18 Google Chrome Extensions for College Students - guest post

18 Google Chrome Extensions for College Students

The internet has been an integral part of our lives, daily lives. It is like a necessity for all of us especially for businessmen and students. It is a way to communicate and socialize even with people whom you don’t know personally. And when it comes to studies, admit it or not, this generation doesn't use encyclopedias anymore,well except those that are found in the internet, we all depend on the power of web browsing! This is the new way of Studying!

1. Graph.tk - Having problems with your Math subject? Worry no more for this Google extension can do it for you! Yes! Graph.tk serves as an online graphic calculator that works on mathematical equations. You can also have those calculations printed for your personal use.

2. Quizlet - Who says flashcards are for preschoolers? It can be useful to college students too! And that’s what Quizlet is all about. It can be used to teach different terminology or words to students. It is also good for introducing new words to foreign students.

3. Wikihood - Dreaming of travelling all around the world but you just can’t? Wiki hood makes it possible for you. Know the different history, geographical information, culture, food, and attractions of your chosen destination.

4. Planetarium - After exploring the world, college students especially those majoring in Astronomy, might want to explore the universe. This Google extension helps you explore the diverse types of constellations and other planets.

5. Academic Earth - Tired of the lectures conducted by your professor? Why not try this extension in order to get a glimpse of how others tackle or view different lessons. Academic Earth is also an open-source library that contains highly educated information.

6. Remind Me - College students, like their parents, have a lot of things in mind. School, friends, and parties occupy their minds. This is why sometimes things just slip out of their minds. This extension will come in handy for all of you! Don’t let bad grades get you grounded from partying. Be reminded! 

7. Split Screen Split - screen makes multitasking easy. You can easily get different information from different sites at the same time. You can even watch a video while researching.

 8. Connected Mind - Do brainstorming and idea mapping with this Google extension. Just store it in Cloud and view it as many times as you want. Sharing project ideas can be as fun and as interactive as this!

9. WiBit IT majors? - Have this extension make things easier for you. With WiBit, you can learn anything and everything about programming and other computer related topics.

10. Box - What will you do if you have a very important report then suddenly your hard drive just crashed? Will you just cry your heart out? Don’t ruin your day! This Google extension functions to save your data for future use without using your USB. Just access it and viola, your file is ready to use! 

11. Stay Focused - Facebook, twitter, and other networking sites just eat most of your time, leaving you with less time for your school works. Stay focused by blocking all those websites that affects your productivity. 

12. Typing Test - Got a lot to type but your typing speed just always get in the way? College students have numerous assignments and projects that mostly require print outs or powerpoint presentation. Whatever it is, it involves typing. Worry not for you can test your typing skills in order to improve more.

13. Dr. Web Anti Virus Link Checker -  Browsing and opening too much websites? Who knows which site has a virus? With this extension, you can have your link scanned first before entering the site. So before doing your researches, make sure that the site is not just a credible one but also a virus free site.

14. PDF/PPT Viewer - View you PDF and PPT files just by using this extension. You don’t have to download the said softwares in order to have a glimpse of that informative presentation. 

15. Studyers - Taking down notes has never been this easy. Studyers makes this possible for you. Don’t fail your tests because you lack important notes. And don’t forget to share it with your friends!

16. Harvard Referencing -  Want to feel like studying in Harvard! This reference extension can make your dream come true, well partially true. Get your generated references for your school works. 

17. Spongelab - Get a hold of your Science subjects with just one click. Spongelab is a global science community that offers games, interactions and information about the field.

18. Apture Highlights -  Got unfamiliar words that pop-out from your researches? Tired of copy pasting those words just to find their meaning? Why give yourself a hard time if it can be so easy. Just highlight the word and poof! There goes the meaning on top of the word. As easy as ABC.

 

There are numerous Google extensions intended to address our needs. Lucky for us, we are in a world where we don’t have to go to far places just to get the info we need. Let us take advantage of what Information Technology has to offer. Continue learning the easy way!


