Reminders and Collaboration Tools

Do you like to be reminded about upcoming activities and tasks? Want to collaborate with your fellow faculty or staff members to track progress? 

Most importantly: Can you, as a faculty or staff member, use reminders and collaboration tools in your daily workflow?

There are a lot of apps and websites out there looking to help you track your time, and, just like members of your family, they all have their pros and cons. Let’s take a quick look at a few of them (be sure to scroll all the way down to the bottom through all three sections!):

First, we’ll look at the default apps that most everyone has access to by using any modern phone or computer.

Reminders

Got an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Apple computer? If so, then you already have Reminders. It syncs with iCloud so all your stuff is one step away from completion.

Cost: Free

More information: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4970

Google Calendar 

Using your BPU Google account, you can find tasks in Google Calendar by clicking on the triangle on the far-right edge of your screen. It syncs with your Google account, so any connected device will have your tasks.

Cost: Free

More Information: https://support.google.com/calendar/answer/144246?hl=en

Windows Calendar 

The default calendar on Windows (Windows phone 7 or 8, Windows 7 or 8 for desktop) allows you to create tasks or activities from your events by a selection tool within the event.

Cost: Free

More Information: http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/how-to/wp8/email-and-calendar/calendar-tasks

Now that we’ve seen some basic task management apps, let’s do a deeper dive into the app world and see some of the other things out there. These are more robust apps, created by independent developers focusing on creating a unique user experience.

Things 

My current go-to for managing projects, Siri-integration (for when those reminders strike you in the middle of I-91), quick entry, hosted cloud support, and the ability to send URLs via a bookmark. The biggest drawback - Price. The second biggest drawback - Lack of updates.

Cost: Things for Mac - $49, Things for iPhone - $9.99, Things for iPad - $19.99

More information: http://culturedcode.com

Clear 

A really clean interface, very user friendly. Incredibly simple. This is more of a straight to do list than a task manager. But if you’re looking for quick and dirty, this is the way to do it.

Cost: Clear for OS X - $9.99, Clear for iOS - $4.99

More Information: http://realmacsoftware.com/clear/

Evernote 

Admittedly, I love Evernote for it’s ability to digitally hoard my stuff. But with the newest update, I can add reminders to my notes. If you’re using the service already, this is a great feature. If not, I’ll detail it later in another post about it’s usage and how it’s saved me quite a few times.

Cost: Free with the Premium subscription running $49/yr

More Information: http://www.evernote.com

Lastly, let’s take a look at three services that promote and deeply integrate collaboration. 

ToDoist 

Quite possibly the most robust on this list in that it covers all major platforms (both mobile and desktop), major browsers and has Gmail integration. 

Cost: Free, though premium features like Reminders and Keywords will cost you $29/yr

More information: https://en.todoist.com

Producteev 

Built around collaboration, this app allows for a lot of transparency around audit trails and notifications for web, OS X, iOS and Android. At first glance it can seem overwhelming, but the scope and breadth of it’s features greatly outweigh even the most clunky of interfaces.

Cost: Free with optional yearly subscription for $99/yr

More information: https://producteev.com

Wunderlist 

Available for all major platforms (except Windows Phone), this app has a cleaner interface than most on the list. The learning curve is also less steep. However, because of the baked-in collaboration features and ability to publish lists for those without Wunderlist it can help you keep your courses transparent to those outside of BPU (i.e. parents).

Cost: Free with optional $4.99/month pro account

More information: https://www.wunderlist.com

Any questions? Don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

Chris Gaudreau

Learning Technologist

Center for Online & Digital Learning

cgaudreau@baypath.edu

413-565-1057

Oh, Hello - An Introduction to the Campus Community

Oh, hello.

As the newest member of the Center for Online & Digital Learning, I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself to everyone.

I've been working in education (formally) as a substitute teacher in the Longmeadow Public Schools and (informally) with Apple, Inc. since 2007. With Apple, I lead the training and technical support for retail stores in Holyoke, MA and Farmington, CT. A few years ago, I began working towards my Master's degree in Learning, Media and Technology at the University of Massachusetts. I also hold degrees from Springfield Technical Community College and Elms College.

My passion for education is one that has only grown in recent years, and I really enjoy enriching lives through the constantly advancing tools we have at our disposal.

Outside of work, I've been playing drums for twenty years and show no signs of slowing down as I'm regularly playing with one or two bands at a time. My current group, Crowrider, plays our own blend of self-branded BBQ Rock. It's an infusion of fuzzy, 70s-orientated riff rock with some sweet grooves and three-part harmonies and is without a doubt the most fun I've ever had behind the kit. My girlfriend and I live in Springfield with our three cats and an increasing need for more space. Media and food wise, I'm a big fan of Battlestar Galactica, Batman video games, and burritos.

I am very excited to start putting a lot of what I've learned (and am still learning) into practice here at Bay Path and helping to enrich lives every step of the way. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me for anything you need!

Working with the ALLI students during my first week (thanks to Peter for the photo)

Chris Gaudreau

Learning Technologist

Center for Online & Digital Learning
Division of Research & Academic Resources
(413) 565-1057 | cgaudreau@baypath.edu