Technology in Education

By: Austin S. 

Online Learning by LeanForward If 
on flickr.com under CC By-SA 2.0

Today, technology is changing the way we live. Rather than going to the library to read books for research, we need only to search the Internet for the information. Technology is changing every aspect of our daily lives, including education. NCVPS is a great example of the role of technology in today’s education. Technology is giving students the opportunity to learn beyond standard curriculums, practice and study in new ways, gain clarification on different topics, and even to accelerate their education through different courses. 

With technology, students can take courses they otherwise might not have had the opportunity to take. For example, if someone wants to learn Mandarin, he/she can take the NCVPS courses for Mandarin, while the language is not typically offered in public high schools. If a student wants to take an AP class that is unavailable at his/her face-to-face school, he/she can take the course through NCVPS. Online courses also allow students to accelerate their education. For example, an eighth grader can now take Math 1 and Math 2 in the same year through online courses, while most middle schools only have Math 1, and some don’t even have that option! 

In addition to providing the opportunity to accelerate education and providing new opportunities to take different courses you otherwise wouldn’t have the chance to take, technology is helping students find effective ways to practice their newly learned skills and to apply newly learned information. Some great tools include Khan Academy and Quizlet. These tools also help students study the material taught in their courses. Creative students can even use technology to develop their own study tools! For example, a student can create a quiz game through Scratch by MIT, an extremely straightforward programming language that consists of blocks with English phrases on them. Students can also utilize tools that have already been developed for such games, including Kahoot and Quizizz. In the past, students had to use worksheets, handwritten notes, and problems that were created by either them or their friends or family in order to study for their upcoming tests. Now, technology has made studying exciting for some by providing competitive games designed to practice their skills. 

Scratch 2.0 Screen Hello World.png by DevinCook on
Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA 2.0

Finally, technology allows for helpful programs such as the NCVPS Peer Tutoring Center to exist. The PTC gives both students and tutors new opportunities to learn and apply the material learned in their classes. It allows tutors to help students in their education, to learn more about technology through videos designed to give troubleshooting tips, and even to write articles such as the one you are currently reading through TutorTalk! The PTC also gives students the opportunity to ask their peers about topics in their courses and to gain clarification on confusing questions that they missed on an assignment. The PTC is an amazing program that should be utilized before it becomes unavailable for you to use. If you have any questions in your course, I would encourage you to go to https://ncvps.upswing.io, login, and find a tutor to help you understand the material you are learning. Technology provides incredible convenience for seeking clarification on topics addressed in your courses, both online and offline. 

Technology is shaping our lives, including in our education. Technology is providing opportunities at an unprecedented rate! Students can accelerate their educations through online courses, take classes that are not provided at their face-to-face schools, practice new skills and application of information through online tools, and ask peer tutors questions to gain understanding on specific topics through the NCVPS Peer Tutoring Center! Technology is powering our modern world in more ways than can be counted; it impacts every aspect of our lives! All of this starts with education.

Studying for Tests

By Charlotte P

1. Take Notes and Review Them

More than half of your studying work is done in the classroom. Whether your teacher provides notes or not, take organized notes so you can review them later. These notes can be an outline, bubble map, t-chart, or any other organization structure, but keep them organized so you can review them later. Keep each subject’s notes separate, and make sure they are easy to read and review.

When you take notes, write down facts that your teacher emphasizes or writes on the board. Moreover, write in comprehensible short hand, and do not try to write every word of your teacher’s lecture or presentation. Practicing writing notes from your teachers’ lectures will prepare you for college lectures; learn to decide which facts are important and which aren’t.

At home, review your notes and perfect them. Add helpful diagrams and highlight important vocabulary words or key dates.

2. Plan Your Study Time

If you have several tests coming up on the same day, this is extremely important. Think about how much content will be covered on these tests and estimate how much time you need to devote to each test. A vocab test may need less studying time than a biology unit test or a U.S history test on the Civil War.

Consider “chunking” — breaking down large topics into smaller chunks — your test topics. Study each chunk each day before the test. Remember to review all that you have studied after each study session, however. If you have more than one test to study for, study for all of them a little each day.

Keep in mind that your mind will need a break when you study. Since most people can concentrate well for about 45 minutes, so give yourself some rest every 45 minutes.

