Going through education can be a very long and tedious process. It is a time where you are tested, you learn different disciplines, you may face challenges, and you also learn a lot about your strengths and weaknesses. One of the things that may take up a lot of your time is studying. It is likely that you find yourself doing long nights in the library or falling asleep at your desk at home. Thanks to technology, however, the nature of learning has evolved. You can study and partake in other educational activities in more ways than you could before and aren’t confined to textbooks and classrooms alone. In light of this, you’ll find eight ways that you can use technology to study in this article.
Online Courses
Once upon a time, learning was confined to classrooms. However, thanks to the internet learning can now be done online as well as in physical facilities. Many institutions are offering online courses that enable students to obtain a range of qualifications which can equip them to go on and enter the workforce. Apparently, the rate of online learning is steadily increasing with around 5.8 million students being enrolled in at least one distance learning course as of fall 2014 which reflected a 3.9% increase from the previous fall. It suggests that a greater number of students happen to be utilizing the opportunity to learn online. This could be due to how convenient it is as the need to travel for learning is eliminated and possibly as a result of how flexible it makes learning as well. Some institutions even provide the option of you getting bachelor’s degrees online, and may also prove to be useful for those who are working and schooling as it enables you to learn and work simultaneously.
Games
Another way that technology has made learning more dynamic is through game-based studying and learning. For those who enjoy playing games, this could come in handy as you can use game playing as a means of learning. Some examples of game-based sites include BenchPrep, Edvento, and Course Hero. These sites carry out several functions including enabling you to get help with studying, adaptive learning, helping students prepare for tests, providing resources to help them study, as well as adding games to make studying easier. Preparation for tests, essay writing and exams can be daunting and create anxiety. With game-based sites, however, it makes learning something to look forward to as well as provides a light-hearted approach to studying. Games ultimately have the ability to make learning fun irrespective of how old you are.
E-books
Technology has enabled the birth of e-books which have changed reading culture and the way people consume books. An e-book, also known as an electronic or digital book, makes it possible to read books from multiple devices and gadgets. For this reason, many authors are now making e-books available in addition to traditional print forms of books. Because an increasing number of people are now on the internet, e-books have become a suitable way of reaching a digital audience. Amongst this audience is likely students who also use the internet for research as well as study. In 2015 alone, it was said that 221 million e-books were sold which is a significant number and reflects the popularity of such books. If you happen to be in education presently and want to save money on textbooks, you could consider finding the best ebook reader and using it to read some of your course textbooks and study. You may also find that the screens are designed for easy reading, they’re relatively affordable, have long battery life and also have a similar feel to books when you’re reading them. Although some people will always prefer physical books as opposed to digital ones, technology has created more options so that you’re able to choose what’s most convenient for you.
Apps
The use of apps has become increasingly popular for a number of reasons. They tend to be relatively easy to navigate around, convenient as they can be used on the go, and also some apps don’t need an internet connection. Apps have been created for a number of different businesses and services including for educational purposes. You can find apps for learning as well as ones to help you if you’re in the process of studying or learning a new subject. There are a number of apps that have been made for students to help them while they’re studying and learning. These include iStudiez Pro which is a homework and class planner, Documents which useful if you want to assess your files and annotate PDFs, Tinycards which is a useful flashcard app if you’re trying to memorize information. You can also use iTunes U if you want free lectures and coursework from some of the top universities, RefMe which can put together your citations and bibliographies if you happen to be writing essays, and Duolingo if you happen to be trying to learn another language. There are numerous other apps aside from the ones mentioned that have been specially designed to help make life as a student easier.
Mobile Phones
Unlike many years earlier, millions of people around the globe now have access to mobile phones. As a result, they can easily browse the internet if they have a smartphone, access a world of information, and communicate with people irrespective of geographical borders and differing locations. The pervasiveness of mobile phones has also had an impact on education as it affects the way that people learn. They can now consume information while out and about which means they can learn as well as study anywhere. Some people believe that smartphones can be useful educational tools for reasons such as their mobility, the fact that they can be used as a base for education-centered apps as mentioned above, and because it can be used as a study tool. Although mobile phones can be a distracting tool to use for study due to instant messaging, social media, games and other features, if you’re able to eliminate all of the distractions effectively, you can use it to study no matter where you are. Ultimately, studying and learning via your mobile phone is convenient in a busy world filled with people constantly on the go.
Online Tutoring
For those struggling with certain subjects or trying to improve in certain areas, a tutor may come into consideration at some point. Thanks to technology, tutoring is now something that can be done online as well. It means that no matter where in the world you are, you can find a tutor as long as there is internet access. It might also interest you to know that apparently, the yearly rate of students who will enroll in online tutoring services globally is expected to double over the next couple of years. This statistic implies that more people are going an extra mile to ensure they succeed in their education through seeking tutoring and possibly that more people are seeing the convenience of doing it online. Some pros of this include not having to travel to see a tutor on a regular basis and possibly saving money in some cases. Some disadvantages, however, are that some people prefer face to face interaction and learn better in such a setting. Some other benefits of getting online tutoring include the flexible hours as well as access to technology and materials.
Webinars
Everyone learns in different ways and what works for one may not necessarily work for another. Some individuals prefer group learning as opposed to learning independently and for such people, webinars may be ideal. For this reason, technology such as video calling that enables such things happens to be genius. Some places where webinars can be held include Skype, FaceTime, Google Hangouts, Viber IMO messaging, iChat, ezTalks Meetings, or GoToMeeting. All of these tools can be used to carry out webinars or group chats which could be used for studying, problem-solving, or online tutoring.
Search Engines
Most of the technology mentioned in this article have been able to successfully operate as a result of the internet. It has made a vast number of things possible, which includes giving students fast access to information. Before the birth of the internet, the only way to write an essay was likely to use information found on the inside of a book after sitting at the library for hours on end. However, now a whole essay can be written in front of a laptop, or on a mobile phone or tablet using information found on the internet to help write it. You can find credible sources as well as academic ones online making search engines a great enhancing tool for education.
Studying has become a lot more dynamic thanks to technology and all of the platforms it has made available. Traditional ways of studying such as sitting in the library for hours on end are being replaced with reading on the go via mobile phones, studying through apps, as well as reading via e-books. It has certainly made education more convenient for many because learning can now be done anywhere.