Teenager publishes ebook to help students improve their schoolwork

Too much work at school? Digitize, that’s the kind of advice most likely to come from the intelligent 17-year-old Tanya Meyer who recently wrote an ebook entitled Teen guide to school iPad use.

“iPads can be so useful, when my grades got even better and my study time cut in half, I knew I had found the best way of studying,” said the Northcliff High pupil.

Tanya became a trendsetter at her school when she began using her iPad to make notes in class.

“It all started with people asking me at school how I do it, because they could see how simple and easier it was,” said the hard-working Grade 11.

It took Tanya only about six months to write, edit and publish the ebook. Of course this is to be expected – she spends approximately two hours a week watching TV.

“I do not believe in playing or doing things that do not stimulate me or make me grow as a person. I would rather knit hats, bake and go sell the items at school than just play around,” she said.

Often some parents may be worried about unlocking a host of negative opportunities associated with technological devices with teenagers, but according to Tanya’s father Pietie Meyer, this was not the case with Tanya.

Tanya had her first cellphone when she was nine and has had the privilege to use it to her advantage and now she has found a way to help others.

“She has always been entrepreneurial, so it is not something I did not expect. She even did most of the work on the book herself; I just gave pointers here and there, 99.9 percent was hers,” he added.

“Tanya is a hard-working student and the use of the iPad has been a real winner. I have to commend her for the initiative she took,” said Northcliff High School deputy principal Andrew Wilkins.

“She is the first teenager in South Africa that has written an ebook and has been such a forerunner in the education realm,” Wilkins added.

Northcliff High has been running the iPad project for about two years and according to Wilkins, “it has aided in the classroom experience as it makes lessons more interesting and up to date.”

The ebook sells for R50.00

Because of her hard work, Tanya is second in her grade and wishes to study a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Biology at the University of Stellenbosch.

A present, Tanya wishes to be invited to schools so she can share her experiences and the contents of her book with other students.

“I wanted to do this because I want to help people more than anything else,” she concluded.

A FEW TIPS on how to use an iPad for educational purposes from Tanya:

· Use your class time effectively; make use of free lessons, etc.

· Make backups often and ensure that all your important documents lie on a memory stick and in the cloud (i e iCloud or Dropbox)

· “Work smart but not hard” by using your iPad efficiently for schoolwork

· See technology as a friend with whom you can play games, but a friend who can balance your life

· Develop a routine and proper system surrounding your studies throughout the term. The biggest problem is having to redo all study notes when exams are approaching. By using the iPad techniques described in my book, you will successfully be able to balance your life.

· Balance is exceptionally important for a happy, healthy life. By using my iPad book, you can do well academically while creating your own unique life.