What Everybody Ought to Know About Laptop Use In College


January 28, 2015

Skeptics say technology has no place in the classroom. The distractions are too many to count, and students almost always end up chatting on social media rather than paying attention to the lecturer. But aren’t college students mature enough to decide for themselves whether they will follow a  lecture to its conclusion instead of playing on their tablet?

If done correctly, using a laptop or tablet in the classroom will actually help a student with their learning performance. With good typing skills, students can take advantage of technology to boost their educational opportunities and make the most out of every lecture, seminar, and class they attend.

Better Organization

Students are often lost in the piles of reading material they have to go through for their exams. Taking notes on a tablet or laptop helps students keep their studying under control. Manageable digital notes make studying a breeze. What’s more, it eliminates the risk of losing valuable information through hastily-taken and illegible handwriting.

Better Focus During Class

With a laptop or tablet, a student is more focused on taking notes – as long as all social media notifications are turned off. The screen-focused model urges the student to devote their entire attention to the lecturer and their screen, to ensure they don’t miss any important information.

Better Student Engagement

Lecture rooms are notorious for being big and favoring anonymity. Students are not forced to participate unless they want to, and there’s really no motivation to participate, especially if the lecture in question is boring.

Bringing a tablet or laptop in the classroom opens up a world of Ed-Tech possibilities. Students can interact and participate in a discussion that might start in class and continue in an online class forum. Students can collaborate and brainstorm, research and practice through various educational platforms and apps. While these can be done offline, Ed-Tech streamlines the process and offers additional tools to work with.

Better Comprehension (?)

A recent study revealed that pen and paper notes facilitate comprehension and help students do better at quizzes. However, this only applies to a limited group of people, specifically people with less than average typing skills, apparently. Expert touch typists that type with impressive accuracy and speed surely can do better than people using a hunt and peck approach to note taking on a laptop.

Better Trust In Students

Professors who don’t like tablets and laptops in class show disbelief towards the idea that their students can discipline themselves and pay attention in class. This infantilizes students, and it tellsthem they’re not worthy of their professors’ trust and that they need to be hand-held in order not to deviate in classroom.

Students are however, better than that. With the right equipment, efficient and accurate typing skills, and the willingness to learn, a student can make the most out of every classroom situation.

Grab Typesy EDU for your students and give them the quality typing software they deserve Now!

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What Everybody Ought to Know About Laptop Use In College

Check out Typesy Community and exchange ideas related to touch typing, keyboarding, learning, technology, and Typesy program itself. Login with your Typesy Account here: https://community.typesy.com/

The Best Typing Software Reviews of Typesy You Might Have Missed


January 22, 2015

Typesy™ 2015 is a feature-rich release of the popular program. It offers you the latest in cloud technology and social sharing functionality, and has numerous other enhancements and features for more efficient and entertaining practice.  Let’s have a look at prominent reviews of the typing program so far.

Always Review proclaims Typesy™ an industry leader

Always Review, an established reviewer of programs and other technologies, shared in a helpful, in-depth review of the program in 2014. The editors at Always Review discovered that the combination of features, user-friendliness, expert-designed activities, and several unique functionalities make Typesy™ a top option for anyone looking to improve their keyboarding skills effortlessly. The editors were particularly impressed by the fact that the program is designed to be effective with only a couple of minutes of practice per day. The verdict sums it up quite well. “With the ease of use and effectiveness of this software,” the editors note, “you will have to look long and hard to find a product that offers the same level of performance as this software. For the amount it is sold for, it is very good value for money. ”

Ed Tech Round Up declares Typesy™ an essential classroom resource

EdTechRoundUp.com, an organization that aims at helping educators make the most of technology in the classroom, published a detailed review of Typesy™ EDU, the program version that has been especially designed for classroom use.

Typesy™ EDU makes it possible to gain typing efficiency through fun and interactive typing games and activities. At the same time, it offers powerful reporting functionality to both teacher and student to better monitor the user’s progress. EdTechRoundUp’s review concludes by saying, “Touch typing and keyboarding skills are essential to prepare students for today’s highly-competitive job market, and eReflect offers Typesy™ EDU to help educators and students achieve this important goal.”

