When the Net is a university
WEB
SCHOOL The Internet has thousands of places where you can learn something new
every day. We look at three sites that sharpen your brain
The Internet started as a place
where one could share stuff, and to enable universities to talk to each other
and exchange data. Somewhere down the line it also enabled businesses to talk
to each other. Then came the youth with their social networks and chat
networks.
But there is more to the Internet
than chatting, browsing and watching each others’ videos. It is also an amazing
educational force that you can use to keep your mind alert, active and sharp,
especially in these times of ever shortening when attention spans and
increasing incidence of senile decay.
So if you have been feeling that you
need a challenge, or something interesting to do each day, play a game or take
a lesson from one of these Websites — or maybe even all or them. Learn, adapt,
change, enjoy.
KHAN ACADEMY (www.khanacademy. org)
This is website primarily to catch
up on mathematics. Don’t worry if you don’t know what a discriminant is, or how
to calculate square roots, Khan Academy can get you there. You can sign up
simply with your Facebook or Google account or even your email id. The site
also allows you to sign in as a parent or a tutor, in case you want a child
under your guidance to use the site.
The website has explanatory videos
and interactive learning exercises. And it is not just about maths. The site
also offers biology, physics, chemistry, computer programming — all at your own
pace. Bored with a class? Just log out, and return later. Or you can even pop
out of the window and spend a short while watching a video on Youtube!
Khan Academy also has partner
content from The Museum of Modern Art and the California Academy of Sciences.
It also offers lessons in economics, entrepreneurship and other subjects. Sign
up, learn something new, hone your skills, stay sharp. You can access the site
on the Internet browser, or download the Khan Academy app on your iOS/ Android
device. Oh, and did we mention? It is free.
LUMOSITY (http://www.lumosity.com/)
Lumosity calls itself a leader in
the science of brain training. This writer has been hooked on to their app for
a while now, and their website too. Lumosity offers an app for the iPhone;
others have to use the Website. You can register via your Facebook id or email
id. The site has games designed to increase your speed, memory, attention,
flexibility and problem-solving abilities.
Visual games make you think against
a ticking clock to select if the colour in words is the colour in shade or if
the number shown is even and the alphabet next to it is a vowel. The games are
great fun; the iPhone app limits you to 10 minutes a day. The programmes are
based on 45+ games, of which you can only play a limited number in the free
mode.
Subscription plans include $14.95
(about ` 930) a month and a $299.95 (about ` 18,600) lifetime subscription.
There is also a ‘family plan’ in which five members can use Lumosity for
$129.96 or ` 8,060). All games eventually present you with a BPI — Brain
Performance Index — that shows your relative scores in different areas. If you
have a paid plan, you also get a progress report over 10 weeks, get to assess
yourself outside the games and get a personalised training plan.
FIT BRAINS (http://www.fitbrains. com/)
Fit Brains’ training programmes are
designed to improve your memory, logic, concentration, language and visual
recall.
You can connect with your Facebook
account or sign up with an email. It also asks for your year of birth, gender
and education background. This gives you a personal Fit Brain Index, and
suggests that you do this at least four times a week.
The games runs on Adobe Flash —
which means that browser issues are quite possible. But the games are fun. Use
it regularly and you will see improvements in your ability to adapt to
situations, being able to resist distractions and completing tasks.
To get more features you need to
subscribe ($30 or about 1,860 per month), which gives you access to 25+ premium
games, performance tracking and a personalised learning plan. Fit Brains has
multiple apps for the iOS platform, and one for Android.
Gagandeep Singh Sapra HT140211
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