Author bio: Alexis Thompson is a former Mountain Backpacker and a 26 year old mother of 2 daughters, Sophie and Rhian. She is into almost all types of Music especially The Fray and Hillsong. She also has a passion in Singing and Scrap Booking. Follow her escapades on her Twitter.

Sensory engagement in the teaching environment - guest post

Promethean World

Sensory engagement in the teaching environment

Post contributed by Charlotte Watson for Promethean World.  Charlotte is a regular contributor to numerous educational sites. She specializes in student response systems as well as interactive whiteboard technologies.

Learning difficulties run in the family, so when my sisters and I were just children my mum made sure we were tested by the Dyslexia Institute. The tests quickly showed that my two sisters had severe dyslexia (a learning difficulty that creates difficulty with reading comprehension, spelling and short-term memory) and I was referred for further testing, eventually finding out I had a mild form of dyspraxia (a neurological disorder that can cause issues with co-ordination and motor functions).

My mum has suffered with her dyslexia and dyscalculia (difficulty with mathematical equations) all throughout her life and when she was in school she was just told she was slow, so she did everything she could to ensure we were given the help we needed in school.

The help was pretty poor (learning and motor difficulties were still looked on with a bit of a cynical eye back then), but I like to think we did alright. Luckily, the issue of dyslexia is properly addressed in schools nowadays – my nephew also has it and he’s being given the help he needs to receive as good an education as all of the other children in his class.

In terms of teaching dyslexic children, the main issue is that a dyslexic’s auditory and visual senses may be impaired, which means they’ll have trouble reading information from a board and listening to what the teacher says. I can’t count the number of times my sisters came home from school in tears because they just couldn’t understand what was going on in class.

By using a multi-sensory teaching method in schools, teachers can now tackle this issue. Multi-sensory learning is good for non-dyslexics as well, as it can help children to utilise all of their senses. However, it’s especially effective with dyslexics that have issues with visual tracking and auditory short-term memory.

The main methods of multi-sensory teaching are broken down into Visual, Auditory and Kinaesthetic, or VAK. Many studies have shown that combining these three senses make children much more likely to take information in. Utilising this triple-pronged approach to teaching ensures that every child in the class is able to understand what’s going on.

Much like any other child, children with learning difficulties often have a need to feel engaged with, otherwise the information won’t be absorbed properly. If a child doesn’t find the topic interesting, they’ll generally stop listening. Using tactile, auditory and visual information in class will make sure a child’s concentration is drawn back to the teacher and the subject matter again and again, and it also makes learning fun for everyone in the class. 

Video Conferencing in Schools - Guest Post

 

This was a guest post by Susanna cha, currently writing on behalf of LifeSize, videoconferencing software.
Video conferencing technology has a strong foothold in the business world, but it is still relatively new in the world of education. Just five years ago, video conferencing and tele-education in schools was rare, but it is now safe to say that the technology has successfully passed its testing phase in the educational market. As of 2009, it was estimated that nearly 30,000 video conferencing systems were in use in U.S. schools. However, the number of systems in use varies dramatically by state. States and school districts that have yet to adopt the technology either refuse to study the issue or fail to see how the benefits are outweighed by the cost.

Video Conferencing for Tele-Education
The primary benefit of video conferencing in schools is the same as the primary benefit of using the technology for business: it allows participants to interact with people and places without having to travel. In education, video conferencing has the additional benefit of opening up a variety of learning and tele-education possibilities. Tele-education comes in several forms, and a single video conferencing system can be used for all of them. A few examples of how tele-education can be used are as follows:

• Students can attend classes not available at their schools.
• Students who are unable to attend traditional classes may attend virtual classes.
• Remote teachers can collaborate with local teachers on special projects.
• Students can meet with remote tutors for private sessions.