Tina’s Dynamic School Plus rates and evaluates Typesy™

Established blogger and successful homeschooling mother Tina, from Tina’s Dynamic School Plus, offers a must-read, in-depth review of Typesy™ from a perspective that’s unique;: that of a mother who wants the best for her chidren’s education and success.

The blogger confirms the importance of typing skills in her children’s education and future career prospects, and wraps up her review with a statement many other mothers that offered Typesy to their children can sympathize with, saying, “After I unwrapped Typesy, I instantly saw the superior quality.  There is just no comparison to other programs I have used over the years and that includes comparing what you get for the price too.”

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The Best Typing Software Reviews of Typesy You Might Have Missed

Check out Typesy Community and exchange ideas related to touch typing, keyboarding, learning, technology, and Typesy program itself. Login with your Typesy Account here: https://community.typesy.com/

First 2015 Typing Software Review Released By Toptenreview.com – Check It Out!


January 12, 2015

“Typesy is a polished and highly effective typing software application that typists of all ages and skill levels will find beneficial. The software is designed to teach you basic keyboarding skills and then help you improve your typing speed and accuracy once you have grasped the fundamental concepts. Typesy does this through a winning combination of step-by-step training lessons and video instruction. An equal focus on accuracy and speed ensures that you gain well-rounded keyboarding skills, and appealing typing games make the software as engaging as it is effective. That’s why we gave this software our Top Ten Reviews Silver Award.”

Here are Toptenreview.com‘s list of criteria in reviewing the most updated typing software of 2015:

Typing Training 9.6/10

This typing software combines touch-typing activities with detailed video instruction. At the beginning of each lesson, a video instructor introduces a new typing concept and demonstrates how to perform it. This instruction is followed by numerous typing exercises to help you develop that particular skill. The formula is simple but highly effective.

Click here for more details.

Learning Tools 9.8/10

Typesy boasts a number of features that will make your learning experience effective and enjoyable. To make sure you get the most out of its lessons, the software employs a technique known as adaptive learning. This means the software continually tracks your progress to customize your learning. For instance, if you perform poorly on a lesson or exercise, the software prompts you to repeat it until you attain a certain skill level.

Click here for more details.

Progress Reporting 10/10

Typesy provides excellent reporting features, so you know exactly how well and at what rate you are progressing through the application. Two essential stats to know when you are using any typing software are your accuracy percentage and words per minute (wpm). The application continually tracks both, as well as your adjusted wpm rate. This is an adjusted formula in which your wpm rate is reduced by the number of typing errors you make.

Help & Support 10/10

If you run into any problems while using the program there is a system in place that lets you report it immediately. You can also contact customer support directly to resolve any issues you may have.

Click here for more details.

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First 2015 Typing Software Review Released By Toptenreview.com – Check It Out!

Check out Typesy Community and exchange ideas related to touch typing, keyboarding, learning, technology, and Typesy program itself. Login with your Typesy Account here: https://community.typesy.com/

See How China is Dealing With Internet Addicted Teenagers


December 30, 2014

Internet Addiction is widely present to each and everyone of us. Every time we woke up, we directly grab our phones and straight to our Social Media accounts. Worst of all, people tend to stay awake whole night just to play PC games!

Therefore, Chinese government has a way to end this addiction.

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Check out Typesy Community and exchange ideas related to touch typing, keyboarding, learning, technology, and Typesy program itself. Login with your Typesy Account here: https://community.typesy.com/

Improving Your Typing Speed Can Get You These Jobs – Part or Full Time


December 26, 2014

Do you know how to touch type? I mean, are you really good at it?

If you are, then keyboarding can be your ticket to a good full time or part time job. Many entry-level jobs require touch typing skills, so improving your touch typing won’t hurt your career, no matter what field you want to work in.

There are numerous jobs you can easily get if your typing performance is above average.

Administrative/ Executive Assistant

50-60wpm

At this typing level you can get an administrative assistant position. Of course, you will probably also need other technological and managerial skills – think about brushing up your skills in language(s), Internet and Microsoft Office knowledge, or CRM and other common software products.

