How to manage time while preparing for CBSE exams?

Do you fear that dearth of time will be one of the reasons for you not performing well in your final CBSE exams? If yes, then stop worrying. After reading this article, I am confident that you will no longer face time constraint related issues while preparing for your CBSE exams.

To combat time management related problems, it is very important that students preparing for the CBSE exams plan and schedule the available time well in advance. Estimating and planning both the time and effort required to be invested in a particular task helps students stay in control of the situation. Organizing time well also leads to optimization of productivity.

Therefore, in order to score well in your CBSE exams and effectively manage the available time, follow this simple five-step process. These tips will help you manage your time effectively before the final CBSE exams and will also help you score excellent marks in the process.

• Look ahead! While scheduling your studies for the CBSE exams, you should not just selectively plan for exams but for the entire academic year. As a student preparing for the CBSE exam, ask yourself three questions i.e. what are the things that I need to do to score great marks in the exams, what are the timelines for the same and what is the estimated time and effort required to complete these activities. These activities should not just include scholastic but co-scholastic tasks as well. Therefore, while attempting to look ahead for your CBSE exams, first try to gain a broad understanding of the overall studies and co-related activities that are imperative for your holistic development.
• Make plans in advance! Once through with gaining an insight into the effort and time estimation, the next step is to actually sit down and prepare a plan for the whole academic year. Since the preparation for the CBSE exams should ideally begin from the start of the academic session, therefore it is necessary to manage actions for the same right from the start. On a paper set a date for completion against each activity mentioned in the year-long plan. While planning for CBSE exams, leave aside some time for contingencies. Rather than trying to squeeze in activities later on, it is always beneficial to leave some scope for the same beforehand.
• Chalk out specific short-term plans! Once through with formulating a year-long plan for the CBSE exams, the follow up activity should ideally be that of chalking out smaller short-term plans. You should set weekly and monthly goals that will help you work effectively towards meeting the demands of the year-long plan. Try to create plans or goals that are realistic and achievable and will contribute effectively to your ultimate goal of achieving top score in your CBSE exams.
• Prioritizing is important! Sometimes you may realize that you have more on hand than you can actually handle! At such times it is important that you prioritize amongst the given activities. First, spend time to evaluate and then carefully prioritize. Remember that prioritization in haste can often have an adverse impact on your final score in the CBSE examination.
• Review actions timely! Simply preparing plans and blindly following those time plans won’t suffice towards fulfilling your dream of performing well in final CBSE exams and effectively managing your time. You will need to periodically review both the performance of the actions taken and the effectiveness of your plans, and take suitable corrective actions if required.

Now that all you students preparing for the CBSE exams know how to organize time, planning for exams won’t be difficult.

All the best for exams!

How to score well in ICSE Exams?

For students studying under the ICSE Board the mention of ICSE exams can cause considerable anxiety.  With competition levels soaring, ICSE exams are usually the ‘make or break time’ in a student’s life. In order to score well in the ICSE exams students should concentrate on obtaining a thorough understanding of concepts follow it up with repeated and robust revision sessions.

In order to write quality answers and score well in the ICSE exams, students should incorporate the following points in their studies.

• Say no to cramming! Students often consider mindless cramming as a sure-shot and easy way to obtain great marks in ICSE exams.  Some students cram out of habit and some out of necessity (“there is too little time left and so much to cover, where is the time to spend on understanding concepts!”). Whatever the reason, students should try to stay away from cramming and focus on building conceptual understanding. It is very important for students preparing for the ICSE exam to understand that cramming might prove very effective and sometimes yield instant results in the form of good marks, but in the long run it is an absolute waste, as you are sure to forget all that you crammed.  Cramming or relying only on rote memory results only in the short-term retention of concepts and is in fact highly detrimental for subjects such as Science and Maths, where building progressively on conceptual understanding is the only key to better marks.
• Revising is must! It goes without saying that revising is one of the most essential ingredients for performing well in the ICSE exams. Students can reinforce learning by using a variety of revision aids available in a lot of websites. These revision aids will not only make learning effective but will also make scoring great marks in the ICSE exams easy. Students can start their revision sessions using chapter-wise tests along with comprehensive model tests available on these websites. Students can also revise using interactive curriculum-based puzzles that will add the much required zing into their revision schedules. For those last moment revision sessions before the final ICSE exams, students can refer to crisp, easily downloadable, chapter-wise revision notes available on these websites.
• Do not let stress get to you! A little bit of exam-related anxiety can often give the much required push to the student to prepare and perform well at in the final ICSE exams. However, prolonged and high-levels of anxiety can lead to overpowering stress and a poor performance at the final exams. While preparing for the final ICSE exam, students should try to stay calm and study with a single-minded focus towards performing well in the exams. Students should learn and revise as much they can before their final papers and perform some simple stress-busting activities to keep their anxiety levels under control.
• Do not use any unfair means! Students should not indulge in cheating or any unfair means to perform well in the ICSE exams. Students may occasionally tend to get easily lured by these short-cut methods of scoring good marks. Although it may seem like an easy way to score good marks in the examinations, but if any student is caught using unfair means, needless to say, very strict action is taken against the student. In extreme cases, it could even result in cancellation of the entire answer sheet.

