Online study has quickly revolutionised how we view traditional education, steering us away from traditional brick-and-mortar institutions and allowing students to fit their education into their lifestyles.
However, the flexibility of online learning can be offset by the challenges of self-discipline and effectively engaging with the course content – this is where AI can be your high-skilled study buddy.
AI-powered productivity tools have grown in sophistication, with a tool for almost every aspect of your study journey. Let’s explore the five most recommended tools to help you get the most out of your online education.
1. Notion AI – Your all-in-one study companion
As a student, taking notes and paying attention to your study materials at the same time can get overwhelming, and that’s where AI can be your handy assistant. Notion AI is a dynamic workspace tool that integrates note-taking, project management, and AI-assisted content generation. This tool will help you create and organise your study materials using the AI summarisor to generate simple study notes, outlines, and even explanations of complex topics you may need help breaking down.
How it could help you:
- Automatically summarises lengthy lecture notes for quick revision.
- Assists in structuring research papers with AI-generated outlines.
- Provides intelligent task management to track assignments and deadlines.
2. Grammarly – Elevate your writing game
We all wish we were Pulitzer prize material, but on days that you need some help, Grammarly is the ultimate AI-powered writing assistant ready to give you a hand. Grammarly is especially handy in helping you maintain a consistent tone, ensure clarity, and promote coherence in your writing.
Grammarly suggestions are in real-time, allowing you to edit your piece as you write, making this the ultimate tool for units that require reports or articles.
How it could help you:
- Identifies grammatical errors and suggests better phrasing.
- Enhances the clarity and readability of your writing.
- Detects plagiarism and provides citation suggestions for research work.
3. Otter.ai – Transcribe lectures and meetings instantly
If you prefer reading information rather than listening to it, then Otter.ai is just what you need. This AI-powered tool is a game-changer for transcription, transcribing your audio in real-time. Whether you use it to transcribe lectures into searchable notes, create meeting minutes or record group discussions, this tool is sure to have you on your way to a productive study session!
Otter.ai can also group audio by speakers, allowing you to easily identify who is speaking and when. Otter.ai transcriptions could be especially useful when paired with a second AI tool to create summaries and study notes, saving you hours of transcription.
How it could help you:
- Provides real-time transcription of detected audio.
- Generates searchable notes for easy reference and revision.
- Allows users to highlight and add comments to key parts of the transcript.
- Identifies individual speakers, segmenting the transcript.
4. ChatGPT – Your AI study assistant
ChatGPT is likely the most popular and accessible AI model available, but it’s far more than just a fun AI chatbot. This AI model is highly diverse, allowing you to create images, write high-quality blogs using the ‘Write For Me’ function and assume the position of industry experts to extract knowledge and insights.
Whether you are looking to break down complex concepts, write or edit a report, or create study summaries, this tool is your answer.
How it could help you:
- Clarifies complex concepts with simple explanations.
- Generates sample essays, code snippets, and study guides.
- Offers personalised tutoring on various academic subjects.
5. Perplexity – Conduct thorough research
Perplexity – the ultimate AI tool for every student. Perplexity offers users the ability to conduct speedy research, providing well-substantiated, concise and relevant answers to all your complex and specialist queries.
The tool serves as a powerful search engine, helping you find pieces of information without wading through endless search results. Perplexity’s edge lies in its ability to provide sources for the information it uses in its results. This gives you the ability
How it could help you:
- Delivers well-researched answers with cited sources.
- Summarises complex academic topics for easier comprehension.
- Filters out irrelevant search results, allowing for focused study sessions.
Bonus: Forest App – Stay Focused and Beat Procrastination
As an online student, it’s only natural to struggle with distractions from the constant notifications from your devices. Ignoring social media notifications and internet rabbit holes can be quite challenging. Enter Forest – an AI-powered app that encourages you to keep focused by rewarding your uninterrupted study sessions.
[Source: Forestapp.cc]
As an additional benefit of this app, when users spend their virtual coins, Forest donates to its sustainability partners, creating planting orders for more trees.
How it could help you:
- Uses AI to track focus patterns and suggest optimal study times.
- Encourages productivity by allowing you to grow a virtual tree that thrives with sustained focus.
- Blocks distracting websites and apps during study periods.
Assemble your AI team
By integrating these AI-powered tools into your daily study routine, you are sure to boost the efficiency and efficacy of your study sessions, reducing the stress of online study. Whether your AI tool is used to automate note-taking, improve writing, or eliminate distractions, you’ll definitely be thankful for their help!