Studyrails: Keeping Students on Track

Below is an article copied verbatim from Webware.com for a new tool to keep your studies on track. It isn't free, but $10. a month is relatively little to pay if it keeps you from losing all your tuition because you forgot to do the assignments. Time management is an essential life skill and learning it now will serve you well into your future career. This is a beta version which means it is still not a finalized product, but there is enough information here to determine whether or not it will work for you. There is a demo and a free 14 day trial.
http://www.studyrails.com/view/render_page

"Studyrails is a relatively new tool for students who want to get their class schedule and study time synced up. It's mainly a calendaring tool, but thrown in is a mobile reminder service, and a forceful lock-out system that will keep you from slacking off on your computer when you're supposed to be studying.

The core calendar product is one of the more interesting efforts I've seen. After you've plugged in your class schedule, you have the option to schedule in study time. You guesstimate how much time you'll need for each discipline or project and then block out those hours on your calendar. It's a simple drag and drop affair. What's neat here is that it'll automatically divide up your time into little chunks based on how much time you've acknowledged you need to spend per task and when it's due. It's not an exact science, but it's a good start for people who don't know where to begin when they've got a lot of projects stacked up at once.

When it actually comes time to study, you can link up the application to send you reminders on your phone or e-mail in-box. It'll also give you a physical lock-out from using certain applications or Web sites during those times. This list is made by you (or your parent), so unless YouTube is a part of the study plan you'll get a little block on the page that chides you to get back to work.
The service runs $10 a month and has a two week free trial. On a side note, founder of Studyrails, Joshua Loewenstein, and I have no relation.

See also: Motivation management with GradeFix
Related: Quizlet: Flash cards made easy

Studyrails is mostly a calendaring tool, but added is project management and time management tools for slackers. " credit: Webware.com, 7/3/08

Study Curve

http://studycurve.com/

This is an interesting mix of a social networking environment, expert assistance, tutorials, and subject area focus. It targets middle school through PhD, and puts users together with similarly-minded individuals for ongoing help and collaboration. There is also an Expert Rating System, virtual study groups, and the pairing of business professionals and college professors with students. You can also host a private class forum, posting Q & As and locating classes across the country for collaborative projects. A team team controls all content, display and distribution on the site.

For students used to sites like Facebook and My Space, finding a study buddy seems a good way to expand their technological expertise and assist with coursework as well. Once again, it's a good example of how the process of education is changing, and how the emphasis is changing from straight research and design to collaboration. It will be interesting to see how this develops.

General: Test Anxiety Tips

http://kidshealth.org/teen/school_jobs/school/test_anxiety.html Some down to earth ideas on dealing with test anxiety for teens and adults. Additional sites on test anxiety:

http://www.couns.uiuc.edu/Brochures/testanx.htm http://www.coedu.usf.edu/zalaquett/Help_Screens/Test_Anxiety.htm http://www.uiowa.edu/web/advisingcenter/aac_curr_stu http://thetwocrows.com/ahclem/testanxiety.html

This is a compilation site, which also has a lot of good information about study habits, techniques, financial aid, selecting a college etc. Great site!

Study Skills: Writing Techniques

http://www.how-to-study.com/Writing%20Techniques.htm

Welcome to how-to-study.com. Please use the free study skills, study strategies, and study tips on this site. We update our content, so check back often for valuable new study aids. Click on any topic below to learn about it.
Home
Preparing to Study
Taking Notes in Class
Learning Styles
A Strategy for Reading Textbooks
A Strategy for Reading Novels
Good Listening In Class
Solving Math Word Problems
Using Reference Sources
Spelling Long Words
Essay Tests
Test Anxiety
Using Abbreviations
Study Groups
Metaphors
Click Here to Contact Us
A Strategy for Taking Tests
Reading Comprehension
Remembering Information
Building Vocabulary
Writing a Research Paper
Making an Oral Presentation
Managing Time
Word Identification Strategy
Writing Techniques
Flexible Reading
Common Prefixes
Multiple-Choice Tests
Similes
Procrastination

PurpleMath: Beginning to Advanced Algebra

http://www.purplemath.com/modules/index.htm

Includes solving word problems and study skill techniques

Math Games and Study Tips

http://www.coolmath.com/home.htm Math games, skills and study tips.