I-Connect for Students and Independent Users
In the I-Connect tech-based system, the “Mentor” is the person that creates accounts and uses the Portal and the “Student” is the person that uses the I-Connect App to self-monitor.
Traditionally, teachers are “Mentors” and their students are “Students,” but I-Connect is extremely flexible and can be used in many different ways.
If you’re here and you have a Mentor already, your Mentor wants you to learn more about I-Connect and the self-monitoring process. If you are here and you don’t have a Mentor, that’s okay, but it’s important that you know that you will need to perform both the Mentor and Student role responsibilities in the Portal and on the App.
What is I-Connect?
I-Connect is a self-monitoring system that includes a Web Portal and a Mobile App and/or Desktop App. The Web Portal is where your Mentor will create your account, track your progress, and adjust your self-monitoring settings as needed. The Mobile App or Desktop App are where you will practice self-monitoring and the app will track your progress. As a Student you can monitor on the I-Connect Desktop App or Mobile App, or both interchangeably– what’s important to remember is that Mentors use the Web Portal to create, view, and edit your account. A Mentor is typically a parent, teacher, or employer and it is their job to support you in making decisions about your monitoring questions, intervals, and goals. Mentors also offer general support throughout your self-monitoring journey.
You are not required to have a Mentor to use I-Connect, but if you don’t have one, you will need to perform both the Mentor and Student role responsibilities in the Web Portal and on the App.
What is self-monitoring?
Self-monitoring is a practice where a person keeps a record of their behavior over time. Recording and reflecting on your behavior through self-monitoring will help you set goals, track your progress, and adjust your behavior in order to meet your goals. Research show that self-monitoring can help you stay focused on assigned tasks, increase participation in class, complete more work, and even assist with study skills so it’s worth a try!
How can using I-Connect help me?
There are many ways to practice self-monitoring, I-Connect is a digitized convenient option that will track and store your progress so you or your mentor don’t have to. Using I-Connect can help you improve your academic skills, create positive habits, and empower you to advocate for yourself!
Self-advocacy is the ability to speak-up for yourself and the things that are important to you, practicing self-advocacy using I-Connect means you are able to identify goals that will help you to achieve your ambitions and focus on working towards achieving these goals.
Where can I use I-Connect, & what does it look like when I’m using it?
You can easily download the I-Connect Mobile App onto your phone or tablet or the I-Connect Desktop App onto your laptop or computer. As long as there is internet access, I-Connect can be used in the classroom, at home, at work, or any other location you want to use it in!
I-Connect is discrete or low-key to use in most locations, specifically in the classroom as it easily blends in with other student’s technology use. The I-Connect notification feature is also adjustable, which means you can control whether your device chimes, vibrates, or has a silent screen flash when your monitoring prompt pop-ups.
How can I make sure I-Connect works for me?
I-Connect features are custom and can be easily adjusted at any time to fit your specific needs and comfort level. With the help of your Mentor, I-Connect allows you to choose what your self-monitoring question say, this is important because this what you will see when the app sends you a pop-up notification. You also get to choose how often you get a notification, how high you want to set your goal, and more. If you are working with an I-Connect Mentor, be sure to discuss your preferences with them and let them know what works and does not work for you. (Remember, if you are using I-Connect autonomously you are your own Mentor and need to perform the responsibilities of both the Mentor and the Student)
How long should I use I-Connect?
You can monitor with I-Connect for as long or as brief as is helpful. For some students, a few sessions with I-Connect can make a difference. For others, using I-Connect more often or for a longer amount of time may be the most helpful. The “My Charts” feature in the app shows a chart of your progress over time, which makes it easy to see when you’ve met your goal.