User:LeoUfimtsev/Mac Software for Learning and Research

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Overview

This article gives an overview of Mac applications that are may be used to help learn and organize course material. Ranging form math-notation software for calculus/linear algebra, Mind mapping for visualization of study material, down to taking lecture notes via graphics tablets. It also discusses the impact of technology on the learning society.

Potentially most useful for university students.

Math Notation

Math Type

Math-type is a formular-editor that integrates into multiple programs. E.g Apple Pages,Keynote and other third party applications such as Scrivener.

It produces "Equations on the fly", i.e wysiwyg. (what you see is what you get).

It's a front end interface with Latex in the background. One may either "point and click" on the formula/symbol that one needs or use a hotkey combination. One may custom bind hotkeys to any symbol or formatting (e.g cmd+e to type in Superscript). One can also create one's own formulas (or symbols) and drag them into the expression area.

With practice, it's generally fast enough to keep up with a professors in Lectures.

Example use cases:

Calculus notes
Linear Algebra lecture notes
Data Structures Proofs
Relational Algebra in Databases
etc..

Memorization Software

Anki

Anki is a (free) Flash-card application to help memorize information. One may create sets of their own or use flash card decks that have been shared out by other members.

After learning a card, one may choose when the card will appear next. E.g in 10 minutes, in 1,3 days, in a week, month or years. This is designed to help one focus on the cards that one struggles with the most.

One may also browse one's collection of flash cards, for personal reference.
Cards may include text, images, sound, Math-equation (Latex), movies and other media.

Example applications may be:

Memorize Calculus formulas
Memorize Biology bonds between compounds and acids, biology terminology
Memorize words for new languages.

Brain Storming/Mind Mapping

Brain storming and mind-mapping applications allow one to display and categorize data/notes in an alternative fashion to linear notes.

MindJet Mind Manager

One can group elements into concepts and further group concepts into more abstract concepts, thus "categorize" items in a hierarchy. One may add images, icons and colour to the groups. One may draw relations from one topic to another, indicating cross-referencing or relations between items. There is zoom functionality, so one may see all of the map in one view or zoom into a detail.

One may also add tags to items e.g ( "Class notes", "Book notes", "Important", "quote") and later filter items by tags. For example, one may read a book, and copy quotes concepts and further references into the mind map. Then one may filter out and look at all the "quotes' from the book.

One may move items around and re-attach them to other nodes in the mind map.

The Brain

The brain is mind-mapping application that focuses on linking concepts together in more ways than traditional mind-mapping approaches. I.e normally one may have one parent and multiple children. In "The Brain", one has for every concept, multiple child-nodes, parent nodes and multiple relation likes to other nodes.

The intend is that one may find things of similarity. I.e when one says cat, one may think "dog" because it's a similar item.

For example:
Parent: Animal
Children: Dog, Gorilla, Zebra, Cat
Relation links: Dog <-> Cat.

One can also "Tag" each concept with one or more tags, E.g ("Class notes", "Course web-links", "e-book screen shots") and then search for concepts via tags.
One can also attach files and folders to individual thoughts, to emulate a file structure.

E.g It may be used to organize course material and one may create a personal "knowledge base" for future references.

Document/Research papers Tracking

During research, one can easily stack up on many articles. There are tools to help one organize research papers, copy citations and reference information about papers.

Papers2

Papers 2 is similar to iTunes but for pdf documents. I.e it's allows one to create a library of research articles and pdf books (not ePub). One can rate, add keywords, colour code and categorize papers. One can then have dynamic folders that will display papers of a certain kind (e.g once that need to be read, or once that have a keyword related to a particular subject).

It can also be used to read the pdfs, make notes and highlight papers.

It has a search engine build into the application it self, to help find papers and offers "shared" libraries, to allow users to share collections.

Papers2 was initially designed for the mac and thus conveys the feel of a typical mac application. But ever since it has been ported to windows and has an iPad application.

Drawing Applications for lecture notes

One may use a graphic tablet in combination with drawing applications to make notes of diagrams in class. The Wacom Bamboo Capture is a useful graphics tablet as it is relatively cheap and it is wireless. The wireless feature makes it easy to take it out and use in class without having to connect the wires. i.e. pen and tablet itself are wireless; pen is powered by induction, the tablet by build-in rechargeable battery).

Skitch

Skitch is a free app, useful for quick drawings. ^[1]

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop (in Painting mode) is particularly useful for annotation of images and when one has to make bigger illustrations, e.g. one can create 3000 by 3000+ pixel images for large diagrams.

Impact of Computer on the learners society

Using a Computer in Lecture

A study has been carried out to see if a laptop in a lecture makes student more efficient.^[2] Generally speaking, laptops in them selves did not make students unconditionally more or less efficient; it was more about how they were used.

Students who checked their mail and used facebook during a lecture performed worse on memory & understanding tests at the end of a lecture than students without a laptop. However, students who used their laptop for reference and look up purposes during a lecture performed a slight degree better than people without a notebook. However, the experiment had a relatively small sample set and findings and not conclusive but require further research.

Using Mind Maps for learning

Mind maps for learning were shown to be generally useful when one has to study material where there are many relations between concepts, or where concepts would often merge into more abstract concepts. One can then use mind-map relations to illustrate relations between subject. ^[3]

They may also be used for exam-preperation or for presentations.

Technology's Impact on Learning

Department of Education ^[4] ^[5] has studied the impact of Technology on learning.

They state that Technology (if used well) has a positive impact on:

Rising scores on state tests
Improved student attendance
Increased student comprehension

A more compleate reference: ^[6]

References

Foot notes

^ Skitch Video
^ [The Laptop and the Lecture: The Effects of Multitasking in Learning Environments by Helene Hembrooke and Geri Gay, Human Computer Interaction Laboratory, Cornell University]
^ [1] "Potential of MindMapping"
^ "Technology's Impact on Learning"
^ "North Central Regional Technology Education Consortium, Educational Laboratory, 1900 Spring Road, Suite 300, Oak Brook, IL 60521, (630) 218-1051"
^ Name of author, "Title of article", The New York Times, date

Other references

"Assistive Technology Tools for Learning, Learning Differences, and Other Needs"
"Wiki E-Learning"
"Technology enchanted learning"
Technology in the Classroom isn't Utopia. It's a must. by Cindy Matthews

External links

TheBrain Mind mapping application
25 Superb Mac apps for college Students
Technology for teachers: The digital classroom has arrived

[1] Skitch Video

[2] [The Laptop and the Lecture: The Effects of Multitasking in Learning Environments by Helene Hembrooke and Geri Gay, Human Computer Interaction Laboratory, Cornell University]

[3] [1] "Potential of MindMapping"

[4] "Technology's Impact on Learning"

[5] "North Central Regional Technology Education Consortium, Educational Laboratory, 1900 Spring Road, Suite 300, Oak Brook, IL 60521, (630) 218-1051"

[6] Name of author, "Title of article", The New York Times, date

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