Quizlet Continues to be an Innovator in No Cost Education Technology

By Sean Scarpiello

Quizlet, an online-based education application, has been around for years as a beneficial education tool. Essentially, Quizlet acts as a digital flash card builder which allows users to test themselves on their course material. While this concept seems simple enough, Quizlet has grown over the years to include even more features, that I recently discovered after using this application.

Users can begin by simply signing up and once completed they have access to unlimited space for an infinite amount of flashcard. Further, students or teachers can share their accounts with each other, thus granting them access to many sets of flash cards to use as a study resource. To use Quizlet, users simply type in the word or question they would like to remember on one side of the card and then enter the definition on the other side of their digital flashcard. One feature that Quizlet has recently added to aid users is an automatic defining function. For instance, if a student is trying to learn new vocabulary words, they can simply type in the vocabulary words and click define. Quizlet then pulls up a list of common definitions for this vocabulary word from which the student can pick the meaning they are looking for, thereby eliminating the tedious and time consuming process of typing out long definitions. In addition to this, Quizlet also now offers a language translation tool. In this section of the application, students can type in their list of  English words (or any other language) and then click on the language they would like their word list to be translated to. This function is extremely useful for students in a language class, as they can increase the number of flashcards in a matter of minutes. Then, since self-testing is an active form of learning where students are deeply engaged in material content, Quizlet enables students to quickly memorize long lists of words which need to be integrated into their knowledge.

Beyond these new functions, Quizlet now offers more than a simple flashcard to read and flip on a digital platform. Now, Quizlet has testing and game functions where students can convert their flashcards into a multiple choice, true/false, or matching quiz. Students are able to design  their own quizzes as well,  the number of questions they would like in each quiz. Quizlet then tracks students’ progress and helps highlight which cards the students  needs to improve upon. The game function offers two games: a speed matching game and a space race game. Here, students can time themselves on how quickly they can recall their flashcard data in a competitive and fun way. While these functions are best used on a laptop or other computer device, Quizlet also has an app available for all devices. Which enables Students to  log into their account  from anywhere and test themselves on the same sets of flashcards from their computer. Overall, this really makes integrating vast amounts of knowledge easy as students have access to thousands of flashcards in seconds.

During the past few years, it is fantastic that Quizlet has continued to grow and improve on its already brilliant idea. Furthermore, Quizlet offers all of its contents and ease of learning to students at no cost. Plus, it enables students to collaborate with each other through account sharing functions. Therefore, Quizlet has continued to be an innovator in the education field by bringing improved education technology to students at no cost.

Source: http://quizlet.com/

ForClass: A New and Innovative Education Platform

By Sean Scarpiello

One of the newest technologies to keep an eye on in 2015 is a creative education platform called ForClass. Teachers and professors are already extremely busy and find it increasingly difficult to prepare for class. ForClass is a platform geared towards easing the difficulties in preparing for classes while engaging students.

ForClass  enables teachers to assign questions to students for homework. These questions may be a guided reading, pop quiz, or a list of key concepts. As students answer these questions, teachers get an understanding of how each question is answered. This enables teachers to structure their lecture on the areas were students struggled. Further, ForClass gives teachers the statistical breakdown of how each student did on the assignment. Therefore, teachers can see where individual students are having difficulties and offer them help. This provides an easier education for each student individually. Over the course of a semester, ForClass can track a student’s progress, thereby enabling teachers to determine each student’s reasoning in answering questions.

One of the most important benefits of ForClass is how simple it is for the user. Teachers are able to quickly and effortlessly post questions and assignments for students to complete. The class results of each question for each individual student show up in real time for the teacher, in a simple format. Plus, teachers have an archive of all of their students’ responses at their fingertips. Students have also described  ForClass as a straightforward platform that encourages them to become more engaged in class. Students can log on and view each assignment for each class and answer each question at their own pace. As ForClass is web-based, any student with a laptop, tablet, or even a smart phone with a wireless connection can complete their assignments from almost anywhere.

ForClass also affords the opportunity for teachers to use this innovative platform in a creative manner. Teachers can use ForClass to assign take home quizzes or post lecture questions to see which topics  confuse students. Plus, teachers can come up with their own creative ways to implement the software in their classrooms that fit their students needs best.