Responsibilities of this job include creating documents and reports, filing, customer support, and administrative support such as setting up meetings or client appointments. The position can even include social media account management.

Editor / Language Specialist

60-80wpm

At this typing speed and with a passion for language you could get a job as an editor at a publishing house, a magazine, an online newspaper, or any other print or digital media agency. The proliferation of digital media companies that publish their own content makes editors a sought-after profession these days.

Your daily duties will include various levels of editing and proofreading of books, articles, white papers, and all other sorts of content. You need to have an eye for detail and good typing speed and accuracy, so that you can both spot and correct grammar and spelling mistakes.

Medical Transcriptionist

80-100wpm

If you have advanced typing skills you could become a medical transcriptionist. The profession is always short of staff and if you’re into medicine it could be the perfect entry level job for you.

A medical transcriptionist transcribes medical and legal recordings of busy doctors. While you need to be familiar with the doctor’s specialty, the profession doesn’t require any other skills, other than good typing skills and excellent language use.

Data Entry Worker

80-90wpm

Data entry is a non-demanding job you can easily excel at if you have above average touch typing skills. It can be a bit tedious and uninspiring, so you may not want to make it your career, but as an entry level job it could work great for getting you exposed to corporate culture. You can become a freelance data entry clerk too, working from the comfort of your own home, if the corporate world doesn’t sound very appealing to you.

Legal Assistant

60wpm

At 60wpm you can become a legal secretary or paralegal. You will get to draft legal documents, do extensive research, and get to work in an exciting environment with challenging cases.

As a college student, and during your first steps into the job market, touch typing could be the key to landing you your first well-paying job.

If you want to improve your typing accuracy and speed you can try practicing with Typesy™, a typing tutor that makes learning to keyboard a breeze thanks to its step by step video tutorials and customizable typing practice.

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Check out Typesy Community and exchange ideas related to touch typing, keyboarding, learning, technology, and Typesy program itself. Login with your Typesy Account here: https://community.typesy.com/

Touch Typing Skills Gives Your Children An Edge


December 12, 2014

Keyboarding is omnipresent, and yet many people fail to realize it. We touch type to RSVP a wedding invitation or to play games on Facebook. We touch type a work report and we touch type to chat and interact with online friends.

Touch typing is a tech skill that will be increasingly important in the coming years – so important that people lacking this skill will have a harder time keeping up with all the technological breakthroughs that will soon take place.

For this reason, it’s important that children are given the opportunity to formally and efficiently learn how to touch type. Typing in schools has unfortunately not given the due attention it deserves. Given its central role in any and all other computer-based class and skill learning, it’s puzzling why the average school curriculum doesn’t already include keyboarding classes.

Even if your local school doesn’t provide the tools, with the help of typing software, your child can learn how to type correctly, accurately, and quickly. This will give your child an edge they will be able to rely on throughout their lives.

–   A proficient touch typist saves hundreds of minutes each week on touch typing based tasks, such as homework, projects, research, or writing up essays.

–   A child that touch types quickly and accurately is more confident in dealing with keyboard-based tasks and school assignments because the lack of typing skills doesn’t get in the way.

–   A good touch typist who learned the right keyboarding techniques early in life will continue improving on their typing performance, because every touch typing activity will be a touch typing practice, helping them to constantly improve upon their typing performance.

–   Dyslexic children find it easier and less frustrating to touch type rather than write out homework by hand, so keyboarding can play a crucial role in ensuring that no child stays behind in class.

–   Touch typing equips children with a skill that will come in handy in college and later on in their careers. Keyboarding activities permeate all aspects of our lives, from education and entertainment to social interaction.

–   Efficient touch typists are happier with their typing competency because it leads to increased productivity, creative breakthroughs, and early task completion.

Teachers and parents who wish to give students this invaluable skill can do so through readily-available typing software. While it is possible to teach typing without a typing program, using a well-designed software product offers benefits to both instructors and students. A good program provides a structured learning experience for the student which both accelerates the learning process and makes it less challenging and more rewarding, by offering typing practice in the form of typing games as well as a range of tools for further enhancing the keyboarding experience. Teachers will enjoy the fact that the lessons have been prepared for them, leaving them more time to devote to students in the classroom. With top-rated typing software, everyone benefits.

