6 Google Chrome Extensions That Can Boost Your Productivity

Google Chrome is the world’s most popular web browser, accounting for 69% of the total web browser market share. To put this into perspective their nearest competitor is Firefox with a market share of 7.6%.

This wide percentage margin isn’t that big of a surprise considering all the benefits Chrome has – device syncing, intuitive interface and outstanding performance. However, it’s the apps and extensions that make Google Chrome so much better than other available web browsers.

How so?

They give users the power to customise how they access the Internet and use it.

In this blog post, we will look at 6 Google Chrome extensions that can boost your productivity.

DF Tube (Distraction Free YouTube)

Many people use YouTube to educate themselves, for motivation and for background listening when they are trying to get work done. Sometimes it might be used to relax and listen to music or to kill time.

Bear in mind that the goal of YouTube is to get as many clicks and views as they can, as the more videos you watch the more money they make from ads.

After nearly every video is played, another video is already queued up. When viewing a video, you will see on the page dozens of recommended videos that the YouTube a.i. has decided have the highest chance of getting you to click and are most likely to steal more of time and attention. This is great for people killing time but bad for those trying to work and be productive.

The DF Tube extension provides the solution for this. You can hide the recommended videos, hide the custom feed and stop the automatic playing of videos when yours has finished.

Making YouTube a better companion for productivity.

Get the Chrome extension.

Dualless

The premise of this extension is to give you a dual-monitor experience. A recent study by Jon Peddie Research found a 42% increase in productivity when using multiple displays.

In just two clicks, this Chrome extension will split the browser window into two. The ratio is adjustable based on your needs. One browser window may only appear 30 percent on the screen with the other screen taking up 70 percent.

Get this extension.

Forest: Stay Focused, Be Present

Forest gamifies staying focused and avoiding the internet. When using the extension, you plant a seed. Over the next 30 minutes, it grows into a tree. If you leave the Forest window and visit another website your tree will wither and die. When you can visually see your tree’s growth, it can give you a sense of achievement for staying focused on your task.

This app is great if you need to spend 30 minutes working on an article, essay or anything else that doesn’t involve using the internet.

Get this extension.

There is also a mobile app to stop you wasting time on your smartphone when you should be being productive. Read our full write up here.

Freedom (Website Blocker)

If you constantly find yourself visiting distracting websites when you should be using the internet productively then Freedom could be the solution to your woes. With Freedom you create blacklists which are websites you do not want to visit, then you set a schedule for those blacklists. If you visit any of the websites in your blacklist whilst the schedule is running, Freedom blocks you from accessing them.

Freedom also allows you to sync your sessions across all devices – desktop, Android app and iOS. This blocks access to any chosen website you may browse.

Check out our full write-up here…

StayFocusd

Similar to Freedom, but where Freedom blocks websites for a scheduled time frame e.g. 9am-5pm, StayFocusd allows you to determine how much time you want to spend on a website per day. For example, you could set it to only spend 30 minutes per day on Facebook and twitter. Then once the time has expired, you can’t visit them for the remainder of the day.

Get this extension.

News Feed Eradicator for Facebook

Are you spending a lot of time checking out your Facebook newsfeed? Do you find time slipping away from you on the social media site? If you can’t imagine getting rid of your Facebook profile but need to spend time on more important things, check out the extension News Feed Eradicator for Facebook.

It is a simple plugin that just removes your news feed from your Facebook home screen.

Get this extension.

Thank you for reading and hopefully you enjoyed this blog post on 6 Google Chrome Extensions That Can Boost Your Productivity.

Learn more about us and the DSA process

The post 6 Google Chrome Extensions That Can Boost Your Productivity appeared first on A2B Assessments DSA Needs Assessment Centre.

The Pros And Cons Of Online Learning

The global pandemic is having an impact in many areas of society, especially education. Lectures have been moved to online learning environments such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams. And although learning things digitally is something many of us are used to, the set-up of online class rooms is still a big change for everyone involved.

Teachers and students who have become accustomed to spending time in conventional in-person environments, will need to adapt to the online learning model. As well as adopt new (and unfamiliar) teaching and learning strategies.

In this blog post we will explore some of the pros and cons of online learning.

The Pros Of Online Learning

Improved accessibility to education

E-learning can improve accessibility. Those who would struggle to attend a class in-person, due to a disability for example, have no issues with virtually attending one from the comfort of their home. Universities are also able to serve larger groups of students as they are not limited by physical space.

Improved accessibility of course materials

In a physical classroom setting, students normally need to take excessive notes and only have one chance to listen and process the information. Online lessons are generally recorded and the students can look back and study the material multiple times.

Improving the accessibility of course material can help students who struggle in certain areas. Providing a mix of video content, audio files, transcriptions, and notes can aid students with different learning styles.

Digital learning is affordable

In contrast to in-person learning, e-learning is normally more affordable. E-learning eliminates a couple of costs associated with standard education. Firstly, the travel costs for the student and secondly the real estate costs for the University or College.

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 many students have been forced into online learning without receiving any reduction in fees. This could change in the future though.

Improved attendance

Students miss fewer classes since they can easily access their lessons from anywhere.

Encourages participation from students who may be shy in person.

Many students that tend to be withdrawn in class environments can feel more confident opening up in a digital setting. They can be much more forthcoming, as far as participation and questions are concerned. This can be attributed to being comfortable in familiar surroundings.

