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Albert S. Cook Library

Student's Guide to Tech

Navigate online learning with confidence! Explore free and freemium tools for every stage of your academic workflow, from organizing notes and writing papers to creating visuals and collaborating with classmates.

Image Editing Tools

Image Editing Tools
Tool Best For Standout Features
GIMP (free) Advanced image editing that supports plugins and scripting for automating tasks Open source; alternative to Photoshop; layers, masks, custom brushes
Paint.NET (free) Quick edits with plugin support (Windows) Lightweight with basic editing features
Pinta (free) Simple cross-platform image editing inspired by Paint.Net with digital painting and pixel art functionality Open source; similar to Paint.NET but works on Mac, Linux, and Windows
PicPick (freemium) Screenshot editing (Windows) Scroll capture, annotation, color picker, built-in ruler
Tip: Use Pinta if you want a lightweight image editor that works across operating systems.

Infographics & Visual Communication

These tools help you create eye-catching visuals for class presentations, posters, portfolios, or social media. Both offer free versions with templates—just choose based on what you need to create.

Canva (freemium): A versatile, all-in-one design tool for social media posts, infographics, slide decks, logos, resumes, and more. Canva supports team collaboration, offers a huge library of templates, and lets you export files in multiple formats. Available on web, desktop, and mobile. 

Piktochart (freemium): Focused on infographics, reports, and presentations, especially those with charts, maps, and imported data. Piktochart allows you to upload spreadsheets (Excel and Sheets) and create interactive visuals that explain complex information clearly. Web-only.

Graphic comparing Canva and Piktochart for infographic creation. Which infographic tool should you use? Canva is best for storytelling across formats, including social media, and on-the-go use. Piktochart is best for interactive visualization of spreadsheet and map data.

GIF Creation

GIF Creation Tools
Tool Input Style Best For
AndThenIWasLike (free) Webcam Short, expressive selfie GIFs for class intros or messaging
BrushNinja (free) Online drawing toolbar Animate simple hand-drawn sketches
EZGif (free) Upload files (video, images, PDFs) Convert anything into a looping GIF with trim and edit features

Mind Mapping

Tip: Creating mind maps can help with memory retention and comprehension, which makes them great for reviewing study materials and planning group projects as well as writing essays!

Venn diagram comparing and contrast features of popular mind mapping tools Bubbl.us and Coggle.

Bubbl.us features:

  • Presentation mode for slide-style navigation
  • Simple, template-based start
  • More visual customization (colors and arrangements)
  • Better for visual brainstorming
  • Multiple layout formats: Grid, tree, column, circle

Coggle features:

  • Starts from a single parent node (no multiple starting points)
  • Emphasis on real-time collaboration
  • Markdown support for formatting
  • Hotkey shortcuts for fast editing
  • Better for organizing and outlining projects or study guides

Shared features:

  • Auto-saves and web-based
  • Ability to add images, links, and notes
  • Export options (PDF, image)
  • Free and freemium plans

AI-Enhanced Visual Communication

Microsoft Office's Smart Art and Designer are familiar ways to turn your text into visuals, but sometimes: You may not know what kind of visualization will best represent the content. For those times, a dedicate generative AI tool may be a good way to brainstorm possibilities!

Napkin AI

Graphic showing how Napkin generates visuals, alongside an Eco-Tourism Agency business plan with a quadrant chart.

Napkin AI Interface

Transform your existing text content into visuals like diagrams, charts, scenes, and images. You do not need to write prompts to use Napkin.AI (freemium). Simply write or paste your text content into Napkin and click the⚡blue high voltage symbol to generate your visuals. You can then export designs in multiple formats: PNG, SVG, and PDF.

Two sections discuss characteristics of Netflix original films. Upper: white text on black and a purple box list features like predictable storylines. Lower: graphic with pros like star power and cons like B-level stars.

Example Text to Graphic Conversion

In this example, journalist Katelyn Chedraoui converted a text-heavy slide into a more digestible visualization of the same content, using a Pro-Con list format with icons and short phrases to convey meaning in a less overwhelming way. Since the linked review was published in 2024, keep in mind: These days, you can easily customize Napkin visualizations and edit them to fit your specific needs.