So the next time you prepare for your ICSE exams, do keep in mind these easy-to-follow pointers to get better results.

How to prepare for CBSE class X papers

CBSE class X papers are often considered the first set of ‘real’ exams that a student takes during his schooling. Before the advent of the Comprehensive & Continuous Evaluation (CCE), CBSE class X papers were compulsory board exams that all students studying under the CBSE board had to clear in order to get promoted to the next class. However, after the introduction of CCE, these end-of-the-year CBSE class X board papers have become an optional exam that students can take on demand.  Students who wish to change their school or board after class X are required to appear for the CBSE class X board papers /board exams.

Students who opt for CCE are required to take two summative and four formative assessments in an academic year. Apart from these paper & pencil tests, students are also required to actively take part in the year-round formative assessments that test their skills related to public speaking, leadership qualities etc.

Why should students take their CBSE class X papers seriously?
Students who wish to excel in their lives and are aiming for a bright career should take not only the CBSE class X papers but all the exams very sincerely. These exams are not only geared to test their knowledge and understanding in that particular subject, but also their endurance to stand the stress of demanding situations.  If a student is planning to opt for ‘Science’ as a subject of choice in class XII and is required to decide between opting for the medical vs the non-medical streams, his/her performance in CBSE class X papers along with an honest introspection into is strengths and weaknesses can help him make a choice. If he/she has performed extremely well in Physics & Chemistry and has performed relatively poor in Biology and finds understanding concepts in Biology difficult, and further if he is not keen on becoming a doctor or pursuing other fields related to Biology such as Botany, Zoology etc, then ‘non-medical’ Science should be his choice.

Thus, your performance in these exams not only help you in choosing the right career, but they also help students develop basic computation and analytical skills that are essential in day-to-day life. For example, an architect is expected to know how to calculate area of a plot and have a general idea about dimensions & volumes, concepts that are taught in class X (Chapter- Mensuration).

How to study for CBSE class X papers?
Being attentive in the class and engaging in rigorous self-study sessions are a must for any student who aspires to excel in studies. Students should start their studies by giving the chapter a thorough read, followed by solving the end-of-chapter NCERT questions. Students face any problems while trying to solve NCERT questions can seek help from websites that provide free NCERT solutions to the end-of-chapter questions. These solutions are further enriched with high quality videos & animations that explain the concept(s) so as to make learning effective. Apart from these NCERT solutions, students can also seek help from other learning & assessment aids that are available on this website.

So the next time you appear for your CBSE class X paper, you will know how to study effectively. Don’t you?

Happy studying!

How to make quality notes from ICSE books

Preparing the right kind of personalized study notes from ICSE books is an important step towards obtaining a great score in the final ICSE exams. Quality notes from ICSE books not only promote effective understanding of all concepts but often re-kindle students’ interest in subjects they usually consider difficult. Therefore, while preparing notes from the ICSE books it is important for students to keep a few essential points in mind that will help make these notes effective and relevant for the final ICSE examinations.

To help all students studying under ICSE board prepare quality notes, here are a few important pointers on how to go about preparing such notes.

