Student Toolkit & Prompting
Discover AI tools designed for learning, research, and accessibility. Learn the RTF+C method for effective prompting.
Tell the AI who you are and what you're working on. This helps it tailor the response to your level and needs.
Example:
"I'm a community college student in Biology 101 working on a lab report about photosynthesis."
Be clear about what you want to achieve. Are you brainstorming, understanding a concept, or checking your work?
Example:
"I need help understanding the difference between the light-dependent and light-independent reactions."
Specify how you want the information presented: bullet points, a table, step-by-step explanation, or an analogy.
Example:
"Explain it using a simple analogy, then give me 3 key differences in a table format."
Provide background information that helps frame the task. Also include any constraints like length limits, reading level, or what NOT to do.
Example:
"Keep it under 200 words and use language a high school student would understand. Don't write my conclusion for me."
"Explain photosynthesis."
This vague prompt will likely result in a generic, textbook-style explanation that may be too basic or too advanced for your needs.
"I'm a community college student in Biology 101 working on a lab report about photosynthesis. I need help understanding the difference between the light-dependent and light-independent reactions. Explain it using a simple analogy, then give me 3 key differences in a table format. Keep it under 200 words and use language a high school student would understand. Don't write my conclusion for me."
This detailed prompt provides context, purpose, format expectations, and clear boundaries—resulting in a much more useful response.
AI Tool Directory
Tools organized by purpose with transparent tagging for cost, privacy, and learning mode
Socratic & Learning-First
A Socratic tutor that guides you through problems in math, science, and humanities without giving away the answer.
A computational knowledge engine that provides step-by-step logic for mathematical and scientific queries.
A mobile-first app that breaks down homework problems into conceptual videos and explanations.
Executive Functioning & Focus
Specifically for neurodivergent students; breaks down overwhelming tasks and adjusts the tone of communications.
A visual daily planner that helps manage 'time blindness' and transitions between classes.
Intelligently schedules your study blocks around your existing classes and habits. Requires some setup with your personal calendar.
Research & Organization
A personal research assistant that only uses your uploaded PDFs/notes to generate answers.
An AI-powered search engine that cites its sources in real-time.
Searches millions of peer-reviewed papers to find what the scientific community actually agrees on.
Creates visual 'maps' of academic papers, helping you find related research based on one good source.
Accessibility & Support
High-quality text-to-speech that turns any textbook or PDF into a natural-sounding audiobook.
Provides 'Study Buddy' bots that critique your writing and help you practice concepts safely.
Live transcription for lectures that automatically highlights key terms and summaries.
LLM Tools
Secure campus collaboration platform with AI features. Use different models and learn about prompting within the tool.
OpenAI's conversational AI model for general-purpose text generation and problem-solving.
Anthropic's AI assistant known for nuanced understanding and longer context windows.
Google's multimodal AI that can process text, images, and code.
Microsoft's AI assistant with enhanced privacy when using your school account.
Understanding the Tags
Each tool is labeled with tags to help you make informed decisions about cost, privacy, and learning approach.
100% free to use with no hidden costs.
Free tier available, but advanced features require a subscription.
Requires a purchase or subscription to use.
Specifically available or enhanced via your institutional credentials.
The tool has a clear policy stating it does NOT use your inputs to train its future models.
By default, your prompts and data are used to "teach" the AI. Avoid putting private info here.
Privacy policy is unclear or changes based on account type.
Designed to help you learn. It asks questions and explains concepts rather than giving final answers.
Designed to create content. High utility but requires high academic integrity oversight.
This tool has a steeper learning curve or requires specialized knowledge to use effectively.
Standard conversation-style interface.
Shows connections between ideas graphically.
Focused on project management and to-do lists.
Optimized for mobile devices.
Finding sources and summarizing data.
Drafting, editing, and grammar.
Time management and task breakdown.
Practice quizzes and concept mastery.
Assistive tech (text-to-speech, simplification).
Focus, prioritization, and overcoming "stuckness."
Ready to Navigate Academic Integrity?
Now that you know which tools to use and how to prompt effectively, learn how to use AI responsibly within your syllabus guidelines.
Explore Policy & Citations