Day 161 - inClass: A Senior’s Perspective on Staying Organized - Nick Merlino, BHS Senior

This post originally appeared on the BHS Help Desk Blog

With this intuitive and easy to use productivity tool, organizing your schedule is a breeze no matter how convoluted it is. inClass will let you organize all of your courses, to do lists, work, and extracurricular activities. It can even give you a notification reminder when something is due. The best part is, with this app, you don’t have to carry around those heavy notebooks or agendas.

I DEFINITELY suggest using this app, as I use it for organizing everything in my life. Specifically, I use inClass to organize my homework assignments and everything related to school, sports, and my involvement in clubs and volunteer work. I also use it to keep track of things going on in my personal life including events with my family and friends. It basically functions as my to-do list. It’s really important to note that inClass is used by a large majority of students at BHS (freshmen through senior). It’s free, easy to learn, and functional. I’m graduating in June and when I head to UMass Amherst in the fall, it’s possible I’ll continue to use inClass as a college student. Personally, I’d recommend showing incoming freshmen this agenda app during their summer iPad orientation. Even though everyone is focused on the summer, it will be a new school year before you know it. Summer definitely goes by way to quick.

The image below is of an example screenshot of the schedule tab, where users can see what is due each day of the month.

The schedule tab lets the user see what is due for each individual day and what events are coming up based off of color-coded tasks. Each color represents a user created “class.”

The screenshot below is an example of assignments and tests that have been entered into the agenda. To add an event on this screen simply press the ‘+’ and enter the information requested.

The note taking ability with inClass is extremely adaptive. You can take video notes, background recording notes, audio notes, text notes, and even photo notes! You can even share your notes on multiple devices using the StudyRoom feature!

The StudyRoom feature also allows for sharing notes to your friends who are in the same “classroom”. You can also email each individual note, share them on Facebook (an example of using social media for educational purposes), and export your notes via iTunes File Sharing or back them up, which you can later open in inClass if, say, you’re changing devices, and you’ll still get all of your notes, tasks and classes.
There’s also a professors tab where you can input the contact information for each class’s instructor, where you can keep your teacher’s blog address, email address, name, number, etc. Especially in Burlington, where teachers use a variety of different methods of communications, this is extremely helpful. Some teachers have a blog, others have a website, and some only use email.

In-App purchases are available as well

• Remove adds – $0.99
• Drawing tool – $0.99

My App Review

Check out this instructional video on how to use inClass.

Day 152 - Career Portfolio Overview, Nick Merlino, BHS Senior

1) What have you learned as a result of the career project?

• Throughout the career portfolio process, I have learned to boil down my goals and skills into what is crucial for my future. Using this new knowledge, I have created an attractive digital footprint that I hope will draw future opportunities and employers. It was also helpful to link all of my digital profiles together so they can be found easily. I have also learned that I do not know everything about what my future holds but I should focus on my goal of going into the field of computer science as a career and prioritize what is important in my life. Also I have learned that my previous presentation skills were dreadful and Mrs. Scheffer is extremely capable at creating presentations that are attractive.

2) How has the carer project contributed to your digital footprint?

• Now I have four more online accounts that link everything together and present me in a professional manner. Before, I had an activities list that had EVERY SINGLE thing I have done, which was just a large list basically with many dates next to it. We distinguished which ones were most important and then removed the non-essentials and turned them into a brand new digital footprint that appears professional. After the program, I went from a single activities list to having a:
  • Resume
  • Linked.In
  • About.Me
  • Re.vu

3) Why is the career portfolio project important?

• It is important, as before I simply had a list of MANY activities I have done, but now I have a complete and well done resume that I am proud of. The whole process was interesting and engaging because it was not a random project that had no use but it directly influences my future and it made me look at what I have truly done over my 18 years. As I’m going to college next year, I will be looking to create new online and professional connections as well as present myself in this professional manner in order to make myself available for career advancement.

4) How has the career portfolio given you a competitive advantage?

• I hope that this career portfolio will give me an advantage as other students don’t have this opportunity to learn how to present themselves in this manner. The program was basically a large advantage to me compared to others students throughout the world as they most likely do not have a professional instructor that has expertise in creating these digital sites. They, like I had before, only have themselves and websites to guide them in what is a “good” resume. Not only do I have a well put together professional resume now, but also other online profiles which will be extremely important in my future.

Day 37 - “Oh I forgot!” Use Remind101 & Never Hear That Again! - Nick Merlino, BHS Senior

This post originally appeared on the BHS Help Desk Blog

Senior Help Desk Blogger Nick Merlino makes his debut post by providing an excellent overview of how teachers can use the tool Remind101 to improve student and parent communication. With parent-teacher conferences right around the corner, now is the perfect time to integrate this meaningful technology. Please remember the Help Desk is open all periods (except 5) if you would like personal assistance in setting up your Remind101 account. Help Desk students are also available to visit your classroom and work with you individually. 

Nick Merlino
Class of 2014

Are you tired of your students forgetting to do their homework or study for that important test? Well, with Remind101, you can not only remind your students about anything and everything about your class, you can notify their parents as well. This is basically a teacher’s dream come true!

Remind101 is available for free on the web and as an iPhone or Android app. This simple to use tool features the ability to send one-way text messages (without disclosing personal phone numbers) to subscribed members of your groups. Educators, advisors, or coaches have the ability to create up to 10 groups. Below is a screen shot from Mrs. Scheffer’s Remind101 account.

Students can subscribe to the group by sending a message, for example @ExClass, to the given number and once the text is sent, the sender is subscribed to the feed and communication can begin. This literally takes no more than two minutes, but will become a tremendously powerful tool, which will allow you to connect more effectively with your students and parents. 

The message is sent from the auto-created Remind101 number to the students so the teachers and students do not have to exchange phone numbers, as previously mentioned. Teachers can schedule the message to be sent at a certain date and time if desired. Also, since it is one way communication, the receiver is not allowed to respond to the messages. This tool is a great supplement to something such as Edmodo or other educational communication platforms.

Some of the many uses of this application in the world of education are:

1. Reminders for upcoming assignments, tests, field trips, or special occasions.
2. Notifying parents on important dates and schedule changes.
3. Informing subscribers on new information or blog posts.

Here are some great tips on effectively introducing and integrating Remind101 into your classroom:

1. Put the instructions up in the front of the class. Have your students take out their phones and all sign up at once
2. Think about presenting your Remind101 class information during parent-teacher conferences or back-to-school nights.
3. Be mindful about how many messages you send. The average teacher sends about 5 per week.

Click here for a complete list of Remind101 best practices.

Give Remind101 a try, I doubt you’ll regret it! Watch the video below to see how quick and easy it is to use Remind101.