5 Awesome Online Academic Tools to Use This Fall

Irvine Private Tutor Tips: 5 Awesome Online Academic Tools to Use This Fall

There are so many great online tools students can use these days to help them adjust to going back to school. There are so many, in fact, that it can be difficult for parents and students to figure out which ones are helpful and which are just a waste of time. It’s important to look for online tools that can help students stay organized and focused on their assignments without providing a distraction. Online tools should make life easier, not more complicated, and are useful if they can be used when a student is studying solo or in a group session. Online tools and include apps, websites, and communication tools that help a student complete assignments and study for exams.

1. Skype

Skype is a fabulous online tool, especially for college students. Although Skype was not originally intended for education purposes, it’s a great way for students living in a dorm to keep in touch with their tutor or study group. Students can communicate with their high school tutor or work with a new tutor online to help them get organized and started in their new classes. Even if the tutor lives a few minutes from campus, the student might want a late-night emergency session or want to work in unusual increments of time while adjusting to their new schedule of classes. Also, if a college student had a fantastic study group while they were in high school, they might be able to keep in touch with academic superstars who are now studying at other schools. With today’s technology, there’s no reason students should limit themselves to what’s available on campus (READ: How to Handle Stress the First Months of High School).

2. Quizlet

Quizlet and similar websites make creating flashcards and studying vocabulary terms much easier than it used to be. Whether a student is in the sixth grade or graduate school, Quizlet can be incredibly helpful when it comes to organization. Students can keep terms from earlier in the semester in a convenient online format, so they have everything pre-organized when it comes to studying for midterms and final exams. Additionally, students can easily share their Quizlet study set with other people in their class or study group. https://quizlet.com/

3. Online Calculators

Online calculators and calculator apps are pretty amazing these days. Students can access anything from a four function calculator to an advanced graphing calculator right at their fingertips. They won’t have to worry about forgetting their graphing calculator at home or spending over $100 to get a handheld one. Although students will likely not be able to use an app on their cell phone during a quiz or exam, there’s no reason why they can’t use this technology to complete homework assignments. The quality of online calculators can vary so it’s a good idea to check them out early on in the term.

4. Grammarly Online Grammar Checker

Online grammar checkers such as Grammarly can help students identify common errors as well as provide an explanation for why it’s wrong. This can help students who need to get their paper edited and hand it in ASAP, but it can also help students improve their writing over time. Because explanations are provided, students will be able to identify errors they make on a regular basis and improve their writing or identify what they need help with. The confidence that comes with being able to communicate effectively in the written word is invaluable from kindergarten through college (READ: 5 Resources to Organize as a High School Freshman).

5. Your School’s Online Communication Forum

The most valuable, but often overlooked online tool is your school’s online communication system. Each school has a different name sometimes called Blackboard or MySite. This is an opportunity for students and parents to get in touch with the teacher and ask questions about assignment and grades. A student who keeps track of their grades will quickly learn which skills they already mastered and which ones they need to work on. Also, when students learn that grades are slipping, early on they have a chance to work with the teacher or a tutor and make an improvement before things get too out of hand.

The beginning of the school year is arguably the most important time of the year when it comes to grades. Students who fall behind rarely catch up before the end of the semester. Start the year off strong with the help of private Irvine academic tutoring from TutorNerds.

All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are