- π About ScholarUp
- π¦ Screenshots
- π ScholarUp Case Study
- β Milestone 2: Problem Analysis and Project Proposal
- π Milestone 3: Competitive Analysis
- ποΈ Milestone 4: Stakeholder Interviews
- Milestone 5: Storyboard
- π§ͺ Milestone 6: Paper Prototype Testing
- π¬ Final Milestone: Deliverable (Final Features)
- β¨ Installation
- π² Running ScholarUp
- βοΈ Meet the Creators:
- π InnovateUNO
- π€ ULS Academic Summit 2024
- π License
Note
ScholarUp is our study app created for our Mobile Applications Development course in Fall 2023; presented at InnovateUNO (2023) and the Annual ULS Academic Summit (2024).
ScholarUp is a mobile study app that combines studying, planning, and aesthetics. It holds all the features you need to study consistently and successfully, while also having a cute and consistent color scheme of green, white, and brown.
β’ Flashcards: Create new flashcard stacks, add items to it, practice the cards, and star what you know.
β’ To Do Lists: Create To Do lists, add items to the lists, and check off the ones you completed.
β’ Study Timer: Time how long it takes you to study as well as have a set break.
This case study documents the development process, from initial problem analysis to the final deliverable, highlighting key milestones, stakeholder feedback, and iterative improvements.
Students struggle with organization, motivation, and consistency in their study habits. Existing apps like Notion, Duolingo, and Quizlet offer partial solutions but lack a unified approach that combines planning, studying, and social accountability.
ScholarUp addresses these challenges by integrating:
- Study Tools (Flashcards, Test Maker, Study Timer, Note Imports)
- Planning (Task Management, Habit Tracking, Syllabus Integration)
- Social & Gamification (Leaderboards, Achievements)
- Procrastinators β Need structure and reminders.
- Overachievers β Thrive on competition and achievements.
- Freshmen/Transfer Students β Require guidance and organization.
- Non-Traditional Students β Need accessibility and ease of use.
- Students Struggling with Burnout β Benefit from mindfulness and habit tracking.
| App | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| Notion | Organization, Scalability | Steep learning curve, Poor mobile UX |
| Duolingo | Gamification, Addictive | Aggressive ads, Punitive mistakes |
| Quizlet | Study Modes, Offline Access | Paywalled features, Disorganized imports |
- Duolingo β Leaderboards, XP system, addictive UX.
- Adopted: Gamification (but with an opt-out for non-competitive users).
- Changed: Added messaging and customizable themes.
- Notion β Organizational flexibility, templates.
- Adopted: Guided onboarding with tooltips.
- Changed: More intuitive UI with a zen-inspired color scheme.
- Flora β Study timer with gamified breaks.
- Adopted: Focus timer with breaks.
- Changed: Added doodle feature during breaks for stress relief.
ScholarUp stands out by merging multiple study tools into one cohesive experience, unlike competitors that focus on single functionalities.
| Stakeholder Type | Pain Points | Desired Features |
|---|---|---|
| Burnt-Out Student | Overwhelmed, needs breaks | Mindfulness prompts, habit tracker |
| Competitive Student | Wants motivation | Leaderboards, challenges |
| Procrastinator | Hard to start tasks | Streaks, social accountability |
| Non-Traditional Student | Tech learning curve | Multilingual support, tutorials |
| Freshman/Transfer Student | Disorganized | Syllabus importer, study groups |
- Stress Management: Users wanted built-in relaxation features.
- Time Management: Planner with habit tracking was highly requested.
- Social Motivation: Study buddies and leaderboards appealed to many.
- Gamification: Streaks and achievements kept users engaged.
| Issue | Solution Implemented |
|---|---|
| Unclear navigation icons | Replaced with labeled sidebar |
| Hard to find task display | Added daily/weekly/monthly views |
| Confusing back buttons | Made larger and more visible |
- Users struggled with icon-based navigation β Switched to text labels.
- Task visibility was unclear β Improved calendar UI.
- Users loved the color scheme.
- We also observed that students doodle on the white boards, concluding that we also need a doodle feature.
- Flashcards (create, practice, star difficult cards)
- Test Maker & Mistake Reviewer
- Study Timer (Pomodoro with doodle breaks)
- Task Manager with Due Dates
- Habit Tracker
- Syllabus Importer
- Leaderboards (opt-out available)
- Positive Feedback: Users loved the all-in-one approach.