• Before starting to prepare notes from ICSE books, it is important for students to first go through the chapter and highlight all the important concepts, assess their understanding for all the highlighted concepts and then identify the learning gaps. Customizing study notes as per the current level of understanding will help students emphasize on areas/topics that require more attention. Such an exercise will eventually result in a thorough understanding of all concepts.
• While preparing study notes, students should make sure that it is not a word-to-word replication of what is actually given in the ICSE book. Students should try to prepare notes that are crisp and in their own language. This will facilitate a quick understanding and easy recall of all the concepts during the revision sessions. Such an exercise will also help students to optimize benefits from such an extensive note-making exercise.
• Student should also ensure that their ICSE book notes are complete. Students should practice caution that they do not miss out on any important concept/topic in the chapter while preparing such notes. Such comprehensive notes can aid as a ready-to-use booklet for anytime reference.
• While preparing notes from ICSE book, students should structure the notes as per their unique learning styles. For example, if a student is a visual learner and understands concepts faster through visual learning aids, he/she should try to include as many diagrams, illustrations, mind maps etc in his/her notes. He/she can also use colour highlighters to stress on important points in the notes. Notes that are customized as per the preferred learning styles helps students with an accelerated pace of learning.
• If students are not interested in performing such an elaborate activity to prepare notes and want some readymade curriculum-aligned study material/notes, they can seek help from websites that provide such online learning resources. ICSE study material for Maths & Science available at such websites are prepared by a team of highly qualified educationists. These notes are in easy-to-understand language supported with high quality, value adding graphics for a quick understanding. Along with the study material, students can also try their hands at curriculum-aligned interactive puzzles, tests, revision notes etc. to solidify their understanding in weak areas. 2D/ 3D/ real-life videos help students understand concepts much faster and ensure that their learning is permament.

If all you students out there preparing for ICSE exams keep all these essential points in your minds, the notes made from ICSE books will not only make learning fun and effortless but will also make scoring good marks easy.

How can CBSE class X students improve their reading skills?

Huge quantum of syllabus and poor reading skills are the two main reasons that usually force students studying under the CBSE class X to seek resort from cramming. Right from the start, students studying at various levels are discouraged to practice ‘mindless’ cramming and are advised to understand the study material before they actually start learning the key concepts. However, apart from advisory annotations very less is done to actually help students of CBSE class X to improve their reading skills and not indulge in cramming. Ideally, the attempt to improve the reading skills should begin right from the early years of schooling. However, it is never too late for students of CBSE class X to improve their reading skills and score great marks in their board examinations.

Improved reading skills helps students to comprehend and appreciate the text better. It also helps students to effectively churn out the key points from the said text and write answers that can fetch them their dream score, 

Now that all you CBSE class X students out there know the importance of good reading skills, here are a few tips that will help you improve your existing reading skills.

• Keep your reading goals clear! Before starting to read, students should clearly set their reading goals. Pre-assessing the reading needs will not only help CBSE class X students to be more focused while reading but will also help students effectively utilize the available time. While reading a novel, the idea is to read the book from start till end in order to understand the entire story where as in case of a newspaper report the purpose could be to obtain a brief gist of the event. Therefore, the CBSE class X students should understand their reading goals and study accordingly.
• Choose the reading material carefully! While preparing for CBSE class X board papers, students should practice caution while choosing the book for studying. To improve reading skills students should first give the prescribed NCERT books a thorough read. After going through the NCERT book, CBSE class X students should follow it up with other curriculum aligned books by other prescribed publishers only.
• Study as per the desired reading technique! There are basically two key reading techniques, scanning and skimming. Scanning is a process wherein a student scans through the available study material for the CBSE class X board papers and selects portions to study. Whereas, skimming is a process of speedy reading. Under this process the CBSE class X student is required to quickly glance through the available study material so as to grabs an overview of the topic. In order to improve reading skills, students should choose the reading technique according to available time and proficiency level that one intends to achieve from the reading session.
• Take notes!  CBSE class X students who wish to improve their reading skills, should ideally follow up a thorough read of the chapter with preparation of study notes. Self-made study notes will not only help CBSE class X students to improve their understanding of the topic but will also help them learn the art of expressing their thoughts in their own words.  Students can prepare their own revision notes and compare their notes with the one’s available online by a variety of websites for any inaccuracies.

Now that all you CBSE class X students know how to improve your reading skill, take a go at these tips for a great score in exams.

Feature-cum-benefits of E-learning

E-learning is the buzz word among school students these days. High speed broadband connectivity at affordable rates and easy accessibility to high quality curriculum aligned e-learning content has led to this increasing popularity of internet-based learning. Today there are a variety of websites that provide online learning and assessment solutions for CBSE, ICSE, Maharashtra State SSC Board, Karnataka State SSLC Board and Tamil Nadu Matriculation Board. Learning content ranging from study material enriched with animations, interactive puzzles, a variety of tests, dynamic formative assessments to crisp revision notes; you name it and e-learning websites have it all. However, there are a many students who are still not completely aware of all that internet-based learning or e-learning has to offer.

To elucidate on features cum benefits of internet based learning or e-learning to all you students studying under CBSE, ICSE, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Matriculation Board, here are a few points. 

