As a principal, I always need to keep track of many items, ideas, and information. I used to use post-its to help me remember but it got out of hand. So a tool that I am finding useful these days is Jott, a web-based service that allows me to use my cell phone (or any other phone) to dictate messages and even To-Do lists.
The message is transcribed and sent as an email message that has a link to my audio recording. I can send messages to myself, to any individual email address, or to groups.
For example, let's say that I'm walking down the school hallway and see something that requires the custodian's attention. I can call Jott, say "lewis custodian" and record my message. The message will then be transcribed and emailed to the custodian along with my voice recording.
I can also use Jott to send messages to groups. For example if I wanted to let my leadership team know that I was running late for a meeting, I could call Jott, and direct the message to my group, "Leadership Team" and each member of that group would get the message.
I also use Jott to send myself To-Do items. While the transcription can be a bit rough, I have found that if I speak clearly it does a pretty good job of transcribing my voice. Also the message includes a link to the audio recording of my message. I find myself using this quite a bit to send myself To-Do items. I never ignore email so it’s an effective way to remember - and neater than post-its.
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