The Cons Of Online Learning

Different learning styles

People have different learning styles. Some are better learning kinaesthetically, while others are auditory learners. Another group might be visual learners. E-learning can be quite one dimensional and as such may not accommodate everyone’s preferred learning style.

Universities should try to minimise this impact by providing video content, audio files, transcriptions, and notes (as mentioned above in benefits.)

Easy to Get Distracted

Many students are unable to retain their concentration for long periods of time during a virtual lecture. It is easy for boredom to set in since no in-person interaction exists. It adds extra pressure for the lecturers to try and keep online sessions interactive and engaging enough for students to stay interested.

No Social Interaction

People tend to learn things by being around others. Sadly, online learning eliminates in-person interactions for both teachers and students. Discussing ideas and talking to one another is important for students, and is also an integral aspect of learning. You can sometimes learn more from discussing a topic with your class mates than listening to a lecture.

Some platforms like Zoom have features to try and combat this. On Zoom, the host can create virtual break rooms within the call. This puts participants into smaller groups where they can discuss things amongst themselves.

Screen Time Overload

There are unhealthy consequences of looking at a computer or mobile device screen for hours on end, such as ergonomic issues and eye strain.

Conclusion

All approaches to learning come with their share of advantages and obstacles. Many institutions are still finding their feet with e-Learning but expect it to improve rapidly over the coming months. Since everybody is at the mercy of Covid-19, some type of virtual learning is necessary to keep education going for students.

If you are struggling to stay focused during online classes check out our studying at home tips.

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Otter.Ai – Free Transcription App

Otter.ai is a transcription app powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Otter.ai gives you the ability to transcribe audio, whether in person or digitally online.

We’ve been quite impressed with the app and although it isn’t currently DSA funded, it is available completely free for up to 600 minutes per month.

If you require more minutes you can upgrade to 6000 minutes for $8.33 per month, but students can benefit from 50% off this price.  So you are looking at roughly £4.00 per month (depending on exchange rate) for 6000 minutes of transcription. That could equate to 100 hour long lectures each month…A great deal in our opinion.

Possible ways to use Otter…

Taking Notes

This is one of the most dreaded, yet indispensable parts of the University experience and Otter can help take some of the stress away. If you struggle to concentrate on the discussion and make notes at the same time, then Otter can be trusted to faithfully transcribe full conversations. Using Otter you can also add pictures and images that could help make recall and study easier.

Transcribing Research Interviews

Otter gives you the freedom to worry about the truly important stuff. This means that it handles the grunt work of interview transcriptions and gives you the time to focus on analysis and result interpretations in your field of study.

Students with Hearing Impairments

Otter can also aid students who have a hearing impairment. This service faithfully captures and transcribes all verbal information, giving students with impaired hearing the ability to easily make notes. The app could also be used in non-academic settings to aid in communication.

Benefiting from Podcasts

Times have changed, and these days it is equally likely to come across academic nuggets in podcasts as it is to hear them spoken in the lecture hall. Otter can be used to transcribe information from digital media such as podcasts, audiobooks or YouTube video.

Conclusion

Otter is a great, cost effective tool that has the potential to really aid you in your studies and make your life easier.

Visit https://otter.ai/ to learn more.

For some other awesome free tools that can aid you in your studies, check out our blog posts on Forest, Freedom and Grammarly.

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What Happens In Study Skills Sessions

In this blog post we cover what you can expect and what happens during one-to-one study skills sessions. We would like to give a special thank you to Diversity And Ability (D&A), who helped facilitate this content.

Study Skills

Study Skills support is tailored, one-to-one tuition that will help you understand your learning style, to embrace your strengths and work on strategies to overcome challenges. In short, to help you study more effectively and efficiently.

‘The strategies I learnt were all extremely helpful and have allowed me to read articles twice as fast. Usually, I would struggle with reading my own work, whereas I was shown a new method of how to speed this up and make it easier for myself.’ – Xavier, Third Year, Goldsmiths, University of London

What Areas Do Study Skills Cover?

Your tutor will work with you throughout your time as a student on a variety of topics relevant to you and your learning style. Below are some common study areas your tutor can help you with.

• Organisation and timekeeping    
• Essay composition and planning
• Reading and proofreading
• Note-taking
• Research and referencing
• Revision
• Mental health and procrastination

It is best to meet with your tutor once a week for an hour throughout the term, however, there is always flexibility depending on your course demands and workload. The first session will focus on establishing your learning goals with following sessions then building on this, with an emphasis on enhancing transferable study skills that will enable you to reach your full potential.

‘I have noticed vast changes from start to finish. I have developed a higher standard of writing skills that has resulted in achieving higher grades in my assignments. It was really beneficial to find a tutor who I felt supported and adjusted to my learning needs.’ – Mohammed, Second Year, London South Bank University

How Has Covid-19 Impacted The Delivery Of Study Skills?

Although face-to-face study skills sessions have been put on hold for the time being, tutors are highly experienced to teach students with a range of learning styles on a variety of online platforms. Your tutor will discuss with you the best online platform for you to make sure your sessions can take place consistently and effectively.

‘During the COVID-19 lockdown I have been able to carry on my Study Skills sessions without the pandemic affecting my grades as my tutor has taught me to use skype, something I had never used before. I’m so grateful to have this new skill!’ – Abbie, First Year, University of Essex

Learn about other kinds of non medical helper support

Book a DSA Assessment

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