Transitioning from in-person classes to online classes can be a difficult process. As nursing students, we rely on hands-on experience to enhance our learning. Therefore, this transition can be very difficult! Here are some free online tools that can help your learning and studies! If you are like me, it can be difficult to focus on one activity while on your laptop, especially at home. My mouse tends to wander off to see what else I can get from Amazon.
A website like FocusBooster has helped me with keeping track of my study and work times. This website uses a techonology called the Pomodoro Technique, which you can do on your own without having to go on the website. The technique is a time management tool that has been proven to increase productivity. First, you pick a specific task you want to work on, you set a time for 25 minutes and work straight through, and take a 5-minute break in between. You would complete 3 more intervals and then finish off with a 20-minute break. This type of interval has been proven to easily split up work and increase productivity.
A second resource that I have found very useful is Goconqr.com, a free website where others share their resources and study tools. You can also create your quizzes, flashcards or any variety of study tools that the website has to offer. I have found this website to be very helpful in learning new techniques for studying and increasing my memorization.
Quizlet has always been my go-to website when trying to memorize different terms or study words, especially when the flashcards have already been created by someone else. Quizlet has so many members from all over that there will always be a pack of flashcards that can be useful to you, especially for similar nursing classes.
Another tool that can be a hit or miss is StudyBlue, which provides you with resources based on the specific class you are taking. Some classes do not have any tools available, but you will be surprised at how many professors or students have taken the time to provide more tools on the specific area you might need extra help with.
An application that I have used for a long time, that simply installs on GoogleChrome, is Grammarly. This extension has saved many of my emails from being disastrous. This tool is a grammar and spelling check, and provides you with information on how your writing could be portrayed as. This tool is free and easy to use.
If you need more suggestions, or have any other resources that you find helpful, but are not on this list please contact me at dponce3@uic.edu
Happy Studying!!
