A new feature in one of my favorite web tools has me really excited: with Jott, I can now add events directly to my Google Calendar. The feature is one of several Jott Links the company offers — which are connections to other web services, including Twitter and Blogger.
What’s Jott?
Jott is a transcription service that’s completely free. Call a toll-free phone number, speak a message into the phone, and it’s transcribed into text and sent via email. I nearly always Jott to myself to send reminders although you can set it up to Jott to any email address. On the reminder side, I jotted myself recently to “bring in camera tomorrow for yearbook class.”
Jott & Students: Huge Potential
I’ve shared Jott with students because I think it’s an awesome memory aid. Unfortunately, my students aren’t allowed to use their mobile phones at school — Jott would be an awesome way to take down a homework assignment.
And now with the Google Calendar link, students could “copy down” an assignment from the class board and add it directly to their calendar. “Term paper notecards due Friday.” How cool would that be?
If only they could use (and be trusted to use properly) their mobile phones at school.
Related:
- My Class Lineup (Google Calendar used as a lesson planner)
- Get Google Groups (which include calendars)
Technorati Tags: jott, gcal, k12, school, teaching, productivity, calendar, organization
Megan Hayes-Golding 
Megan and friends, I bet you’d enjoy a book I am reading now (hold on for this title, it’s awful):
Efficiency in Learning: Evidence-Based Guidelines to Manage Cognitive Load.
Authors are Clark, Nguyen & Sweller.
Bought it out of desperation–I am working with a software company that has a new knowledge-sharing application, and I wanted third-party backup for my argument that LESS is better than MORE in sales presentations.
Anyhoo…this book is terrific. Powerful insights for e-learning professionals, software developers, professional speakers, teachers…anybody who communicates concepts, ideas, facts, instructions or information for a living. If everybody who uses PowerPoint read this book before creating the first slide, the world would be a better place.
OMG, I have to try Jott Rocks. Thanks for the tip.
Chris: The title nearly put me to sleep, but your description sounds really interesting! Thanks for the suggestion. Another resource you would enjoy is Presentation Zen (http://www.presentationzen.com/) by Garr Reynolds.
Jott has saved my butt more times than I can count. I just call in a reminder to myself on the spot. It takes just a few seconds from the conversation. “Remembering” to deliver on my commitments is such a great feeling.