• Customized content as per learning styles:- Internet based learning imparts education using a variety of mediums. As a result, e-learning is well-equipped to accommodate different types of learners and makes available to them unique learning content in the manner that suits them the best. 
• Collaborative learning:- E-learning also allows students to study together, share their experiences, ask questions, share knowledge with their peers etc on the virtual world. As a result, students can use the online learning experience as a powerful tool for learning and problem-solving and also ensure that they excel academically.
• Self-paced learning:- E-learning also provides opportunity to the students to choose their pace while learning. Learners who are slow can repeat their study sessions as many times as they wish, whereas fast learners can sail through their lessons and ensure that they stay ahead of their peers.
• Cost effective:- By subscribing to online study sessions, students get the opportunity to study from quality and experienced teachers without having to incur those high tuition costs. Apart from lower costs, students can also get to save the time and effort spent on travelling to and from tuition centres, schools etc.
• Time saving:- E-learning allows students to study as per their own convenience. Students can log on to their favorite online learning website whenever they get time or in-between their other study/activity sessions and be sure of a stress-free and enriching study experience.
• Stay in control:- Online learning not only allows students to stay in control of their study schedules and the pace with which they choose to study, but also helps them manage other activities besides studies. As a result students are not only in control of their studies, but in effect start feeling to be in control of their life as a whole. 

Apart from all the above features cum benefits of e-learning, the privilege of studying in the comforts of your home makes it an instant hit amongst students. So all you CBSE, ICSE, Maharashtra State Board, Karnataka State SSLC board and Tamil Nadu Matriculation Board students, just surf your way through these e-learning websites and be sure of a smooth and stress-free learning experience.

Happy browsing!

Making ICSE Maths Easy!

The very mention of the word ICSE Maths usually leaves students preparing for the ICSE papers in jitters. This phenomenon of extreme fear of Maths or Arithmophobia is common not only amongst students in India but is prevalent amid students around the globe. It has been observed that due to this fear of Maths, students studying at various levels try to evade studying ICSE Maths for as long as they can. However, keeping in mind the utility of Maths in everyday life students should be encouraged to practice Maths and learn it the fun way.

Here are a few tips making studying ICSE Maths easy and helping students overcome their fear of Maths.

• Regular Practice- Practicing ICSE Maths regularly is the only way out for students to get rid of their fear of Maths. Students should regularly practice concepts by way of exercises that are available at the end of each chapter. These exercises in the ICSE Maths books aim to promote not only conceptual understanding but also help in improving the memory for concepts and formulae that is possible only through extensive practice. To solidify weak areas and score good marks in the ICSE Maths exam, students should be on the regular look out for more avenues that give them the opportunity to practice concepts thoroughly. Apart from the prescribed books, students should also practice from the curriculum-aligned ICSE Maths books by various other authors. There are also various websites that provide elaborate practice material in a variety of formats. Such resources help to promote conceptual understanding by way of rigorous practice through test papers and model tests. Practicing using such material will immensely help students get rid of their fear of Maths ‘coz the only way to beat fear is to face it hard!
• Stress on conceptual clarity- For a subject like ICSE Maths, students just cannot leave concepts in the middle and hop on to newer topics and assume that they can still excel in the subject. In order to excel in ICSE Maths it is imperative to systematically build on concepts from the simpler to the more complex. It is only after strengthening their understanding of the concept and related concepts at all levels that the student should proceed to newer topics. It is important for students to understand that one of the most crucial and inherent feature of a subject like Maths is the interconnectivity of basic concepts at various levels. Therefore, scoring good marks in ICSE Maths is only possible when the understanding of concepts is clear at all levels.
• Maths can also be fun!- Students who find practicing from mundane books tedious can add a lot of zing to their studying routine by practicing using ICSE Maths puzzles, quizzes and animations. Through animated videos concepts are explained in an enticing manner using real-life instances. For example, various animated videos while explaining fractions actually show an object being divided into pieces and through voice-overs the logic is explained in simple language. Students also have the liberty to play these videos as many times as they wish for a complete and thorough understanding of the concept. Once through with the understanding of the concepts, students can test their knowledge by way of ICSE Maths puzzles. Students can even search for ICSE Maths puzzles and videos online, as various websites are dedicated to developing quality educational content for ICSE students to make learning easy for them.

I am positive that after reading this article, you must have identified your own ways to make the understanding and practicing ICSE Maths easy and effective. So go ahead and practice hard!

