Apps to Help you Become Your Own Executive in Learning
Executive functioning (EF) or organization is a crucial component of setting goals, staying on task, and goal completion. It helps one to think prioritization, planning and meeting goals in a logical and organized way. Good EF enables us to keep an eye on ourselves, constantly thinking through what and how we are doing things. This mindful way of execution allows us to slow down and regulate our impulses and actions, thus enhancing attention.
People with ADHD are said to have low EF skills. This means not being able to prioritize, focus, attend to, plan, self-monitor and thus complete tasks. They are often easily distracted and off task. They’re often hyperactive and restless, a vicious cycle. Without this skill of EF, there are many people with knowledge, ideas, and hands-on talent who are not able to apply themselves optimally. They always need to be brought back to focus.
The highly distractible world of media does not help with students flipping from Facebook to e-mail to you tube, to online games and videos. It has become the biggest distraction. This paradox of technology being an imperative part of learning makes ‘putting technology away’ during a project or studies not an option. Cheryl Temple, in a 2013 publication in ‘Perspectives on Language and Literacy’, maintains that technology itself can help teach students executive functioning skills. She outlines how technology can help in areas of prioritization, planning, organizing, self-monitoring, and working memory. These are some of the Apps that can help students.
Prioritization and Planning – There are apps that help with establishing, tracking, and achieving goals. Some organizing apps use graphics that visually represent thoughts and concepts. Relationships between concepts and thoughts are explicitly displayed. This helps the thinking process as connections are made. Through this, memory is strengthened.