Although tele-education is an important benefit of video conferencing in schools, other uses of the technology are also possible. Following are some of the creative ways schools have found for the use of video conferencing:

Virtual Field Trips
Field trips can eat away at a school district’s budget very quickly. Through video conferencing technology, educational or exotic locations can be brought directly into the classroom at very little expense. Many museums, wildlife sanctuaries and other educational organizations are already equipped with video conferencing tools, so it becomes merely a matter of scheduling a date and time for a live, interactive presentation.

Multi-School Collaborations
Video conferencing offers a unique opportunity for schools to collaborate with one another both inside and outside the district. Multi-school collaborations are not limited by distance, so they can even be carried out internationally. This use of video conferencing technology opens students to new cultures and new ideas that are not represented or explored in their own school. It can also allow schools to take part in competitive programs or contests, such as debates, spelling bees and academic quizzes.

Student Services
A final way video conferencing can be used in schools is to offer students special services. Vocational information can be provided by specialists to help students choose a direction for their life after school. Communication may also take place with college advisors for admissions counseling. In addition, library and research skills may be examined, or help may be obtained from distant libraries.

Video conferencing is a technology that has made a great impact on the business world, and it is set to make an equal impact in the world of education. By making the world just a little smaller, students are exposed to new opportunities and educational possibilities.

5 Great Smartphone Apps for the High School Science Classroom - Guest Post

5 Great Smartphone Apps for the High School Science Classroom
Technology is a crucial part of the modern classroom. Especially in science, teachers who embrace the use of new technologies provide their students with learning tools that are both fun and useful. Apps for smartphones are just the latest way to integrate learning and technology. Below are some of the best new apps for high school science classrooms.


Frog Dissection by Emantras Inc
Available for iPad and iOS for just $3.99, Frog Dissection is a great ethical alternative to the classic biology lab. For those students who conscientiously object to opening up an actual frog on their lab tables, the Frog Dissection app gives them the chance to explore anatomy in a new way. The realistic app mimics the actual procedure of dissecting using step by step instructions and virtual dissection tools. Clear 3D imaging allows students to see each organ in vivid detail. In addition to the dissection, the app contains information about classification, organ functions, and the lifecycle of frogs, as well as a comparison to human anatomy.


Atomium: Periodic Table by Henri Hansen
Chemistry students are constantly referring to the periodic table of the elements to find atomic masses, atomic numbers, and other important facts. With a periodic table app, students can have the information at their fingertips. Atomium, available on iOs and iPad for $0.99, is a great reference app that provides more information about each element than any student could hope for. It also allows users to regroup and recolor the elements according to properties. This is a great way to help students visualize the trends and patterns that are otherwise tough to see in a static table.


Science Friday BE by ScienceFriday Inc.
Most high school students are likely unaware of NPRs Friday talk show. The app for iPhone and Android is a great way to introduce students to the show that makes science relevant and fun. Teachers can use stories from the program as teachable moments and to further explore concepts taught in the classroom. A new aspect of the SciFri app is the show’s science and the arts section. It can help to engage students who are more interested in creative subjects. And best of all, the app is free.


Skeptical Science by Shine Technolgies
High school students are full of questions. One of the most contentious and political debates today is the one over global warming. Science teachers are often bombarded with questions regarding the ins and outs of the debate. With this free app, students can explore the whole range of doubts, questions, and skeptical arguments made regarding climate change. Skeptical Science keeps up to date with all new arguments made against climate change and offers counter arguments backed by hard science.


Vernier Video Physics by Vernier Software and Technology
Vernier has long provided teachers with technology for the physics classroom. Now, for just $2.99, students can visualize and analyze motion with this Vernier app. Students film the motion of an object  with their phones and the app displays the path of the object on a graph for analysis. This is a great tool for taking basic physics concepts into the real world.

Mary Ellen Ellis is a science teacher and writer for Teacher Certification Degrees, a career site for individuals interested in researching how to become a teacher in their state and featuring interviews with current teachers and leaders in the education field.