How to study from CBSE books

Books that are prescribed by Central Board of Secondary Education for students studying under this board are referred to as CBSE books. To perform well in CBSE examinations or for that matter any other school exam, it is very important for students to thoroughly go through the CBSE books. The questions asked in the final CBSE examinations are either directly picked from the end-of-chapter exercises in these books or are based on the NCERT questions with minor modifications. To score top marks and gain the maximum from the learning activity, it is essential for students to prepare quality notes from the CBSE books.

Students can follow this simple five-step process to learn how to prepare quality notes from CBSE books. These steps will help students approach their studies and related activities in the correct manner and will also enable them to score great marks in the final examinations; thereby making their learning activity a thoroughly enriching one.

• The first and foremost step is to thoroughly go through the entire chapter in the CBSE book. This will acquaint students with the concepts, processes and other important information in the chapter. It will also help students to obtain a fair idea of the efforts required to proficiently complete the chapter and related topics.
• After going through the chapter, the next step is to then assess knowledge levels with respect to understanding of key concepts, retention of important information etc. Such an assessment at this level will enable students to work efficiently towards completing their syllabus within the stipulated time period. It will also ensure that students do undertake other important activities related to studies.
• After making an assessment of the knowledge levels, comes the time to prepare notes from the CBSE books. While preparing notes from the CBSE books, students should make sure that they are reproducing word-by-word from it. Ideally, such notes should be based on students’ understanding of concepts. Students should first try to understand the concepts in CBSE books then prepare a list of all important concepts and finally prepare notes for all these concepts in their own language. While preparing such notes students should keep the following points in mind.

• Students should try to keep these notes crisp and to-the-point. It will not only promote effective understanding but will also be useful for quick revision.
• While making notes from CBSE books students should make sure that they are as per their learning styles. Notes according to the preferred learning style will help students learn and process information quickly and efficiently.
• Students should try to support their notes with value-adding illustrations and videos. It will promote comprehensive learning and will also help students score extra marks in exams.

• Once through with preparing notes from CBSE books, students should try to solve questions available in end-of-chapter exercises. A practice session like this will help students identify their knowledge gaps, clear all their doubts and fill those gaps to solidify learning.

Students can also seek help from a variety of websites that provide CBSE-aligned learning and assessment solutions. The learning solutions by such websites include free NCERT solutions, study material, formative assessments, interactive puzzles, tests, revision notes etc. Referring to such content can make learning a thoroughly enriching experience.

All the best!

CBSE board papers

Still not over with preparing for your CBSE board papers? Do not get cowed down by the quantum of syllabus that still remains uncovered. Keep a positive attitude and take the impending CBSE board papers head on! In order to score well in the CBSE board papers adopt the ‘Ready-Aim-and-Fire’ approach. Do not while away the remaining time by pondering over negative thoughts like “I wish I had started preparing early” or “I should have given more attention during my classes” etc. Let bygones be bygones. With a few weeks still in hand, start preparing now and let your marks do the talking!

To excel in CBSE board papers follow this simple three-step process that will help you plan and structure your studies well and make your entire learning activity flow effortlessly.

Step I - Setting Goals! Set short-term goals in the form of daily targets and work towards achieving those goals. In order to achieve your targets in time and make your studying activity more structured, start by preparing your own study schedule. But remember, to not spend excessive amount of time on setting goals and preparing your schedules as you will be left with very little time to actually study for your CBSE board papers. You can also save some precious time spent regularly on preparing daily study schedule, by following a ‘schedule template’. With minor changes in the template, you can use it on a regular basis. To make your schedule template an ideal one for you, remember to prepare it yourself and do incorporate the following points in it.

• Your schedule template should be flexible. Ample scope should be provided for accommodating unexpected activities so as to avoid end minute hassles.
• Your study targets in the schedule should be realistic. Study targets should be such that they can be achieved in the allocated time within the study schedule.
• While preparing your study schedule template try to be specific. Clearly list down what you intend to achieve and in what time.
• Your study schedule template should incorporate essential breaks after regular intervals. Time for sleeping, essential relaxation and leisure activity should be clearly earmarked.

Students who do not wish to use study templates can use the Study Planner. These Study planners are exclusively available online for CBSE, ICSE, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu State Boards. The Study Planner is a tool that helps students organize their studies better so that they can be in control.

Step II - Studying! Once through with setting broad goals, comes the time to actually start working towards achieving those goals. Preparing study notes, revision notes, memorizing etc. are the primary activities that need to be undertaken to achieve the daily targets and score well in CBSE board papers. While studying keep the following tips in mind to make this activity a thoroughly enriching Experience.

