Saturday, February 5, 2011

Flash Cards

My brother Russ gave me an iPad for Christmas (thanks Bro!!) which I have hardly had a chance to use/play with, but this week I finally did a little shopping trip to the app store.

I bought a flash cards app, I know, I know...."why buy an app for something you can do on paper for free?"

See the thing is, I have hundreds of handmade flashcards lying around in these crazy disorganized piles, written in my chicken scratch/shorthand which makes ME the only person that can decipher them.

The beauty of this app is:

-I can put images with the cards, which is the BEST thing about them, because it means I don't have to try and describe the histological differences between an osteoblast and an osteoclast--I can just upload an image from Wheater's on the card
-I can organize them into sets
-it keeps them in one place, not randomly strewn throughout my school bags, gym bag, purse, desk, couch crevasses 
-it keeps stats on which ones I get right, wrong, and sorta-right-but-want-to-go-back-to
-I can select to just go through my 'wrong' piles or my 'review again maybe' piles
-they are typed, not in ABB hieroglyphics, making it easier for another person to quiz me (well, slightly easier).

Anyway, I've only just started making cards but if any of you nerds out there have an iPad/iPhone/iTouch you can download my sets for your learning pleasure. I'll be adding to them every week. I know they are kind of specific to my course, and that making flashcards is a big part of the learning, but hey...you just might LOVE them and become more brilliant for having them (please excuse my occasional mnemonic or loose association technique in the answers).

My page is here. If the link doesn't work let me know and I'll fiddle with it.

Happy studies!

Sample:


Obviously, the images are larger and look way cooler on the iPad.

10 comments:

OMDG said...

That's so cool, ABB!

James said...

I spent a LOT of time using flashcards my first two years, and looked at all the software out there. Before you get knees deep in this app, do take a second to check out anki (http://ankisrs.net/). The advantage I found with this system was that IT chose what cards to give you, based on how well you did the last time you saw the card, intelligent spacing is what they call it. The more often you get a card right, the less frequently you see it in the rotataion, the more you have gotten a card wrong, the more likely you will see it again soon. Its a good thought in that why study stuff you already know? My scores got significantly better after I started using anki.

It also has all the other features you mentioned, plus you can use it on any web browser, not just a phone or ipad.

Good luck!

Absentbabinski said...

Oooooh, this looks awesome. I think I will have to look it up in the App Store. I wonder if there is a desktop version, too?

Excellent find :)

Albinoblackbear said...

OMDG--I know, I really dig it!

TH--Thanks for that--I did check it out and anki seems very good as well. These cards can be viewed from any browser as well, they just look more slick on the handheld. =)

Anki seems to be totally free which is cool, the one I found is $3.99 and it's a bit extra to add photo capability so...Will poke around a bit more with it. Suggestions and advice always appreciated and welcome!!

AB--Yes, you can use them on your desktop, they just are larger and nicer to look at on the iPad...

Anonymous said...

I would whole-heartedly second Threehills recommendation of Anki. I've used it myself for the last few years now. I wrote a short review of the program on my blog a while back. Flashcard reviewing is exactly what I can see myself getting an iPad for. Cheers!

Robert said...

You are such a geek!

Will you marry me?

Awesome find!

Anonymous said...

That's pretty nifty.

I dunno if I can justify the cost of the iPad though.

Albinoblackbear said...

FG--I didn't really know how having an iPad would be useful for school but WOW is there ever a ton of medical applications for it.

NXY--Hahah, hilarious. My previous proposals have always been after a meal--nerdiness has never provoked such a reaction!

Maha said...

I NEED an iPad - NOW! My iphone and macbook are getting tired of each others' company and they need a new playmate...

Err... I mean awesome flashcards! Actually, I really mean it. When I first got my iphone, I didn't download any games - I got the ECG, lab values and ABG apps and then ibooks for fun reading. Geeks rule.

Anonymous said...

Wow. That's pretty rad - makes me long for medical school, so I can cave in and buy an iPad.