Maintaining a passion for school can be tough during the spring semester, particularly during an unusual academic year. Here is a round-up of tools and strategies to help motivate students and facilitate their success:
• Outside counsel: Now is a great time for students to meet with their academic advisor or counselor. Doing so can expand a student’s knowledge of current and future opportunities and serve as a temperature check on their progress toward degree completion. Plus, talking to someone invested in one’s success can provide the push needed to keep up the good work.
• Advance calculations: To solve the most challenging equations and embrace the actual theory of mathematical concepts, it’s important to be equipped with an easy-to-use graphing calculator possessing all the latest functions. Boasting an advanced Computer Algebra System (CAS), Casio’s fx-CG500 is a good example of a reasonably-priced next-generation graphing calculator helping students enrolled in advanced math and science courses. Clear visuals are especially important for distance-learning, and this model’s high-resolution, color, touchscreen LCD conveys a Natural Textbook display. Drag-and-drop functionality enables students to quickly and intuitively pull information from one representation into another. Meanwhile, split-screen functionality allows simultaneous viewing of functions and graphs.
• Mobile hotspot: A mobile hotspot can be a lifesaver, making remote-learners impervious to internet outages or bandwidth demands from other household members or roommates, helping ensure that they never miss a lesson or pop quiz.
• Eliminate a common headache: Students writing term papers can easily get bogged down in the tiring logistics of creating a bibliography. And while this task is necessary, it’s unlikely to further a student’s knowledge of a subject. Fortunately, there are apps available that automatically create bibliography entries in the style of a student’s needs when they scan a book’s barcode. Simplifying this task will free up much-needed time and energy for students to research and actually write their papers.
With the right tools and mindset, every student can have a strong spring semester.
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