3. Know the Type of Test You Will Take

Will your test contain multiple-choice? Math grid-ins? Free response? Essays? If you are not sure, ask your teacher for a breakdown of the test. For multiple-choice questions, focus on facts, such as dates or vocabulary words, as well as the basic applications of the facts. Find practice questions online and keep drilling. Math grid-ins are usually harder math problems; review the harder math problems from the content, and do some practice questions.

Free response and essay questions require a more thorough knowledge of important topics. Look at the sections of the notes that your teacher emphasized the most and has the most details. Your teacher probably gave clues as to what the free response or essay questions would be for the test. Also search for essay and free response questions and at least contemplate how you would answer those questions if they appeared on a test.

4. Do Not Procrastinate

This is easier said than done. It is tempting to put off studying till the last minute. The best way to battle procrastination is to stay organized. Write down the due dates of assignments and the dates of tests and quizzes. Plan out study sessions and homework sessions beforehand in order to not procrastinate and follow a schedule.

Also give yourself incentives for doing your work early or following your schedule, such as leaving time to hang out with friends, party, or watch a movie.

5. Start a Study Group

The positive aspect of a study group is that members can hold each other accountable for fulfilling their roles in the group and studying adequately for a test. The negative aspect is that friends can provide distraction instead of support. However, if you need others to push you to study, consider forming a study group.

Carefully choose the members of the study group as well as the location to meet. The members of your group should be familiar friends, but also known to be responsible and mindful of their academic performance. The location should be a place that encourages quiet study and not playful conversation, such as a library or a café.

Rewards of Studying

Despite feeling deprived of energy and social time, studying will raise your confidence for the test. Moreover, taking the full effort to study will have you perform your best on test day.

The Value of Learning

by Charlotte P

“When will we use this in real life?” So many teachers have heard this question numerous times, and some have come up with clever answers. However, the question remains: what is the value of learning what we may not use in our future careers?

We are not talking about whether or not school should also teach necessary life skills such as filling out tax forms, budgeting, or cooking. This article is mainly about whether an aspiring scientist should be learning about literature, or whether an aspiring athlete should study calculus.

Possible Solution 1: There is actually no value in studying disciplines irrelevant to students’ future career plans.

Although highly opposed among adults, many of my fellow students have come to strongly believe this statement. And to a certain extent, they are correct. Time is precious, and life is short. All the time spent in those classes may have been used to further hone in on necessary skills. However, careers change over time. Are there any more telephone operators? Are there not less bank tellers at the bank than before? As for the jobs that withstand the test of time, they require skills in numerous disciplines. A medical doctor, for instance, though primarily focused on the sciences of biology and chemistry, must also be familiar with Latin, Greek, mathematics, and reading comprehension. Moreover, knowledge not used at the workplace can still be used in everyday conversation and, perhaps, in helping the next generation with their schoolwork.

Possible Solution 2: Education should be more work-related as students advance through their education

Of course, few would disagree that an elementary school student should have time to get a taste of everything before specializing. Then, according to this concept, a middle school or junior high student should be able to further specialize, but still must take core classes in math, English, social studies, and science, which generally cover the basics. However, in high school, students should not be required to take classes beyond the necessary level. For example, a student who only needs to know basic algebra need not take geometry or pre-calculus. The problem with this idea is that the high school student still does not know all the available career opportunities and changes his or her interests almost daily. We must admit that teenagers (us) are rather capricious.

Possible Solution 3: A well-rounded education allows for exploration and enrichment.

There is a reason why the Ivy League Universities (and other prestigious universities) believe in the liberal arts curriculum. They have core requirements in addition to major-specific degree requirements. Why? Because they believe that such a system would introduce their students to new fields and possible interests. Many students say that without such a system, they would never have found their interest in (insert academic field here). I believe this idea applies to high school as well. Although I love biology and hope to be a doctor, I also love calculus and literature, and I may indeed land a career in one of those fields instead. If that happens, I would still be content because I know I enjoy those fields. As for enrichment, it’s pretty much a big word for that sensation students get when they say, “Before I took this class, I had no interest (or hated) in the subject. Now, I actually find it to be quite interesting, although I’m still not passionate about it.” For human beings, it’s nice to learn something, whether at school or elsewhere.

So, when will we use (insert school subject name here) in real life? Honestly, maybe never. But learning a wide variety of academic disciplines, including derivatives and integrals, makes you a better person. It is not a waste of time if you learned something.