- Areas for Improvement: Stats addition, Leaderboard addition, Test Maker addition.
ScholarUp successfully merges planning, studying, and motivation into a single app, addressing key pain points for students. Through iterative testing and stakeholder feedback, the app evolved into a user-friendly, feature-rich tool that enhances study habits while reducing stress.
- Git
- Node Version Manager (nvm)
- Node Package Manager (npm) (version 16 or higher via nvm)
- Required libraries:
moment(JavaScript package),@react-native-community/datetimepicker@6.5.2(React Native package)
- Required libraries:
- One or more of the following testing methods:
- Expo Go app (best for computers with low storage)
- Android Studio (Android emulation)
- Xcode with iOS Simulator (macOS only; iOS emulation)
γ Install Node Version Manager γ
# Type the following into the terminal (one line):
$ curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/creationix/nvm/v0.31.3/install.sh | bash
# EXIT terminal and RE-OPEN
$ nvm # You will get a response if the curl command was successful.
# Install version 16
$ nvm install 16
#Make your default alias
$ nvm alias default 16
γ Clone ScholarUp γ
# Navigate to a directory you want our repository to be cloned in (source/ recommended)
$ git clone https://github.com/Jenspi/ScholarUp.git
γ Install Node Package Manager via ScholarUp/ γ
# Navigate inside ScholarUp/ (where App.js is located) and open a terminal window there
# Your hierarchy should look like this when opening a terminal:
# ScholarUp/
# βββ src/ # Source code (your app logic)
# βββ assets/ # Images, fonts, icons
# βββ repo_photos/ # Repository documentation images
# βββ InnovateUNO_Slides/ # Presentation slides
# βββ App.js # Main app entry point
# βββ app.json # Expo configuration
# βββ ...
$ npm install --legacy-peer-deps # You will see a folder named `node_modules` appear in the directory if successful.
γ Install npm Libraries via ScholarUp/ γ
# Install JavaScript's "moment" package:
$ npm i moment
# Install React Native's "datetimepicker" package:
$ npx expo install @react-native-community/datetimepicker@6.5.2
# Go on to the "Running ScholarUp" section! β₯οΈUse npm start in the terminal and scan the QR code that shows up.
Note: You must have the Expo Go app, where this QR code will redirect to once scanned. Make sure you have the correct app downloaded: Apple Store | Google Play Store
Open project in Android Studio > add a device in the Device Manager > npm start in the Android Studio terminal > press "a" for Android.
Open the iOS Simulator (Xcode menu > Open Developer Tool > Simulator) > npm start in your terminal > press "i" for iOS.
Note: You do not need to open the project in Xcode; simply launch the iOS Simulator. The Expo CLI will automatically deploy to any running simulator when you press "i".
Note
These are descriptions from November 2023. See social medias for most up-to-date information. We're all graduated now! β£οΈ
A senior in the general Computer Science concentration with a huge interest in Software Engineering and Data Analytics. I regularly use study/productivity apps, so I am thrilled to be working on one with my team. I especially worked on user research and UI/UX, hand-picking impactful features such as a color palette carefuly chosen with color psychology. You can contact me through LinkedIn or take a stroll through my portfolio website.
A senior in Computer Science interested in Mobile Application Development and Software Engineering. I use planners and calendars to keep track of what I need done, so it will be very interesting to see the process of creating an app like this! You can reach me: LinkedIn. UI designed by me: ScholarUp Prototype and ScholarUp Slides.
A senior in Computer Science dedicated to building my leadership, problem-solving, mobile & web design, and development skills. Have always enjoyed using and discovering new productivity apps. I believe they are useful in a variety of ways, and am thrilled to work with a creative and ambitious team to develop our very own productivity app. For my background and experience: LinkedIn and Portfolio.
ScholarUp was presented on November 14th, 2023 at UNOβs annual research symposium, InnovateUNO. See our abstract. We placed First Place out of 100 other UNO students and faculty, winning $200 and an invitation to present at the ULS Annual Academic Summit. Winners Page, Presentation Slides
ScholarUp was presented at Louisiana Tech University on April 11-12, 2024 for the University of Louisiana System Academic Summit. The summit included students and faculty from all nine ULS universities.
Updated December 9, 2025.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License.