• Study according to your learning style. Do not force yourself to study using methods that will anyways slow down your pace of learning and make the over all activity taxing.
• Do not stress on cramming. Lay emphasis on understanding and memorizing the concept and not on brainlessly cramming the study text.
• Incorporate small breaks in your study regime. These small breaks will help your mind to stay fresh and will also help you ward off monotony that is usually a result of long study sessions.
• Practice memory enhancing activities. Try to eat healthy food, exercise both your body and mind regularly and study in ways that will help you boost memory and lead to better concentration levels.

Students can also seek help from websites that provide CBSE aligned study material and other study content so as to make understanding and memorizing of concepts easy.

Step III - Revising! After you are done with memorizing, now is the time to assess your preparation levels before the final CBSE board paper. Come what may, do not skip this essential step if you wish to score well in the CBSE board papers. Here are a few ways on how to make the revision activity interesting.

• Revise using previous year CBSE board papers or sample papers. Practicing from these mock papers will help you get acquainted with the overall paper pattern, marking scheme etc.
• Once through with studying test your recall and write down the important points on a piece of paper. This will help you reinforce learning and will also lead to identification of conceptual gaps.
• Revise using revision notes. This will help you get a quick overview of the entire chapter by highlighting the important points.
• Prepare flash cards that stresses on key points, formulae etc. Flash cards like these will result in an easy recall of difficult points in the chapter.

Students can browse their way through some websites that provide practice tests, model tests and revision notes as per the CBSE curriculum.

Now that all you students know how to go about with studying in the remaining time period before the final CBSE board papers, do not waste anymore time. Just get going!

All the best!

Essential of E-learning videos

One of the most exciting features of internet based learning is the e-learning videos. With high speed broadband connectivity penetrating to of the most interior locations, video based e-learning is soon gaining in popularity. Web-based learning accompanied with e-learning videos not only makes for an ideal virtual classroom, but also help promote an effective, engaging and exciting learning experience. 

Nowadays, there are various universities that offer online degree/diploma courses at the graduation and post graduation levels. To obtain such degrees students are expected to study using the online course material and e-learning videos made available by the university and take periodic online tests for assessment. 

That is not all. There are various websites that provide multimedia enriched e-learning content for students studying in school. These websites can go long way in making the entire studying experience truly enriching and effective. However, while studying from such e-learning videos online students should make sure that they have the following essential elements in it.

High quality content for a thorough understanding

To score great marks in school and to ensure a thorough learning experience, students should only refer to videos that are of a high quality.  The term ‘high quality’ not only refers to the technical aspect of these videos but to the content as well. Studying from e-learning videos that are not up to the mark can hamper a thorough conceptual understanding. Therefore while surfing for e-learning videos, students should be sure that they are not getting swayed by the high quality animations and other effects used in these videos, but should also ensure that along with quality animations the content of these videos is also up to the mark. 

However, students who have a dial-up connection or a low broadband speed cannot fully experience the benefits of e-learning as buffering/ downloading of these e-learning videos can consume a lot of time and can therefore be quite a hassle. 

Logically organized material for a smooth learning experience

A variety of multimedia enriched videos can not only make learning fun but help make it an extremely engaging experience. Along with adding variety to the study schedule, these 2D, 3D and real life e-learning videos impart conceptual understanding in a very simplified manner that help students retain information for a long time. However, bad pronunciation, poorly organized and presented content, incomplete information etc in the e-learning videos not only hamper the pace of learning but can also deter future attempts at trying to understand the concept using online resources. Therefore, while referring to e-learning videos students should make it a point to check it for above mentioned points and only consider learning from those websites that meet the above requirements 

E-learning videos backed by relevant study material for a complete learning

While surfing for e-learning websites that provide curriculum-aligned study videos, students should make it a point to only refer to sites that support these videos with relevant study material. Such a blend of e-learning videos and relevant study material can help concretize understanding and make scoring great marks easy. There are  various websites that provide such chapter-wise learning resources and curriculum-aligned puzzles, chapter-wise practice tests, full length model tests, chapter-wise revision notes and a lot more for students studying under CBSE, ICSE, Maharashtra State SSC board, Karnataka State SSLC board and Tamil Nadu Matriculation Board.

So the next time you want to add some zing to your study schedule, do surf through a few e-learning videos. 

All the best for your exams!