 Overall, ForClass has additional benefits by being a  low cost or in some cases a free program for teachers and students. Plus, it is easy to use for both teachers and students.In addition,  its ability to enable students to critically think and have fun with class instruction is a great benefit. Most of all, ForClass keeps students actively engaged in class material and also benefits teachers by having a clear understanding of their student’s grasp of the material. It is clear that ForClass is an excellent addition to any classroom as it is easy to implement into classrooms where students can utilize technology to improve the quality of their education.

Source: http://www.forclass.com/

The Effectiveness of Online Writing Labs (OWLs)

By Sean Scarpiello

As the year 2015 quickly approaches, one interesting educational technology tool to keep an eye is Online Writing Labs or OWLs. These writing tools are designed to engage high school and college students in improving their writing skills to fit what college professors are looking for in essays and reports. More importantly, OWLs focus on improving writing in general, an important skill to have in all careers, regardless of the exact field of study in college. Different colleges such as Purdue University and Excelsior College offer their versions of OWLs online at no cost to users.

As OWLs are an online based technology, they can be accessed 24/7 from any laptop, tablet, or other device from any place with an internet connection.
Within the OWLs offered by Excelsior College, there are 8 different modules for improving college level writing. There are modules that focus on the actual process of writing. These processes  help students think about how they should go about brainstorming, developing arguments, looking at opposing viewpoints, and more. From there, students can find modules that help lay the foundations of what to include in their introductions and main content. In a series of fun to read and interactive instructional pages, students can also learn how to write without plagiarizing, control their voice, develop concise yet effective thesis statements and more. Plus, these pages include tips on how to revise and edit their papers so students can easily understand what areas their professors are focusing on during the grading process. One study showed that, on average, students using OWLs raised their final grade in a course by 6.6 points. While this is great for students’ transcripts in the short term, the long term benefit is improved writing styles which they will inevitably take with them beyond their educational career.

In addition to OWLs pages of content for improving writing, Excelsior College’s OWL  includes modules on how to craft writing for different audiences. There is an essay module and a grammar module which guides students  on how to write in the type of rhetoric that professors look for while retaining the proper grammar and format in their college essays. Another module that is especially useful is the digital writing module which instructs students on how to write for readers in the 21st Century. This includes information on writing blogs, discussion boards, online journals, social media, and more. To help pull all of these skills together, there is an interactive game called Paper Capers, which helps students apply what they have learned in the OWL. The game is designed to teach students how to understand the writing process and apply their knowledge by answering questions and judging if aspects of writing, such as different thesis statements and research methods, are effective.

Overall, regardless of the field of study in college, writing is an important skill which will follow students for the rest of their lives. Therefore, OWLs are a great resource for students  as they contain a wealth of knowledge and interactive media for improving writing skills and style at no cost. Plus, the programs online format enables them to be accessible from anywhere with any device at anytime. OWLs will no doubt go on to improve the quality of education as more students can utilize technology towards improving their education.

Excelsior College's OWL: http://owl.excelsior.edu/

This Will Revolutionize Education

How Evernote Improves Organization In and Out of the Classroom

By Sean Scarpiello

Over the past few years, Evernote, an educational app designed to improve organization and collaboration in the classroom has continued to thrive and grow. Originally it started as an app with the ability to easily archive notes, Evernote has expanded to ease the jobs of both teachers and students. Evernote has now given students and teachers more benefits by adding additional utilities. The best part of all  is this free app is available to students on all different devices such as: smart phones, tablets, and laptops for Windows, Mac and Android. While there is a free version of Evernote, students and teachers may pay a small amount to gain access to more memory and utilities for education.

When you sign up for Evernote, users have access to really helpful programs. StudyBlue allows students to easily create flash cards, which can be used for studying large amounts of information quickly. Also, RefMe enables students to cite literature easily as well as bibliographies  and other assignments. Biscuit is another interesting program that allows students to improve their use of language while increasing their vocabulary, through word lists and dictionary tools.

