Apps for Education

I thought it might be good to let you all know about some apps that I have found very useful in my studies. But most of these I run off an iPad so may appear different on an android, the only app that is exclusive to the apple store is iStudiez pro.

iStudiez Pro

The iStudiez Pro is a calendar app that you can add you classes, timetable and assignments. It is integrated into the calendar app so any event you put in the calendar will appear in iStudiez, in either a weekly or daily view. I have found this app really good because all I need for uni is in one location, it notifies me when I have a test or assignment and it syncs between all devices through a cloud account. Highly recommended if you use apple.

Evernote

Although I have only started using this app I don't know how I did without. Some basic features are creating checklists, recording audio, and sorting notes into folders, places and tags, and syncing between devices. What is excellent about this is that it is on all devices, apple and android, just set up an account and it can all be synced between devices. The app has a very easy to use layout.

DropBox 

Never use solid state again!! Particularly good for me as I keep forgetting my thumb drive. It is good for storing documents, and there is an app that can be downloaded onto the computer, tablet and phone. You can set up a dropbox account, if you don't have on already, by clicking on DropBox. All you need is an email account.

Google Drive

Similar to dropbox with online editing available, making drive a little better than dropbox in my opinion. I use both dropbox and drive, uploading and sharing documents on drive that need to be able to be edited online and transferring documents from one computer to another through dropbox. If you have set up a Gmail account then you already have access to drive.

Adobe Reader

Adobe reader also has syncing capabilities between devices. I prefer Adobe reader from the app store for this reason and because I can organise my PDFs into folders, rename them and see the recent files. It can be downloaded for free onto your computer, tablet and phone. I use it on all my devices, including my android phone.

Food for Thought

There are certain foods that do make you smarter. These foods can generally be cheap as well, so absolutely excellent for university or college students living away from home. It is important when studying to improve short term and long term memory. Five foods that are cheap and good for your mind and body include:

#1 Oats

Yes this is what we give horses, but it is also what we make porridge out of for ourselves. Oats contain glucose that is the only sugar the brain can absorb, it is responsible for your concentration and memory. You can buy Oats relatively cheaply from Woolworth's for $1.19 (AUD).

All you need to make porridge is:

• 1 cup of Oats
• 1 cup of milk
• 3 cups of water
• Pinch of salt

Put it all in a pan and cook until boiled.

#2 Rice

Rice is also a good food containing glucose and reasonably cheap. You can cook it for a dinner meal and mix it with beans, carrots, capsicum and fish. The good thing about rice is that it can be stored for the week in a airtight sealed container in the refrigerator and reheated for the rest of the week. Similar to oats it improves concentration and memory.

#3 Fish

Fish have two essential chemicals that are good for your body overall and your brain function. EPA which reduces blood clotting and decreases the chance of heart attacks and DHA which enhances leaning ability and mental development. Tuna is cheap to pick up at any supermarket, it is ok to get the cheap or homebrand tuna or salmon, especially when you are at college or uni. But you can also pick up relatively cheaply frozen fish. Fish is something that can be made for lunch, dinner or a snack, so a really good all round food.

#4 Eggs

The yolk of an egg contains Choline, which makes up the greatest percentage of the brain. This chemical is responsible for memory prompting. Eggs are also cheap to pick up around supermarkets and are a good all round food. A nice quiche recipe involves:

• 3 medium sized eggs
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 1/2 finely chopped capsicum
• 2 Tbs of butter or margarine
• Splash of milk
• 1 sheet of puff pastry

Heat the oven to 180o C. Butter a baking dish and place the puff pastry in the dish. Combine all other ingredients and in well together. Pour into the dish and place into the oven for 30 minutes or until cooked right through.

#5 Water

Your brain is made up of about 30% water, therefore it is important to stay hydrated. When you get dehydrated you may increase your memory loss and reduce cognition. Water is the cheapest thing you can drink. Most tap water contains fluoride, which is also good for your teeth. Buying water is an expensive way of drinking, if you are at college of university then it is a good idea to buy a bottle and fill it with tap water.

Goal Planner

My previous post on HSC Student Resources mentioned setting out goals for during and after High School.
Here is a goal planner for those of you that may need an extra hand getting yourself in order for your future. Either in terms of education or life in general. This planner is free to download in a word document or PDF.