CBSE board papers

The key to excelling in CBSE board papers is to effectively plan and structure your studies in order to make learning activity a thoroughly enriching one. Students usually do not take studies and related activity very seriously during the initial few months of the academic session. As a result, they miss out on some crucial time right at the outset. However, students are expected to complete their entire CBSE board paper syllabus within the stipulated time period as a result the remaining part of the year becomes very hectic and chaotic for students. To avoid such a situation, students are advised to plan and structure their studies right at the start of the academic session. Studying in such a planned manner will not only make it more manageable but will also make learning effective.

To help all you students out there preparing for your CBSE board papers to effectively plan and manage your studies, here are some pointers.

• Students should start their academic year or for that matter any activity they undertake by setting goals. The activity of setting goals helps students obtain a clear idea of the efforts required to achieve their targets. Students should start the activity of setting goals by first deciding on the long-term goals and then supporting them with short-term targets. Long-term goals can be understood to refer to all the major goals that one aspires to achieve. Whereas short-term goals or targets are immediate ‘battles’ that a student aims to win so as to move one notch closer to his/her long-term goals. To score great marks in CBSE board papers students should start their academic year by setting daily and monthly targets and preparing relevant schedules to achieve those targets. To do away with manual managing of studies, students can seek help from online planners available on a variety of websites. These online study planners will help students preparing for CBSE board papers with a series of steps that should essentially be followed to ensure a thorough understanding of all concepts. Not only this, but these planners also keep students updated with their progress in each topic. In case a student chooses to manually prepare his/her schedule, a student should make sure that their schedules are flexible, realistic, specific and incorporate essential timely breaks.
• Once through with setting goals, the next step is to actually start studying for the CBSE board papers. While studying, students are advised to first create a pool of study material from all relevant sources, go through the study material, highlight key points and then prepare their own crisp bulleted notes. Undertaking an exercise like this will help students arrive at study material that can be considered ideal for CBSE board paper. Alternately students can also refer to quality study material available on a variety of websites that provide CBSE aligned study content for board classes.
• The third and the last step is to revise for the CBSE board paper. Students can use a variety of means like flash cards, revision notes, tests etc to revise. While revising for the CBSE board papers, students should not miss out on practicing from previous years’ CBSE board papers.

Following these simple three steps can help students effectively plan and structure their studies for a great score in the CBSE board papers.

All the best!

e-Learning: The new age learning technology

e-Learning is a ray of hope for millions of people across the globe who had deserted their education due to dearth of time and money. e-Learning has brought along a whole new methodology of teaching and learning that is spreading its wings swiftly across the globe. 

In today’s fast, nerve-racking and competitive lifestyle, “Change” has become the order of the day.  So, to keep pace with the contemporary world, education in the 21st century has also attained a new form. Education has now shifted from traditional learning to new-technology motivated e-Learning. Now, study has become web-oriented with the arrival of “Internet” in every home. With the advent of e-Learning, studies have become easier as one need not be present in classrooms physically for fixed hours.

e-Learning is the most popular alternative for home study support as it combines various fields like distance learning, online learning, technology-delivered instruction and web-based training. It is a digital learning experience that offers interactive online support in the form of online lectures, online forums and chat rooms; live virtual classes and online bulletin boards are highly attention-grabbing and learner-centric and very popular with students. 

Traditional Learning vs. e-Learning

It is a well researched fact that learning through audio, video, graphics and animation is more effective than learning through unexciting, lengthy and mundane books.  Human mind is capable of retaining picture, audio and other sensory perceptions for a longer duration than words. Keeping in mind the above mentioned facts, e-Learning study modules are specially designed to deliver specific topics, lectures and techniques that are more interesting, easy to grab and retain. 

Traditional learning is gradually being replaced by web based learning or e-Learning. Some of the benefits of e-Learning over traditional learning are discussed below: 

Unlike traditional learning, e-Learning is not time bound. Students are free to attend the lectures whenever they want and wherever they want. They can enjoy learning as per their convenience and at their own pace. The mentors, tutors and parents can record the live lectures and pass it on to the students when required. 

e-Learning programs offer the facility of online discussions wherein the students can share their views, thoughts and opinions with each other. Through video-conferencing, the students can take advantage of the skill, talent, experience and knowledge of renowned experts and trainers. Further, students can revise the lessons and strengthen their weaker sections easily.

e-Learning provides customized courses to students to satisfy their interest.  It allows the students to choose their preferred courses and establish their own roadmaps. Now, students need not stick to the courses that are offered by board or university under the traditional learning systems. Traditional universities usually take a long time to replace old syllabi with new ones, but e-learning courses always comprise updated course material 

e-Learning reduces travelling and study expenses and provides quality education which is affordable and reliable. With the new form of digital learning, higher education is economical and easy like never before.

