Five Technology Study Tips for Back to School
In school I had a unique, and kind of tedious, study method. I would write up notes in class, type them up at home, then print them and highlight important sections. But now there are apps that practically do that for you – and more! Technology has made it easier for kids to keep up with their studies, and the five tips below will have your kids studying effectively this school year.
- Springpad. With Springpad, you create categories for each subject like English, biology and = history, and the app will automatically organize your notes. You can upload and access notes from any smartphone and even save photos or helpful websites.
- Flashcard Machine. The Flashcard Machine website has tools that easily create an online stack of flash cards. You can also browse other people’s notes by subject or popularity with almost 250,000 stacks already created – you can even share cards with classmates.
- Focus Games. Whether your little one always has problems staying on task or just needs to get back in the groove after a summer off, Focus Games sites help improve your child’s focus. With a variety of settings, kids from elementary to high school can benefit from improved focus with these games. Track moving parts and ignore distractions to win – all while developing study skills.
- Slideshare. PowerPoint is a popular tool for business presentations, but it’s useful for class presentations as well. Slideshare’s website allows users to upload presentations, so students can put their work online or browse other slides for inspiration. Older students can type in topics, like the Revolutionary War, to see slides on that topic.
- Online translator. Many schools teach foreign languages from a very early age. The best way to learn a language is through immersion. Apps like Google Translate allow users to quickly look up words they don’t know without interrupting the flow of the story. Some smartphones even allow a voice-to-text translation, so kids can just say a word into the phone, and then hear it in a second language.
Technology takes common study skills – note-taking, organization, research – and expands and simplifies the steps. Kids might have success trying out some different online tools or games – not every tool will work for every child, but there’s a host of games and tools to choose from. Exploring new tactics can build a skillset that will help them for a lifetime of learning.