Goals Planner by Emily

Assessment grid

In a previous post I mentioned setting up an assessment grid to keep track of your assignments, their due dates, prioritising and organising your semester, as well as seeing how far you have come and how far you have to go. I have created an assessment grid, which is adaptable to your semester and subject offering. It is available for free download for you to get started with the new semester organised. Simply click download below the image or embed if you would like to put it on your blog.

Assignment Grid by Emily

Similar documents are available by Newbie_pro on Scribd. Along with some study notes on brand management and business strategy.

Marketing Students: Brand Management study notes

Here is a link to brand management study notes for a brand management exam. They cover nine pages, reviewing the brand management process in the first two, then trends in brand management and managing brands over time. The notes are $2.99 per copy.
These are the study notes that I used for my exam study. Overall for brand management I got a distinction or 75% to 85%.

The process of brand management covers:

1. Brand Positioning:
1. Brand Mantra
2. Brand elements
2. Marketing Activities
1. IMC
3. Measure and Interpret brand performance
1. ROI
2. Market valuation
3. Income
4. Grow and Sustain brand equity
5. Building strong brands
1. Making brand choices
2. Building relationships
3. Managing brands over time

These marketing notes are detailed and provide a broad overview of what brand management is and how it is used. I hope that you may find the useful.

Relaxation music

Here is a clip I found on YouTube for relaxation music, in relation to my previous blog on exam study. It has helped me with my exam study, helping me relax and concentrate.
The instructions that came with the video are:

1. Put the music on a low volume so it feels like its in the background
2. Focus on the video and just imagine you are on that beach with your desk
3. Imagine the breeze as you sit with your laptop
4. Close your eyes and then take deep breaths for 30 seconds
5. Open your eyes and look at the beach again imagine you are their
6. Now minimise the window and get on with your work with the music in the background

I hope you enjoy

HSC Students

To all you HSC students out there Good Luck in your final year of school. This post is about where you can go for extra resources for your assignments, study notes and exam prep. This post is mainly for Australian students, but you can use these resources still if your not in Australia.

Study Notes for Exams

There are a number of free resources where you can get study notes for your subjects. These include:

• Bored of Studies: This site offers students the chance to interact with other people completing their HSC all over the country. There are free study notes provided, guides to university or tare and tips and tricks about the HCS papers.
• NSW HSC Online: This is an initiative by Charles Sturt University to provide HSC students with information on writing for exams, study information and resources and some short study notes for  55 subjects in the HSC, including Business Studies, Economics, Ancient History and various languages. There is also good information about how to write for your exams and your options after school.
• Board of Studies ARC: This site provides information on assessments in the HSC, including multiple choice questions and provides links to syllabus documents and past HSC papers.
• Sydney University CCE: They provide preparation courses for HSC students in NSW, as well as a guide to getting through the HSC.

It is good to start early in your preparation for exams and assignments. This will help you to get the higher marks in your class, school or state.

After High School

When you finish high school you may feel a big void in your life for about a month or two, I know I had this and so did a number of my friends. It is a good idea to have a plan for after school, what type of career you want, where you may want to work (location and firm wise) and what areas of interest have you had in school that may help you reach your goals.

Create a goal planner for yourself and hang in up on your door. Have a look at courses at university or tafe, this will give you an idea of the performance measures you need to reach in your final year of school. You can also have a look at the Jobs Guide which has information on almost all occupations you could think of and what education and training you will need to enter that career.

You can get information on specific university courses from your specific state or territories University Admission Centre.

Good Luck to everyone with their Exams and Future

Study for exams

Ok so your exams are coming up. What are you looking for? A pass, credit, distinction...high distinction. Whatever you are looking for you will need to have some good study habits.

Tip #1: Have a clean study area
Ever heard Cleanliness is next to Godliness? Well cleanliness helps you organise your thoughts and prepare for you study. Have everything in its place, pens ready for use, highlighters full of ink, paper ready etc.
Having a clean study environment helps you get organised but also helps you get into the right frame of mind to do your work.

Tip #2: Set up a study plan

My study area

Here is a picture of my study wall. I use a whiteboard to help me summarise topics into flow charts or mind maps.

I have found that a whiteboard helps me to get ideas down easier, with more room to make a mistake, adapt an idea and with repetition of content getting the idea into my long term memory for an exam.

In this picture I have summarised 4 pages into 1 chart. I would highly recommend this for studying, especially for visual learners.

My whiteboard is just an A5 piece of paper that has been laminated. You can pick up a cheap one for about $5-$10 (AUD) from a discount store, but if you choose that option use a damp cloth or baby wipe to clean it or you may rub the paint off the cardboard.