Beat CBSE board result related stress

It is CBSE board results time, and students must be feeling stressed out about their performance. “I could have done better in my exams”, “I wish I had done some more revision for Science”, “I didn’t get enough time for preparation”, “What if I don’t fare well in these exams” etc are constant thoughts that usually occupy young minds during their wait for the official results. Having butterflies in stomach and getting anxious about the final CBSE board result is normal. However, it is very important for students to avoid getting too worked with anxiety. It is also important for students to understand that CBSE board results are indicative only of their performance in these particular board exams and are unlikely to have any significant irreversible impact on their life as a whole.

For all you students out there awaiting your CBSE board results here are a few tips on how to maintain your cool during this wait. These tips will also help you cope with result related stress and also provide you with alternative ways to utilize your time better.

• Exams are over, stop discussing about it! There is no point getting unnecessarily stressed out thinking about and discussing your performance in the CBSE board exams. Now that the official announcement of these results is expected anytime soon, getting involved in such conversations at this time will only mount more pressure on an already anxious mind. Therefore, the most effective way to keep away from result related stress is to stop discussing about the exam once you are done with it.
• Think positive and plan for the future! This is the best time to introspect, set goal and draft plans to achieve those goals. It is important to think positive and analyze your strengths and weaknesses and accordingly plan for life after CBSE board results. Doing so will help keep the mind focused on other important tasks and prevent negative thoughts form causing unwanted stress. At this stage it is also very important to prepare back-up plans for any contingencies.
• It is the best time to indulge into hobby courses! Make the most of this time by getting enrolled into hobby courses. This will not only allow students to keep the result related stress at bay, but will also help them hone their skills in something that they really like doing. Students can also choose to indulge in some physical activities that will not only help them stay fit but also keep their heads cool. Finding and allowing for such creative and /or constructive expression of their energies will help students bring freshness into their minds and help them face their studies with renewed vigour.
• Be ready for a party! The CBSE board results are the outcome of year-long hard work. Therefore it is important for students to celebrate their results. Even if the results are not as per your expectations, it is important that you accept those results and make plans for the next phase of your student life. Doing so will also help students learn a very important lesson of life - that of taking responsibility for their actions and taking charge of their lives.

Keep all these points in mind and face your CBSE board results head-on. Even if CBSE board results do not turn up as per your expectations, take it as a challenge, strive and work towards better results for the next academic year.

How to prepare for ICSE Board Papers

ICSE Board papers are considered to be difficult papers in comparison to the papers set by the other board papers across India. The ICSE Board offers students an extensive variety of subjects to choose from. More emphasis is on literature than any other aspect of learning in ICSE Board curriculum. The ICSE Board is also the generally preferred board by students who wish to pursue their undergrad studies from foreign countries. One of the major reasons for the same is that the curriculum for ICSE Board Papers is more compatible with the syllabus of other Common Wealth countries. 

If you are a student of ICSE Board and you are nervous about your Board Papers after reading the above mentioned facts, you don’t need to worry! Here are some snap tips on how to manage your time and excel in your ICSE Board Papers. 

• The first and most important step for any student of class X intending to appear for ICSE Board Papers is to choose their elective subjects wisely. The subjects chosen by the student should be aligned with the individual career choice and as per the individual caliber. Students should not choose subjects under peer, school or parental pressure. Once subjects are chosen, try sticking to it.
• The next important step is to prepare a customized time schedule. The schedule should be such that it clearly lists down all the activities you perform in a day against the time available. Try to include some variety, as it will help keep away monotony. It is important to clearly demarcate your personal study hours in a day from the time allocated for completing your homework.
• Build in flexibility into your time schedule. Try to adjust your missed study hours during the weekend as a fresh mind allows learning to be fast and effective.
• Prepare a fresh time schedule for exam time. Schedule the difficult subjects first and the easy ones for a later. Schedule your time in such a manner that you complete the syllabus before the exam commences and are able to judiciously use the time available in between the exams for revision.
• While revising, try your hand at ICSE Sample Papers. It provides students appearing for ICSE Board Papers with an idea of the question pattern, instructions, marking scheme etc. In the process these ICSE sample papers equip students with the confidence that is required to perform well in these exams.

In addition to your external assessment exams take your internal assessment seriously, as it carries a twenty percent weightage. A good performance in the internal exams is the key to a good overall score.