Related:


Android for Education resources and apps

Guest Post - Preparing yourself prior to applying for your first job

Guest Post:

If you are a recent graduate you may find yourself in a competitive market where there are more applicants than graduate jobs. This article covers some useful tips that you may want to consider, prior to job hunting.

Check your social media behavior

Recruiters nowadays may check your online behavior by typing your name into Google or perhaps looking on your LinkedIn or Facebook profile, depending on the job you are applying for. In order to be safe, you should regularly enter your own name in the search engine and see which results appear. If you have even the slightest doubt that the search results might put recruiters off, you should ensure that it is deleted or hidden from the public.

In addition, make sure that your LinkedIn profile is updated correctly as this will give a good impression to the recruiter. LinkedIn allows you to fill in details about yourself such as the skills you possess, your educational achievements and previous work experience. Make sure to do this as detailed as possible. You can chose which items you would like to be visible to the public and which items you only show your connections. You can also do this with your profile picture.

Ask for recommendations

If you have got previous work experience where you performed well, see if your boss or a fellow colleague is on LinkedIn as well and invite them to write a recommendation for you. When you write them, make sure to personalise your message instead of the automatic message LinkedIn creates for you. When they have written the recommendation it does not mean that it will appear straight away on your profile as you can chose to reject the recommendation or to accept it. Also, if you would like recruiters to know that you have been recommended but don’t want recruiters to read the recommendation, you can also chose to “hide” the recommendation for the public in your settings whilst viewers still see that you have been recommended.

Do your research

When you start applying for jobs it is wise to do some research prior to sending them your cv and covering letter and to include this in your covering letter. Don’t mention things that are too obvious or are too general such as “I would be keen on working for X because of the numerous awards you have won in X” but dig deeper and see if you can find anything that isn’t easy to find.

Also, don’t just apply for a few jobs but send consider any job that you feel would be suitable for you. You will then receive more interview invitations which in turn will allow you to practise your interview skills and to familiarize yourself with the types of questions recruiters may ask you. This will also boost your confidence which in turn increases the chances of getting the job you want.

Guest Post - On Teaching Children How to Learn

On Teaching Children How to Learn

Guest Post by Jeremy Fordham


There is perhaps no single greater challenge in parenting than teaching your child how to learn, and this is a process that requires nurturing an appreciation for the acquisition of knowledge. It requires pushing a child to enjoy challenging his or herself, to see “boring” subjects from interesting angles, to convince themselves to take an active role in their own education. Professionals have lots of opinions on why children lose interest in education as they grow older, but in the United states almost a quarter of college graduates are going on to pursue advanced degrees in a gamut of PhD programs, indicating that parents are definitely doing something right these days when it comes to instilling a life-long interest in learning. But just what exactly does it take? How can we increase the number of kids maintaining long-term interest in school? Or, at the very least, how can we maintain a long-term interest in learning no matter what a child’s ultimate decisions end up being? The trick is to start setting strong work ethics early on in life.

Preschool

Preschool doesn’t have to be a $30,000-a-year affair with entrance examinations and headaches in order for your child to get the most out of the experience. A very interesting study recently published in Science does a great job of quantitatively demonstrating the benefits of preschool. As highlighted and dissected by MotherJones, students who attended preschool, according to the study, had stronger high school graduate rates, higher college attendance statistics and had higher overall incomes compared to their non-preschool-attending peers. And while correlation is certainly not causation, myriad professionals have exhaustively addressed the importance of preschool in early childhood development.

There are innumerable reasons why preschool is so important when it comes to teaching children how to learn. According to Berkeley professor David Kirp, preschool comes at a time when children are in a crucial developmental stage. By placing a child in an environment where they can interact socially, hear words, build relationships with peers and exercise their sponge-like brains, kids hone life-long skills that make it easier to learn and succeed further on down the road. Preparation for the emotional and psychological aspects of education is one of the most important foundations necessary for developing strong study skills and learning habits.
At such an early stage of life, “instilling a strong interest in learning” seems like an elusive and impossible concept. But think about how easy it really is. Imagine if a preschooler is encouraged to figure out basic puzzles, or pushed to interact with the sounds that resonate from a piano when they touch the keys. In the most basic and most fundamental way possible, inspiring this sort of exploration at a young stage exposes children to the process of learning. Yes, it is difficult; yes, it requires motivation. But this is what makes it fun. It is entertaining to use your hands and figure out how a system works, and the more that a young child is exposed to that eureka! feeling, the more likely they are to pursue more of those moments as they grow older.

