presentation I used it as well when I was proposing a plan for my job office layout. It allows me to seamlessly zoom share my materials to my boss and coworkers. *It has different lay outs, including a web layout where one bubble leads to the next and this gives a seamless transition between ideas. When a user goes back to access other people’s presentations, it allows you to work through the different “slides” at your own pace, and there is a text to speech option which allows you to listen to the presentation (instead of reading through it) which saves time on note taking.
Advantages
Some advantages of Prezi include the numerous templates available that allow for versatility of what type of presentation one would want to make. There is also different resources to help you site material and make that embedded within the presentation. It also allows for seamless transition and a wide variety graphical designs. I also paid extra and was able to make a very good video presentation through Prezi: they have numerous softwares available for a reasonable price. There is also a number of helpful tutorials on the page that walk you through how to set up your presentation. Although it is a big transition from the simplicity of google slides or powerpoint, the different parts of the template are also labeled with what information needs to go in the different sections which makes it that much easier to navigate.
Disadvantages
Some disadvantages include that is in not very user friendly in terms of learning how to edit and set up the templates. There are many different formats and not universal way to use the software so it takes some trial and error as well as practice to use the website. Additionally, another disadvantage of the software is the price; unlike google slides it does cost 3$ a month to use their presentation features, but for extra you have access to their video presentation software as well as many different design layouts.
Supplemental Information
I personally found this youtube video very understandable and informative on how to create a basic Prezi presentation and would highly recommend a new user to watch this before attempting to fill out a template: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCkvy4Gvqw8
*An example of the bubble transition presentation layout.