5 New Tech Solutions To Enhance Old Academic Devices

By Sylvia Kohl

Modern fashionable devices have replaced many outdated things that saved our academic life in the past. For example, when was the last time someone used a sliding ruler? Or how many of your classmates use a physical day planner instead of a calendar app on their phone? And yet, there are many things that may seem obsolete to some, but could actually help you get ahead in the modern era.

The point is that every student still can use things like television, radio, lecture notes done in hand, and other outdated approaches to succeed with both educational performance and after-class activities.

1. Television & CRT Televisions

With Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Prime rising to prominence, it’s becoming less common for students to watch traditional network, dish, or cable TV. However, the value of television is underestimated by many young people. As the University of Michigan Health System reports, children still spend about 28 hours per week watching television. This way, they unintentionally learn different narrative structures, improve their reading speed, get in touch with world’s cultures, and more. One more important benefit of this activity is a non-fiction educational viewing. A great share of programming is developed to achieve teaching goals. “Sesame Street” might be a good example. We can find a lot of programs dedicated to such disciplines as:

• History
• Astronomy
• Biology
• Mathematics
• Humanities
• Mechanics

As for the CRT televisions, they might be a better choice for students thanks to their low price, ability to handle multiple resolutions, and display color more accurately. If a student does not want to use CRT television or plasma to watch TV, he or she can apply online tools like Dish Network or DirecTV.

2. Handwritten notes

Thanks to laptops and tablets, it seems like there is no need to waste your time on hand-made lecture notes anymore. There is always an opportunity for each student to take pictures of the slides or other materials with the help of even the most primitive smartphone or laptop. It is faster. It may look more comfortable. At the same time, you will spend the same time in class taking notes.

Even though typing your notes may seem like it has an advantage, writing them out is still recommended. Psychologists say that hand-written notes stimulate the critical thinking and memory-making parts of students’ brains. This is because once you’ve seen the text and put it on your paper, you have repeated it twice. This piece of information is much more likely to remain in your memory for a while.

3. Local storage

Most advanced computer users today prefer to store all necessary information on the web. I often hear students saying that you should save all data in the cloud. They really underestimate the value of the premise itself. The advantage of cloud is having access to the files with important lectures and assignments anywhere. In addition, the files are backed up accurately.

At the same time, there is no warranty that nothing will go wrong. You cannot be sure about external things as you have no control over them. It is better to make a copy of each important file on local storage. Internet connection may drop anytime, or could be spotty and slow depending on location. Viewing your files from the local storage does not require Internet usage. By the way, floppy discs are helpful for the same reason.

4. Software and programs

In the age of rapid technological progress, we all have an idea of how to make the process of learning more fun. A lot of online educational tools and software may assist students in memorizing the material better. When it comes to choosing between old and new programs or software, simply compare old and new Windows. It’s like evaluating the benefits of watching television. Older versions of Windows are much more comfortable thanks to familiar navigation and interface. The only risk is a disappearing support for Windows 7 and XP. Students should not also ignore old good Linux in case they prefer to keep away from viruses.

5. Portable media players

I still remember my cheap Korean T.Sonic with 8Gb of memory. It was awesome. Nothing could break it apart unlike a couple of my smartphones. Today, the portable media player is thought of as an obsolete thing. Windows and Android phones all possess a built-in Zune, so many students may wonder why in the world they may need an old buddy. Those who use media players report their capacity and ability to be connected to a TV. In addition, battery consumption is far less than modern devices have. You’ll be able to listen to the favorite music or lecture notes at any time and everywhere.

Sylvia Kohl is an IT teacher with more than 7 years of professional experience. Her main spheres of interest are e-education and beta-testing. This writer chose news about the increasing role of IT usage in colleges and schools as the most common topic for her articles.