Problem
The problem I am trying to solve with this prototype is that studying can be inefficient and unorganized, which makes it harder to stay focused and manage time effectively. Because of this, many students struggle to plan their study times, track progress, and stay focused.
Not only am I trying to solve this problem for students who want to study more efficiently, but I am also trying to solve this problem for myself.
My definition statement is: “To improve the effectiveness and efficiency of my studying, I need to develop a comprehensive system that supports both planning and focus. The system should help me stay on task by providing reminders or progress tracking, allowing me to schedule study sessions at optimal times, and adapting to different study methods and preferences. Additionally, it should be flexible enough to accommodate not only my own learning style but also the needs and habits of other users, making it a personalized and collaborative tool for more productive and organized studying.”
Research
Before this project, I had tried multiple times to solve this issue. Whether it was using Google Sheets, a calendar, or Google Docs, none of those strategies really worked for me. A problem I identified during this process was that I’m not very instinctive when it comes to studying. By doing some research online, I find that notifications, physical tracking, and seeing yourself grow are great ways to get the attention of students and keep them on task. I also ran a class survey on a class of 16 students on the topic of “which study methods worked for them, and which ones were less effective.” You can find it here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ovfxumscf5p29kgY3jKkbmixHWBGB6_iLiomPfz32KY/edit?tab=t.0
Solution
My original solution was to develop an app that would solve this problem. However, I realize that there’s not enough time for me to learn how to build an app, build it, code it, and then launch the app. So I shifted my idea to building a program with the same features and functions, using tkinter, a Python library for creating GUIs.
My actual solutions to the problem include:
- A Timer/ schedule where the user types out their task, like “Math homework,” and then in how long until they want to start working on that assignment. After the user enters the number of hours and minutes, the program starts a timer counting down that time until it hits 0, where the program then plays a loud notification, and a pop-up window appears telling you to go study.
- A List of suggestions to improve your study effectiveness and a list of things that could make that study time less effective. This is a list of the methods that work and don’t work, which I collected from my class during the survey.
- A grade tracker that allows the user to see their grade change. While our school has the Canvas gradebook that allows us to see, most schools don’t have that feature. Seeing your growth in real time is a great way to keep students motivated and improve their urge to work hard
From my experience, I’ve learned that when you are constantly studying for an extensive period of time, eventually it really gets ineffective, and your brain just doesn’t soak up the information. So, to help with this, I’ve added a small game that students can play when they are on their break time. The small game is a simple coin flip that students can roll once. It can either increase their study time by 10 minutes or decrease it.
Progress so far
As of right now, it is 2026-03-12. So far, I have already started to create the code. I have completed the list of suggestions of do’s and don’ts, and I have completed the calendar/schedule feature, including the pop-up notification.
Challenges in the future
While I have used tkinter in the past to create a choose-your-own-adventure story game, the functions I used in that process are different from the ones I’m going to use to create this program. As a result, I can see myself consulting A.I. to help me with these features.
Next Steps
The next step I need to do is finish up the program and start testing for bugs and mistakes. I should also go over and refine my ideas to make sure that they are applicable to all students.
A.I. Usage
For this project, yes, I am using A.I need help with the coding. I have chosen to use A.I for the reason I have already explained. While I have experience using tkinter, and some of that experience, I am able to use it here. There are still parts of the code that I am unfamiliar with and need to use A.I. to help me. The transcript is here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GhLYyaUcfoyMXRPUzUPhusQhOrJSXlTpAnmOTRO2mUM/edit?tab=t.0
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