“I use Evernote for making checklists. If I have a large piece of coursework or many subjects areas to revise. I break each task down, make a list and tick off each task as I complete it. There is always a sense of satisfaction when looking at a list full of ticks!”
Evernote has provided a blog about “how to create a checklist“.
Evernote can be used on Windows and Mac computers, as browser plugins and also sync with smartphones.
“Before going to sleep I usually make a black on white PowerPoint presentation of the readings I have finished. I write the most important ideas – no more than five sentences per slide; 20 slides max! While lying in bed and listening to my music trying to fall asleep, I read the slides which takes about 10 minutes – it is a lot easier to memorise what I have read during the day using this small trick.” Taha – ITO course.
“I watch open course videos to improve my knowledge or to help me to catch up with my classmates. I do not find some of the uni notes good enough so the online videos are the best help and they often come from Oxford, Cambridge and MIT etc.” Linda
The links to Oxford, Cambridge and MIT show a range of options from podcasts to a YouTube channel and a web page from MIT with links to more sites. There are also many websites that have lists of courses, videos or podcasts and they often use the acronym ‘MOOCs meaning Massive Open Online Courses for example
Sticky notes positioned around the Microsoft Windows instructions – they can be used as an overlay with any documents and a sticky note can be added at anytime. The application can be pinned to the taskbar so you can toggle the notes off and on or simply close the Window and they will be automatically saved.
I am using “Sticky Notes”, the built in application in Windows 7. I began using this application because I tend to forget tasks and things I have to do over the day or week. This application is really helping me to gather information at the time it is required and also helps me to improve my memory when it comes to those everyday tasks.
What is quite helpful with this app is the fact that it is always facing you, while it stays “stacked” on the screen, you always have a face-to-face communication with your tasks which really helps you not to forget them.
It really requires a bit of a notification system so that you can organize your tasks at different time intervals, but it seems to be working fine for me at the moment.
Stelios – MSc Web Technology
I have been using a C-pen 3.5 for collecting printed notes that can be stored for assignments. It works well with Bluetooth and a Windows computer – You can run the pen over the print quite quickly and it will appear in whatever document you are using.
I have found it works best on high contrast black print on white paper or vice versa. The smaller the font the slower you need to scan. If you use a ruler or hard edge against the side of the pen you get a more accurate result and can scan across the page at a faster rate.
Luke – ECS
“I have an HP laptop and I choose to use my own desktop background which is different from that supplied by the manufacturer. I prefer a background that is not too dark and not too light but gives good contrast.” Yusuf (Computer Science)
The desktop settings on a Windows computer can be changed via the Control Panel > Personalization and there you can choose themes or high contrast modes etc. The Ease of Access Center also offers more ways of changing the way things look on the screen.