Navigating AP

By Josh K

It’s time to talk about AP - Advanced Placement courses. The mere utterance of that word may send chills down your spine, or cause you to break out in a cold sweat. Yes, AP courses are tough - they’re supposed to be, as they’re college level courses meant to be taken in high school. Naturally, this means more effort and time is necessary to do well; you can’t “cruise control” through AP courses like you can honors or standard, unless of course, you’re aiming to fail the class! Not to worry though, most (if not all) people can survive AP, as long as they chose wisely and understand what they’re getting into. Allow me to explain:

How to succeed in the AP program

1.) Know what AP means

AP is short for Advanced Placement. The whole idea behind AP classes is that high-school age kids, like you and I, should have the opportunity to take college level courses while still in high-school. By doing this, you can be prepared to take an end of year AP exam; should you do well enough on that, you can earn college credit and place out of the course entirely. AP exam scores range from 5 to 1, 5 being top-notch, and 1 representing no recommendation to receive credit. Generally, people shoot for around a 3 to a 5. The College Board (the people who are behind the SAT and the AP program) insists that AP: a.) Looks great to colleges, and b.) Can save you money in college. Both of these are true, assuming you do well in the course. A bad AP score/grade is simply a bad score/grade. It definitely won’t be doing you any favors.

2.) Choose the right area

What does this mean, you ask? Simply put, you have to choose classes and subject areas that you’ve traditionally done well in, and have a genuine interest for. For example, if you’re an amateur journalist/poet/author/writing guru, you should consider taking a course in AP English. Keep in mind the word “consider”; while you may good at English, you should really make sure you understand the dedication required here. For some people, AP just doesn’t work. And that’s absolutely fine. If you try to take an AP class in a subject like psychology, and you hate psychology, you’re going to have a bad time! Like I’ve said in an earlier post, achievment requires passion - if you’re going to achieve in an AP course, you have to have the passion for the subject.

3.) Choose the right number

“I have an idea - I’ll take a full load of AP courses since that’s what colleges love to see! I’ll get into Harvard/MIT/Caltech/Yale for sure!!!!” - NO. Whatever you do, understand that just like many other things in life, quality is stressed over quantity when it comes to AP classes. An AP course typically merits 1-2 hours of homework a night, depending on your teacher and subject. Therefore, if you take a full load of AP’s (full load = 4 classes), then worst-case scenario, you’re looking at 2 hours x 4 classes = 8 hours of homework. Plus, most people participate in extracurricular activities, which takes time away from the AP course at hand. Unless you’re an academic masochist (and if you’re one of these people, by all means go full blast), most people stick to around 3-4 AP’s a year. For example, if you’ve taken 3 your junior year, consider doing 4 senior year. The point here is to keep your load manageable, whatever manageable means to you.

4.) Be aware of the work load

Like I mentioned earlier, AP’s are college level classes. With that comes the extra-responsibility and dedication needed in order to learn and do well on that AP exam, come the end of the year. AP classes are intensive; they really make you think, and on occasion, will stump you beyond relief. That’s OK - the important thing about getting knocked down is having the discipline to pick yourself back up. Fail to do that, and you’ll be miserable, drowning in the sea of AP.

5.) Don’t take them if you’re not ready

“Even though I’m a sophomore still getting used to high school, I’m going to take 2 AP’s like all my friends do and hope for the best.” - this is planning to fail. Last year at my school, there was a large influx of sophomores who considered themselves ready for AP, and took the historically known “easy AP’s”: AP Psychology and AP Environmental. Suffice to say, these classes weren’t that easy, and a sizable number of them ended up doing horrible. They were miserable in the class, they felt bad about themselves, and it was just an awful time. Don’t be like these people - if you’re not ready for AP, for whatever reason, don’t do it. Oh, and FYI: there’s no such thing as an easy AP.

So after reading that dissertation of a blog entry, you may be wondering why you should even bother with AP. The answer is different for different people, but often times, taking AP courses comes from a passion for learning. If you want to work and have a great reward at the end (college credit is pretty cool), AP is for you. I honestly hope I didn’t scare any of you out of it; most people, if not all, should consider AP. There’s a variety of courses to choose from, whether you’re an artist or a scientist. Just remember: “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work” - Thomas Edison.  

