Prioritizing and Completing Tasks with Checklists

Learners can use technology to create a checklist of tasks to accomplish and put them in order based on what needs to get done first. Checklists provide a visual reminder of what needs to be accomplished. Checkboxes can be used to indicate when something has been completed. Digital checklists can often be shared with educators to provide guidance and feedback. Digital checklists are also often flexible, allowing items to be re-ordered, read aloud with text to speech, and edited. The following are a list of potential tools that could be used to create digital checklists.

Managing Time with Alerts and Alarms

When diligently working on a task it can be easy to lose track of time. An alarm or alert helps learners know that something is coming up that needs attention. Learners can set an alarm to go off at a specific time. Educators might need to provide guidance with regard to how much time might be needed to prepare for the transition to the next experience. The following website provide free, programmable alarms.

Screenshot of a digital timer

Managing Time with Timers

Knowing how much time one has left before a transition takes place helps learners understand when the task they are working to complete will come to an end. Educators can guide learners to set their own timers to help them learn self-management skills. Learners can also challenge themselves to complete tasks accurately within the given time frame. Timers can have both visual and auditory components as a cue to the learner about how much time is left like the Candle Timer.

Screenshot of Candle Timer

Managing Time with Google Calendar

Learners can use their Google accounts to create and manage multiple calendars. It has color coding, collaboration, and reminder features to help individuals never miss another event. Different views allow the learner to see a schedule for the day, week, month, or even more customized options. At first, educators might need to provide guidance about what types of events should go on the calendar. Over time, using the calendar becomes habitual and part of one’s daily routine. 

The video below titled Google Calendar: 8 Little-Known Google Cal Tips shares ideas about how to use Google Calendar.

 

 

Defining Executive Functioning

Executive functioning skills are a set of cognitive abilities that include working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control used daily to learn, work, and manage everyday life. People can use technology to help learn how to manage and develop these abilities. This blog often shares specific strategies to people learn how to use technology to build executive functioning skills all of which can be accessed by using the Executive Functioning category on the right.

The video titled “What is Executive Function?” further explains executive functioning.