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Check out Typesy Community and exchange ideas related to touch typing, keyboarding, learning, technology, and Typesy program itself. Login with your Typesy Account here: https://community.typesy.com/

7 Useful Things Google Can Do To Help In Solving Your Problems


December 3, 2014

Google has so many features that make our lives easier. But many of them, although extremely usuful and time-saving, don’t get the due praise and exposure they deserve.

The following 7 Google hacks will make you a better Google user. How many do you use already?

Google As A Dictionary

A simple, time-saving hack is to use the Google search bar to learn the definition of a word with a single click. Simply type the word “define” followed by the word in question. For example, type “define consumerism” and Google instantly gives you the following:

“the protection or promotion of the interests of consumers”

There you go!

This feature is especially useful for language learners as it helps boost vocabulary without the inconvenience of going back and forth between dictionary websites, or the drudgery of having to look up a word in a hard copy dictionary.

Google As A Converter

Just like word definitions, Google lets you instantly convert units from metric to imperial and vice versa. All you need is to type what you want to convert (for example, “100 USD to EUR”) and Google gives you the result you need (it’s roughly 72€, in case you were wondering). Apart from currencies, Google can convert any unit of measurement, weight, length, volume, temperature, and more.

Google As The Local (Or Global) Weather Report

Google gives you the day’s forecast in a single click. Type “weather” in the search bar followed by the name of your city, and you will instantly learn whether you should take that umbrella with you or not when you leave the house!

Google Translate

Although Google Translate can yield some funny results, especially when it comes to colloquialisms and idioms, it can be a very helpful tool for ESL learners and learners of other languages.

Google uses a vast array of online content to yield results and it even offers alternative interpretations, helping users to find accurate translations of a word or phrase.

Google’s Customizable Reading Level

This is a powerful tool, but one that not many people know about. However, it’s invaluable for ESL and other language learners, because it helps them find online related content that they can read and understand.

To use this feature when searching for a term (like “autodidactism”), go to “SEARCH TOOLS” – the last tab on the bar right under the search bar – and click “Reading Level” under “All Results.” Choose between basic, intermediate, and advanced to get the search results with the preferred reading level difficulty.

Google, Now At A Store Near You!

Not really, but it does a great job showing you where a local business is in your area. Simply type in the name of the business and then your city. The top search result will give you the address and other useful information like work hours and phone numbers.

You might even get a map showing the exact location of the business on the right side of the page, which links to Google Maps and lets you get directions from your current location to your destination.

Google Knows Your Needs

Lastly, among the thousands of features it offers you to make your life easier and solve your queries, Google also helps you search for particular file types, from pdfs to bmp images to exe files.

Simply type filetype:pdf into the search box, and the search results will exclusively be pdf files, just like you’ve asked for!

What’s the one Google feature you use daily, apart from Google Search?

Cross-posted on the Spreeder blog.

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Check out Typesy Community and exchange ideas related to touch typing, keyboarding, learning, technology, and Typesy program itself. Login with your Typesy Account here: https://community.typesy.com/

Typesy 2015 Is Ready For Action With Its Brand New Cloud Version!


November 27, 2014

2014 is drawing to a close and with it eReflect says goodbye to the 2014 version of Typesy™.
eReflect has been preparing Typesy™ 2015 for some months now. Today, a completely revamped typing tutor offers even more games, activities, and advanced features to make learning to touch type a fun experience for all.

A Cloud-based Typesy™ Experience

The brand new cloud-based Typesy™ is equipped with the latest tools, features, and capacities to make learning even more efficient and pleasant.

Typesy™ 2015 is entirely cloud based. This means there are no heavy downloads, no re-installs for new versions, no limited access from a single location.

The Typesy™ interface is cloud-accessible for every user, from anywhere. Software updates will be instantly implemented and the user will always have the latest version to practice with. Being cloud-based also means no ads to distract your practice sessions. You’ll also like the fact that you can enjoy fast, responsive software that uses the latest cloud technology to promote your learning.

