Slack for Improved Communication

Slack is a digital workspace that helps improve how teams communicate and collaborate. It gives teams a unified location to share messages and files which can cut down on email clutter. Slack works on all devices so you have access no matter where you are.

The purpose of Slack is to help teams create a workflow to help increase productivity. While Slack has been popular in the business world for some time now, it is just starting to gain traction in education. Slack is free for small teams, with upgraded plans available. Education accounts are eligible for an 85% discount.

With a free account you can participate in different conversations, send and receive direct messages, share files, create to do lists, and install up to ten different apps to further customize how you use Slack.

Applications for Education
Slack cannot be used by students who are 13 or younger, but it could be an option for older students who are collaborating on projects. Slack is a good option for small teams of teachers or administrators who are looking for a fast and easy way to communicate.

Study Boost Adds Useful Options for the End of the School Year

Study Boost is a service designed to help students study through the use of text messaging and instant messaging. I originally reviewed the service shortly after it went public. Since then Study Boost has added a couple of useful features just in time for the end of the academic school year.

Study Boost recently added the option for student users to combine sets or batches of questions into one or more larger sets. If they have been creating small batches of study material along the way, this new batch combination option could be very useful in preparing for final exams. The other new option that grabbed my attention is the option to embed batches of study questions into your blog or website. If you maintain a classroom blog or website you could post review material for your students.

Watch the video below to learn more about Study Boost.