As Quizlet puts up paywalls, other websites come to the rescue

It’s 11:25, you’ve just got back from practice, you’re too tired to do anything, but you have a math homework packet, a science worksheet, a history flashcard set to run through, and an English paper to write. You need to find the best, most efficient tools to breeze through the work while answering with quality so that you can get some sleep. There are valuable tools on the internet, but one of the most annoying things is when a paywall blocks a useful article or some needed research. No matter where you look, all the useful research for your English paper is blocked behind a paywall. 

This can be worked around though the use of a website called twelve foot ladder (12ft.io). It is blocked on Chromebooks for being a proxy, or server that can load web pages giving it the ability to bypass school blocks, but it can be easily used with a home computer or a phone. 12ft.io easily lets you get past annoying paywalls many sites have by simply pasting in a url. On the off chance that it isn’t effective on a certain site (such as the washington post), try alternatives like removepaywall.com or Incoggo.com.

Next up is your science worksheet. You’ll use ChatGPT, a useful tool, not for assisting in answering questions, but helping you understand school work. It can and obviously shouldn’t be used to cheat on assignments, and due to that reason it is blocked on school computers. You can still access it on phones or home computers for free, though. If you were to type in your question word for word, chatGPT is likely to get it incorrect, even though it may seem confident with its answer, but ChatGPT is still a great tool for learning. “The accuracy of its responses can’t always be trusted,” writer Jack Caulfield wrote, “We recommend using ChatGPT as a source of inspiration and feedback.” ChatGPT can understand what you’re asking, meaning it can give breakdowns of questions without providing answers or specific information. Research what it says and ask it to provide sources to ensure its accuracy. ChatGPT can help speed up your research and learning science concepts. Since ChatGPT does not get everything factually correct, it should be used in tandem with other sources to verify accuracy, according to science teacher Kayla Urban.

There are also websites to help you with your math problems. Useful websites for this are Microsoft Math Solver and Symbolab. They can give you a step by step breakdown of any math problem. This means they don’t just solve the math problem for you, but instead help you learn the steps to solve math problems you are stumped on or check if a math problem you solved is correct. Make sure to only use it as a learning tool, and not a way to cheat or get answers on math assignments that require you to do your own work.

Most students who have used quizlet.com recently have run into trouble with the subscription that it requires to access all of its best features, but all the tools of Quizlet can be accessed for free on the site knowt.io. It is very easy to use and has all the functionality and features of Quizlet. Practice flashcard sets can be imported from Quizlet to Knowt.io, or students can find tons of free community made flashcard sets online.

All of these websites can be very useful for quickly learning and accessing information and never should be used for cheating. “Whether it’s looking online or looking from some other text for information students need to make sure the information they provide is still their own thought and thinking,” Jarod ‘Mr. Math’ Brown said, “as opposed to plagiarizing or copying someone else’s thoughts.”

Should Quizlet have paywalls?

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I think Quizzes and Kahoot are absolutely amazing tools to study.”

Will Frye, 11

“It feels like they’re kind of like robbing us for money.”

Ty Perley, 10

“It’s not very cool of them – Obviously, it should be a free resource…with ads on the side or something.”

Chase Johnson, 11

“It seems like you’re taking away a good resource from students.”

Beth Kosakow, Counselor

“I think it’s awful because honestly, Quizlets have carried my work…so the fact that it’s priced now, I don’t…have access to easy things to study on, so it’s actually affecting my learning.”

Beaunita Nith, 10