Furthermore, preschool helps bridge the gap in learning created by unavoidable socioeconomic stratification. According to Mr. Kirp, by age four children from a family dependent on welfare will have heard 30 million fewer words than those who come from middle class homes. This inherently dooms disadvantaged children to fall behind if parents do not act early on. Preschool is one of the greatest ways of ensuring that children are exposed to other minds like their own; of ensuring that they develop the critical keystone of their educational apparatus upon which they build as they grow older and are exposed to more external stimuli. Preschool is widely available and is a great way to start a child off on the right foot.

Parental Involvement

While preschool is a great way to develop the precursors of strong study skills, it should by no means be seen as a substitute for parental involvement in the educational process. The importance of familial connection and the organic benefits provided by parent-child interaction are unparalleled. There are a lot of interesting opinions on what makes a great parent, but the truth is that there is no unanimous answer to this question. Every child is born in unique circumstances that, very often, require variations in how parents need to approach learning. And no, stressing that a child performs at superior standards in school is not what is meant by an “approach to learning.”

Children need to be engaged by their parents in ways that promote critical self-reflection, as well as a reflection of the external world. Reading to a child, discussing current events, formulating opinions with them, inspiring structured (but simple) arguments, going on walks and asking questions about natural things--this is the type of organic interaction that encourages an a life-long interest in general education. Always remember that nobody is perfect--part of learning how to study well and retain information efficiently is learning how to do it incorrectly. Failure is an integral part of the learning process. All of the world’s greatest scientists didn’t formulate their theories overnight, and similarly, your child won’t become a great learner by asking just one question. Allowing children to develop their own unique interests, allowing them to pursue hobbies, ask questions and explore answers (within boundaries, of course), is one of the surest ways to help them figure out the right way to take in information--the right way for them. A strong natural inquiry translates into strong study habits, especially if a child has spent a lot of his or her time practicing in real, applicable ways that appease their own unique curiosity.

Additional Strategies

There are lots of different, existing strategies that a parent can take to help develop good study habits in children, especially when they’re older. Jennifer Viemont, a college success consultant of Deliberate Living, stresses the importance of concepts like time management and seeking outside help, which are somewhat complex ideas that are often best learned through trial and error.
Especially in today’s technology-laden world, time management seems to the bane of many teenagers’ existences. Lots of parents see their children complain that there just aren’t enough hours in the day!, only to see their teenager collapse in front of the TV or jump onto Facebook when they get home from school. In actuality, establishing a homework routine with an eight-year-old is much easier than with a teenager for obvious reasons rooted in psychological malleability. Teaching a child how to keep a calendar, budget time devoted to specific tasks, when to hang in there and when to call it quits are all essential in ensuring both educational success and general achievement as a working citizen. But these habits need to be ingrained early on if they are to effectively take hood. One of the largest blocks of successful studying and learning is emotional stress, and teaching children how to avoid this pitfall will boost their likelihood for success exponentially.

At the end of the day, developing study skills and lifelong learning habits is a complex process that involves delicate coordination of many ideas at many stages in a child’s life. A stepwise, knowledgeable approach to this ideology, however, has inevitable positive influence that, when combined with a little love, is sure to make your child an inquisitive person who not only enjoy new discovery, but who actively seeks it out.










Jeremy Fordham is a writer who assesses and promotes virtual PhD programs. He is an engineer who hopes to inspire dialogue in unique niches by addressing topics at the intersection of many disciplines.