STUDENT BLOG
The Education Tools I Love and The Ones I Don't
Mai Bucheeri
21 September, 2021
The covid epidemic struck the world while I was in grade 10, and it was the most unexpected occurrence in my life. As a result, I've been taking online classes for the past two years, and let me tell you, it hasn't been easy. Everything changed in the blink of an eye before writing in notebooks and making the teachers grade our work. However, whether it's a laptop, an iPad or a Chromebook, everything depends on the device. Everything I'll ever need is now on my device.
Before the pandemic, my work was primarily visual; therefore, I made tri-fold posters and 3D models. Nonetheless, the school has given us a lot of creative-thinking projects throughout the past two years. During this time, I had to come up with creative ways to present my work. I make every effort to provide work that is out of the box. Fortunately, there are many educational tools that I enjoy using and others that I tried but didn't like as much.
EDUCATION TOOLS I LOVE 
1 - GET YOUR SCHOOL LIFE TOGETHER WITH TODOIST
An educational tool that I highly recommend is Todoist. It is one of my favourites. It's an app that keeps me organized and reminds me to do all my assignments, tests and projects. Being an IB student is demanding, and the app helps me keep track of all my thoughts and ideas. Luckily, the app is available on all devices. This allows me to keep it on my phone to remind me of how much work I have to do each day.
2 - TRY SLIDESGO!
POOF! Boring presentations are no more. I've been using Slidesgo in all of my Google Slides presentations for the past two years. The website includes over 1000 templates that enhance presentations making it a solution to any boring presentation. It offers a variety of choices, colour schemes, and quality enhancements, as well as icons that suit your template.
3 - CANVA IS DEFINITELY MY SOLUTION
Having trouble using Photoshop? Don’t worry, Canva has you covered. What bothers me the most is that my Chromebook won't let me download Photoshop, which means I won't make my posters with it. However, I discovered another option which is Canva. I can create everything from brochures to posters to presentations with it. It has proven beneficial, and I have developed several designs that have amazed many of my teachers and classmates.
4 - ANIMATE VIDEOS USING POWTOON
Teachers assign me a ridiculous amount of videos to produce, especially when I don't want to record myself. When I first discovered the website Powtoon, I found it very easy to use. It provided so many options for the appearance of the video. I also record my voice which adds a unique element to the video. The only two disappointing aspects are that the video has a duration of only 3 minutes and that you cannot download the video.
5 - UPLOAD WORK EASIER USING CAMSCANNER
Even though everything became online, the teachers continued to assign us handwritten assignments. This is how I came across CamScanner, and it lets me scan as many papers as I want through my phone. It also converts them to pdfs and images. It also links to my Google account, making it easier for me to submit my files.
6 - SAY HELLO TO MIRO
Are online whiteboards a new thing? Through Viitech's Instagram, I found them working on a website called Miro. It piqued my interest, so I tried it. It assisted me in creating flowcharts, mind maps, and timelines. The aspect that I enjoy the most is viewing the work of everyone with whom I am cooperating, and in real-time.
EDUCATION TOOLS I STRUGGLE WITH 
1 - CAUGHT IN A JAM WITH JAMBOARD
Limited functionality? No, thank you. Jamboard is a commonly used website at my school. However, this educational tool has limited functionality. It has just 25 pages available. There are only 6 font colours to pick from, and I can't even change the font type. They do have sticky notes, but writing on them causes my page to refresh so it’s counterproductive.
2 - PADLET, THE PRODUCTIVITY KILLER
Padlet is another popular website at my school. I dislike how it works, mainly when working in real-time. Because all the notes move around, it causes you to lose track of where the work is. Also, if I don't subscribe to a Padlet plan, I will be limited to only 5 Padlets.
3 - CHAOS WITH COGGLE
Coggle is a website that assists in the creation of mind maps. The website is very disorganized, and I am limited to my colour options as well as how I would want to arrange the arrows of the mind map. Aside from that, there is only one way to make a mind map, and no other choices are available. The ability for other people to move and write about my work in real-time is the thing that irritates me the most.
These instructional tools have completely transformed the way I offer information to my teachers and classmates. My thoughts, which I usually express visually, become entirely digital as a result of it. I highly suggest all of the tools I use since they genuinely transform a concept from a plan to a beautiful presentation.
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WRITTEN BY
Mai Bucheeri
A student at Naseem International School. Independent and determined. I am curious and love to explore and discover new things. My curiosity, helped me gain new knowledge, and is the main factor in building my personality. As an extrovert, I love communicating & meeting new people.