Top Digital Learning Tools for University Students in 2021
While we might all be itching to get back to the real world, it’s safe to say we’ve learnt a fair few tips and techniques about online learning that we can continue to use in the future. Whether your university is online or in person this year, Tutor House has selected for you some of the most useful digital learning tools and apps to help make your university experience as stress-free as possible.
Arts Students try Adobe Creative Cloud
Adobe Creative Cloud consists of some of the most useful tools: Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Premier Pro, the list continues too. I used Photoshop a lot during my Architecture degree to touch up and add to drawings. It did the trick for final pin ups! Proficiency in Adobe programmes is a fantastic skill set to have but they can be quite fiddly at first! Luckily, there are many tutors and tutorials online to help you specialise in it and help you become a digital artist!
Not good with words? Use Hemingway Editor
You have the ideas, but your sentences just don’t seem to be telling the right story… That’s ok! Sometimes words can get the better of us, especially when writing an essay or that dreaded dissertation. Hemingway Editor is a fantastic tool to help you keep your sentences concise and to the point. It highlights any words that it doesn’t think fit perfectly into your sentences. A great editing tool and its free to use!
For Language Students we suggest WordReference.com
Learning languages can be super tricky, and sometimes it’s almost too tempting to use Google Translate for that cheeky quick fix. However, the popular translation software is not always so accurate, and can often leave you with more questions than answers. WordReference.com is an online language learning tool which provides in depth definitions explaining multiple differing interpretations of the same word, better assisting you in your studies than GoogleTranslate.
Unwind and relax to Headspace after a stressful day at university
University can be very demanding and it’s COMPLETELY normal to have days where you feel overwhelmed and anxious. Recommended by university counsellors, Headspace is an app and online platform that provides meditation guides, videos and articles to help you sleep and relax. Each session normally lasts around 10 minutes, perfect if you’ve had a tiring day and need a moment’s calm to yourself.
Use TED Talks for great ideas
TED is a non-profit organisation that provide powerful talks on a HUGE range of topics such as medicine, biotech, literature, politics, you name it, they’ll have it. Annoyingly, most universities don’t allow you to reference TED Talks in your assignments. Even so, it’s a superb way to get solid ideas and unique points for that essay you’ve been struggling to start.
Can’t find a certain book? Try Google Scholar and JSTOR
One of the biggest challenges for new university students is developing a high quality and relevant reading list. Often your course will suggest books, but perhaps you cannot get to the. library, or the book is already checked out. Google Scholar and JSTOR will likely help you find an online version of the book you’ve been searching for. Our special tip for this is to go further - search for other books or academic journal articles written by the same author or about the same topic. Showing that you are reading beyond the reading list will really help you get the best grade you can.
Oh and of course, there is the classic Microsoft Word
It’s kind of a necessity, isn’t it? But that’s for a good reason! Easy to use, Microsoft Word is an ideal place to write, review and refine your essays. These days most universities have free access to Microsoft, so it’s worth taking this to your advantage and downloading it now.
Most importantly…
These are some of the top digital resources which can help you during your degree, but to go for that extra push you might want to consider our expert online tutors that are here to help you with what you are struggling with most! Our tutors are experts in their field and can steer you in the right direction so that you can make the most of your university experience and achieve the grade you want. A win-win for all!