3 Reasons to Actually Read the Book

By Charlotte Pak

I promised to write an article about not just relying on online review guides to complete your reading assignments. I know, high school students are busy (no, not middle school students, sorry → tough love), but there are high school students that read for fun. Yes, really. And no, I’m not the only one. (I sense your ridicule, fellow students ;-) )

1. Online review guides lack the minute details

Scenario: you are taking your quiz or test, and suddenly there is a rather specific question that you have no idea how to answer because you only read the online review. If you had read the book, you might have known this small, significant detail. Besides, some teachers and most professors are aware that some students may be too lazy to read the book, so they put in those questions.

2. Nothing is better than reading the actual style of the writer.

I mean, let’s face it. Shakespeare is not Shakespeare without iambic pentameter. And what is any classic book without sophisticated vocabulary? On a serious note, every word, every sentence, every paragraph, every chapter, and every book has a purposeful role. The author chose to write in such a manner to subtly present his point even further. And besides, reading good writing makes you a good writer. Do you want to write like the guys who write the guides, or the ever famous Ernest Hemingway? At least, your English teachers would very much like another Hemingway in their classroom.

3.     *Your own analysis and opinions are what counts*

Alright, I admit it. The online review guide guys are pretty brilliant at analysis. You could simply read their thoughts on the books. But, everyone has their own unique thoughts about these books. If you can’t read online review guides and explain why you may agree or disagree with their analyses, you shouldn’t be reading them. Teachers and professors are interested in your thoughts, observations, and opinions about a written work, not someone else’s. Learning to analyze characters and stories on your own can help you actively observe the environment and people that surround your daily life. If you can predict and infer something about a character, then you will be able to predict and infer something about the real life people around you.

These same reasons also apply to watching movies instead. A great example would The Great Gatsby. Whether you watch the 1974 or the 2013, you are actually watching the interpretations of the directors and actors of the films. Although both are fairly close to the story, they do not make room for your own analysis and opinion. (No, this is not the time to talk about Leonardo DiCaprio)

I am not opposed to online review guides and films; the former is a useful review tool, and the latter is good for entertainment. However, the actual book is a different medium, and nothing is better than reading the original source. So, do yourself a favor and read the actual book.

A Learning Style for Everyone

By: Noah H.

Learning styles are the fingerprints of the mind; they are as unique as the person using them and as varying as all the people in the world. There are several generalized categories of learning styles, and all influence how a student learns. Understanding them is the best way for a student to pass a class. Knowing about your learning style can help you know how to study for an online class.

A learning style is the way in which a person learns, for example whether or not they learn more from a video or a book. There are several different theories as to how learning styles work but the most common is divided into 4 categories: visual, auditory, reading/writing-preference learners and kinesthetic/tactile learners (hands on).
The most common learning style is visual. This learning style focuses on pictures, diagrams, movies, and other forms of visual media, even visual demonstrations are helpful. The next most common learning style is auditory. These people benefit from someone talking to them to help them learn, and they benefit from lectures and video/audio setups. Reading/Writing-preference learners are most comfortable learning from books and texts, these students have no trouble reading chapters of a textbook, and may prefer to read a book about a subject than watch a movie about it. Lastly, kinesthetic/tactile learners are people who learn by “hands-on” experience.
One thing to keep in mind is that all people have parts of every learning style in them: no one is 100% one way or the other. You may be 10% reading, 10% visual, 50% auditory and 30% kinesthetic; however you should try to study the best way for you. So the person above would most likely want to get auditory help in a subject because that is their greatest strength. Another thing to keep in mind is that your learning style can change over time usually babies start out with learning through touch (tactile) but as they grow they will learn to use visual and auditory learning more and more.
Knowing your learning style is important, because as soon as an individual discovers which type they are they can begin to attempt to adjust their studying to their strengths. For example, if a student knows they learn very well from videos then they should look for tutorials on YouTube or some other video site rather than trying to decipher a wiki. Another way they can try to help themselves is in the way they ask for help. An auditory student may want to call the teacher over the phone for assistance while a reading/writing-preference learner will want to send an e-mail. All these factors lead to an easier online class experience.

To learn about your learning style, follow these links: http://www.educationplanner.org/education_planner/calc_frames.asp?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aessuccess.org%2Fgetting%2Flearning_quiz%2Fquiz.html&pagetype=Preparing-Learning+Styles+Quiz&sponsor=2859