One of the most interesting apps of Evernote is called eHighlighter, which truly improves the organization of students in and out of the classroom. Students can simply take a photo of their notes or the class blackboard and upload their photo to eHighlighter.  The app will then archive the students notes. Essentially, the notes within the photo are translated into text as if it were typed into a computer. eHighlighter then enables students to go back and review their notes by running searches  of specific key words within the notes. This allows students to easily find and review specific parts of their notes relating to specific class topics. As these notes are available in a digital media, students have full access to clearly written notes on their phone, tablet, or laptop. Furthermore, eHighlighter's features are not limited to class notes. Students can  take pictures of textbook passages, figures, graphs, homework assignments, and even confusing math problems worked out on a blackboard. eHighlighter then organizes all of these notes and rewrites the notes clearly  to be easily accessible. Another program in Evernote called Azendoo, allows students to take a photo of class notes or a worksheet  which is also converted into a digital file. Then, students can complete the worksheet on any of their devices and  email the completed document to their teacher. This allows students to not only easily complete and turn in their homework, but also save a copy  if there is a problem later on or for review when studying for a test.

Evernote even has an app that improves the educational experience of difficult math concepts which can often be awkward to learn on a computer. Through a program called Scalar, students have access to a digital notebook which helps map out and store the entire process of solving lengthy math equations. Scalar even includes a calculator for crunching numbers and other features where numbers can be color coded or crossed out to help students visualize solving math problems. Later, students can return to their account on any tablet, phone, or laptop and review all of the steps required to solve long and abstract math equations. Further, they have a copy of the math notes that are clear and easy to read.

Overall, Evernote has a number of innovative and extremely useful programs that improve the organization and collaboration of students in the classroom. In addition to Evernotes programs such as StudyBlue, RefMe, eHighlighter, Azendoo, and Scalar, have even more programs that student and teachers can benefit from in and out of the classroom. Plus, all of the data in a student’s account can be accessed from any device using the internet  in a clear and easy to read format. Most of all, Evernote is fantastic because it's technology is available at no cost and helps more students through the implementation of technology in education.

Evernote: https://appcenter.evernote.com/collection/education

An Old Fashioned Alternative to Education Apps

By Sean Scarpiello

These days, young students have easy access to all kinds of technology. Some schools have tablets and laptops for their students, while many students have access to a tablet or computer at home. With so much technology at their fingertips, students are always on their device. Yet while there is a growing availability of educational apps and programs on these devices, there are so many other apps that draw in young minds. For many grade school students, games like Angry Birds or Candy Crush are seconds away. For high school and college students, these games along with social media apps are available with the tap of their finger.

Looking back to when I was a child, video games were only accessible on a TV or desktop computer and socializing with friends meant meeting up in the neighborhood. Since there are so many other activities to take part in on their devices, many young students flock to games and social media when they are both at home, on the go, or relaxing. One way that this is a concern is  all of this technology takes away from one of the best ways to learn- reading a book. In the past, a lot of my peers in school would read for fun. If we were on a bus, in a car, at home, or on a beach we would relax by reading. When I look around now, it seems like people are too plugged into the internet and do not relax by reading a book. While it now seems like an old fashioned way to learn, reading is proven to increase vocabulary, develop writing skills, improve critical thinking, and so much more.

This lack of reading is already a huge problem. Some surveys now show that around 80% of college students change their major. When I was recently talking to a friend who was facing difficulty settling on a major, I asked him what he enjoys reading. His response was that he doesn’t really read anything. He never sat down to read a book for leisure or to learn about something that interests him. And while this is just one example, this lack of reading among young students is pervasive. The reason for this could be traced back to such easy availability to technology. Instead of curling up with a book on a rainy day, young students are relaxing by staring at their phones, playing the latest version of mindless games or viewing social media.

How can this be changed? Teachers in schools should get students to read more about individual interests. I had a reading teacher in middle school that had a huge bookshelf with books on all kinds of topics. We were required to read 20 minutes each day, but we were able to choose what we wanted to read. He had everything from science fiction to biographies. If at any point we became bored or uninterested in a book, it was perfectly acceptable to pick out a new book. In other classes, I observed many of my classmates hating to read the assigned pages from the book the teacher chose in the beginning of the year. Therefore, when we were able to choose what we wanted to read about, there was much less resistance to reading and more emphasis on learning.

Overall, while it is important to introduce the latest technologies into the classroom to improve education, sometimes the old fashioned ways still work the best. By having students  put their phones down to read a book, students can develop their own interests. In addition  reading will improve  their thinking, writing, and so much more.

Changing Education Paradigms