Tech Bloat and Productivity in Education
How often do you find yourself switching in between apps when you’re trying to get something done? At least three, there’s a few windows open at once, you’re clicking between them, it’s a bit of a time waster.
On top of that almost a quarter of Australians say they spend 1-2 hours per workday searching for information. If everything you need was available in one place it might be a good thing.
Notion lets users switch from rigid, specialised tools to one flexible, consolidated workspace. It brings all knowledge and work together into one tool that adapts to organisations - with AI to find answers and automate. It provides one place for all docs and notes, company knowledge, projects and team workflows, calendar, email and other tools.
The platform can serve as a knowledge wiki and with AI, users can ask questions about their data in natural language and receive answers with citations drawn from information across their workspace. This significantly cuts down the time spent searching for information.
Notion’s Head of ANZ, SEA and India, Andrew McCarthy says, “Notion enables users to organise and share key information. This can save time by allowing individuals and teams to harness their entire companyʼs collective knowledge into easy-to-find information for everyone.
“Specifically for schools, Notion allows both teachers and students to create project plans, track progress, collaborate with team members, and get insights into how specific projects are progressing. For those studying, Notion has embedded AI within the platform that can summarise notes and help with exam prep.”
Teachers can use Notion to help plan lessons, set class schedules, organise syllabus materials, and keep track of grading. Notionʼs Lesson Plans templates allow the structuring of dynamic lectures and interactive activities.
“Notion worked with a prominent higher education institution in Sydney, providing them with the flexibility to adapt the tool to their way of working, rather than forcing them to adapt their work style to the tool.
“The impact was immediate and measurable, the team went from using legacy software, Spreadsheets and Word Docs, to instead working in real time, in Notion. This meant the team was able to move away from fragmented communication and various disjointed tech tools.”
By making use of no-code automation tools such as Zapier, which integrate with Notion, students and educators can sync data between their learning management systems (LMS) and Notion. This allows them to automate a range of tasks such as scheduling and sending notifications.
Through Notionʼs Google Docs integration, users can link files to database items, streamlining access to important resources. This means users can share their work easily and access their documents in one place.
“Anyone can open Notion and start using it immediately without any training. The time it takes for staff to make full of the benefits provided can vary depending on the organisation's size and the complexity of their use case. With Notionʼs intuitive, user-friendly interface, users can start using the basics right away. For example, simple tasks like creating notes, to-do lists, or project plans are easy to get started with,” McCarthy says.
“People often resist change because it can feel like additional work. When introducing a new workflow, itʼs crucial to highlight how it helps users to make better use of their time. In addition, a complete workflow overhaul can feel overwhelming, so gradual adoption is key. For example, schools can start by piloting a single project on Notion, allowing educators to experiment and see for themselves the benefits Notion can bring to their daily lives.
“Notionʼs survey found that almost a third of Australians believe they context-switch 3-4 times a day at work, adding to stress. A tool like Notion, which allows users to consolidate workflows can greatly eliminate context switching and therefore reduce stress. And everyone wants less stress.”