Time organisation

Organising your time is the most important thing you ever have to do.

Ever crammed for an exam? The most stressful and unfulfilling thing that I have ever done whilst studying is cramming. The funny thing is it is something that most of us can avoid, we just keep putting it off and putting it off until the exam is upon us, that's when good time management comes into play.
With effective time management skills you can avoid the end of semester stress and anxiety because you would of been studying all the way through the semester.

Keeping assignments under control is big for me. Try to get them done before the due date, set a new due date for yourself so you have a goal to work for. Focus on one section at a time.

Before you start working make a plan of how you will approach your assignment. Do a mind map or timesheet of what you will be doing within each time slot. Make this plan flexible as you never know what extrenualting circumstances may arise.

Gathering information is important to successful assignments, so plan ahead and set time aside for this so when it comes time to write up you have it all ready. Google scholar is a good resource for university study, find your university or college library in scholar preferences so you don't have to pay for any resources. Failing that USE YOUR TEXTBOOK, if you have one. People have been using books for centuries, they have the information you need don't discard that knowledge.

That is all for this post. I hope you find it useful. Just remember these tips for planning assignments:

• Read the question and decide what it is asking.
• Write out a plan of attack.
• Set a date, before it is due to finish.
• Give yourself a break every now and then.
• Find information and write!

GOOD LUCK:))

Using Flashcards

Flashcards are a good tool for study. They can be used to help study for tests, exams, assessments etc. There needs to be a fine balance between size and content of flashcards. A good size would be about 10cm by 5cm. This size always good writing space with minimal distraction or clutter. Clutter creates a diversion, detracting from the meaning and purpose in the cards, as does distraction with too much blank space. Dot point form is best, not too much clutter with paragraphs of information, but not too distracting with heaps of blank space.

It is a good idea to have each topic in a different colour, allowing better organisation and ease of studying. You can cut them out of paper or an empty cereal box. You can divide each subject or topic by putting holes in a corner and connecting the cards to a key ring, piece of string etc.

When you start writing out your notes on the cards put main points not entire chapters because you won't need that much to pass, the flahcards serve just as a reminder or memory jogger. On one side of the card put a question or syllabus point, on the other a few main points that will eventually stick in your mind after going over and over them. Once these points are memorised you can think of sub-points that may go under each point, creating the body of an essay or report. Write these sub-points out on a separate piece of paper or other flashcards to go over and memorises.

The art of being wise is knowing what to overlook

William James

The importance of effective study

The first stage in effective study is having a clear work space. Avoid clutter and distractions, try to make it a neutral space which will encourage and enhance your study ability. Make everything you need accessible, such as pens, pencils, highlighters etc. When everything is easily accessible it will give you more time to concentrate on your work.

When you begin your study you should develop a timetable, this will help you organise your time and become a more efficient studyer. A study timetable will outline the blocks of time that you have to study and what you will study in these blocks. To determine your most effective study time there are two basic rules that you should follow.

- Firstly: Know your study time. Each person has an individual study time, this is the time that you can concentrate and study most effectively without everything becoming just a blur of information. There is a simple technique that you can use to determine your study time. First you find your space, it can be anywhere you can concentrate be it your desk or the kitchen table. Prepare yourself for study and begin, you'll need a stop watch or clock to time how long your study block will be. Study until you feel that it is enough, look at how long that study block was, that is how big the blocks in your timetable should be. Try to make them at least 15 minutes, this helps your brain to retain more.
- Second: Know your break time. It is important for you to break between each study session, this helps your mind digest the information so you can keep it stored in your long term memory. An acceptable break time would be around 10 minutes, ths gives you time to go for a quick walk, have a bite to eat or get another glass of water.

Please remember that you study time should be more than your break time.

Another way of organising your study is by setting up an assessment grid. This grid will have your subjects down the vertical and the term dates for the beginning and end of each week along horizontal. In the boxes you put the assessment detailing the due date and how much it is worth of your overall assessment mark. This will help your to organise what needs to get done first, utilising your time more effectively. Plus you will get quiet a buz from crossing off each assessment as you do them.

Another key is good study is setting personal goals and dates for those goals. By setting dates to have work done in will be a big help for you in using your time economically. For example setting dates you want assignments to be done by, setting how long it should take you to finish one topic etc. If you don't meet these goals don't panic and most importantly DO NOT GIVE UP!!! Stay motivated at all times.

Motivation is the key to success, success is the key to peace and happiness