Social Media Sharing

eReflect’s software products are notable for their compelling approach to learning. Every activity and game is fun to practice with, and every aspect of the software makes learning a pleasurable experience.

Today, eReflect is introducing social media integration for its Typesy™ 2015 software as a way of encouraging users to practice more, and then show off their results on Facebook.

Users can create a unique Typesy™ profile where they can check their practice history and results, as well as share their practice scores with their friends on Facebook. This will be appealing for younger users who will want to do better at their practice to keep improving their scores and sharing them with others.

Practice Gamification

As if the activities and games weren’t fun enough, now eReflect introduces success points, a new feature that lets you collect points each time you complete a practice session. This gives an extra incentive to practice because you know that the more you do the more success points you will collect – and the better you’ll look to your friends on Facebook!

New Games and Exercises

The 2015 Typesy™ has been enriched with even more fun exercises and games so people have plenty of practice material to train with.

This year, learning to touch type with great speed and accuracy will be a piece of cake. A feature-packed Typesy™ 2015 will help you become efficient at keyboarding and reap all the benefits of fast, accurate typing.

Check out Typesy Community and exchange ideas related to touch typing, keyboarding, learning, technology, and Typesy program itself. Login with your Typesy Account here: https://community.typesy.com/

How Would Your Child Respond To You Quitting Your Job? You Won’t Forget This 12 Year Old’s Reply.


November 19, 2014

PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi shares a very inspirational conversation between her and her daughter. #FollowYourDream

Check out Typesy Community and exchange ideas related to touch typing, keyboarding, learning, technology, and Typesy program itself. Login with your Typesy Account here: https://community.typesy.com/

Technology As An Indispensable Part Of Our Life


November 12, 2014

Technology is part and parcel of our everyday lives, but should it also be part of our education? Technological skills can no longer be ignored, or considered to be specialized skills only used by programmers. If we want the workforce of tomorrow to be truly skilled and capable in every area, we need to offer them the chance to learn high-demand tech skills. Today people can still get by with basic touch typing skills, but will that still be the case 25 years from now?

How much will SMAC (social, mobile, analytics, and the cloud) affect our day-to-day living, our professions, our entertainment, and even our social lives?

It is expected that only a few decades from now life on planet Earth will be irreversibly tech-based. More processes will be automated, people will get more productive and work less, and everyone will enjoy more benefits from computers and the internet. But this future world and its advantages has a prerequisite: it assumes that everyone is competent in using technology.

Today, touch typing is considered an absolutely essential tech skill, even for children. Students as early as the third grade are expected to take final exams on computers. Without basic and essential typing efficiency, these students can set up themselves up for failure, even if they’ve studied for their exams – if a student knows the answers, but can’t type them in fast enough, they’ll leave answers blank, and those blanks will translate into zeroes on their grade cards.

In a similar manner, tech skills like programming will be rising in popularity in the following decades. Some people are even arguing that programming skills will be as necessary as reading and writing are now. While it’s possible to learn touch typing on a keyboard as an intuitive process, basic coding still needs to be formally taught, because it’s a more cognitively demanding tech skill.

What’s so important about coding is not that it could be the tech skill of the future. Just like math, coding helps us understand with greater clarity the logic and beauty behind the design of computer programs and applications.

Many people regard programming as more than a tech skill, because it gives the individual tools for better understanding, processing, and utilizing technology in their professional and personal life. It expands a person’s knowledge of how technology operates and gives them the know-how to make the most out of their tablets and smartphones. It ultimately boosts people’s efficiency at work and enhances their home and social entertainment and interpersonal relations.

Technology is part of our lives today, and tomorrow it may very well be a inseparable aspect of daily life. Equipping ourselves and our youth with tech skills is the least we can do in helping build a society of knowledgeable, responsible technology users.

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Check out Typesy Community and exchange ideas related to touch typing, keyboarding, learning, technology, and Typesy program itself. Login with your Typesy Account here: https://community.typesy.com/

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