Introduction
Gone are the days of dry lectures and long textbooks. With the latest advancements in technology, future-thinking educators can now make use of digital educational tools and apps to create truly engaging learning experiences for their students. From augmented reality to online collaboration, 2023 has some amazing educational apps available to help teachers create interactive lessons with no fuss or hassle!
When it comes to studying it’s easy to get lost in notes and ideas. That’s why we’ve collected 7 of the best study apps to help you make flashcards, and mind maps, create citations and work efficiently.
Apps for Students
1. Evernote
2. Kahoot!
3. Google Classroom
4. ClassDojo
5. Quizlet
6. Prodigy Game
7. Nearpod
8. Quizizz
1. Evernote
| Benefits | Free | Personal | Professional | Business |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sync devices | 2 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Monthly uploads | 60 MB | 10 GB | 20 GB | 6 GB/user |
| Max. note size | 25 MB | 200 MB | 200 MB | 200 MB |
| Offline access | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Search text inside images, docs, and PDFs | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Create custom templates | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mark up images and PDFs | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Connect primary Google Calendar account | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Add due dates, reminders, and notifications to your tasks | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Manage tasks in one place | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Customize Home dashboard and access extra widgets | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Connect both personal and workplace Google Calendar accounts | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Create, manage, and assign tasks to others, and easily track their progress | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Use Boolean terms to refine search results | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Find content by location with geographic search | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Export notebooks as PDF files | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Integrate with Slack, Microsoft Teams, and others | No | No | Yes | Yes |
2. Kahoot!
Kahoot! Features
- Ghost: Ghost is a great feature that allows students to play against their own previous high scores, making a game out of improving performance. This allows for going over a quiz more than once and helping to make sure information sinks in at a deeper level.
- Analysis: Improve each student’s understanding by using the analytics of results to see which student has struggled and with what, so you can help them in that area.
- Copy: Take advantage of the wealth of quizzes created by other educators and already available on Kahoot!, which are available to use freely. You can even combine multiple Kahoots for an ultimate quiz.
- Assess students first: A Kahoot quiz can be a great way to check students’ knowledge before you start teaching a subject to help avoid making it too simplistic or too complicated for the class.
- Use media: Add in videos right from YouTube very easily. This is a great way to have students watch and learn, knowing they’re going to be questioned after the video ends. You can also add in images and, in the case of the iOS app, your own drawings.
Pros and Cons of Kahoot!
| Pros | Cons |
| Users participate in a collective experience in real time, which challenges participants on their knowledge and quick wit. | Kahoot requires each student to have a device, in addition to one for the dashboard; stable internet connection is needed for all of them. |
| The Android and iOS app lets you create Kahoots from your mobile device. | Excessive use could generate aversion to other less entertaining but more complete means of examination or educational performance monitoring. |
| Making questions can be done quickly. Bulk creation using a spreadsheet is possible. | The speed of some participants when answering the questions can lead them to long waits |
3. Google Classroom
Google Classroom tips and tricks
Here are some ideas for maximizing your use of Google Classroom …
- On your “Classes” page (click the three lines menu button and “Classes”), click and drag your class cards around the page to reorder them.
- Whenever you see a folder icon, click it to open that class’s Google Classroom folder in Google Drive. This is where student work lives when it’s turned in.
- Assignments with due dates automatically go on your class’s Google Calendar. Click a calendar icon to view it.
- Want to make an individual copy of a file for every student in an assignment? (i.e. You have a graphic organizer you want ALL students to complete.) Google Classroom is like your digital photocopier. When you attach the file to your assignment, use the drop-down menu on that file and choose “Make a copy for each student.”
- Know the difference between the types of comments you can leave in Google Classroom. Check out the graphic below!
- The Google Classroom mobile app is your secret tool for giving students quick, easy, instant feedbackm
- Adjust the settings for your class using the gear icon from your class’s home screen. You can change your class name, display the class code, decide what actions students can take in the stream, and decide whether to display deleted items.
The Basics of Google Classroom
| Basics of Google Classroom | Explanation |
| Home Page | This is where you will see all the classes that you have created or joined. You have the option to create a class or join a class. |
| Class Home Page | Once you have created a class, click on it and you will see the class home page. At the top, you’ll see the name of the class along with a generated class code that you can give to your students so that they join the correct class. You can upload a photo or change the visual theme of the classroom here as well. |
| Classwork | Under the “Classwork” tab at the top you can assign work for your students. This integrates seamlessly with Google Calendar so you can set publicly viewable due dates and meetings for the entire class. |
| People | Under the “People” tab in Google Classroom, you can view and add educators and students to their respective roles. |
| Grades | Lastly, the “Grades” tab allows you to view the grades of everyone in the classroom. Don’t worry, students won’t be able to see anything but their own grades. |
3. ClassDojo
What can the teacher do on the Class Dojo app?
- On the Class Dojo app, the teacher can:
- Post announcements, files, events, and reminders the on the class story.
- Share photos and videos of classroom activities and lessons.
- Send private messages to keep parents in the loop.
- Like and leave positive feedback on student’s portfolios.
- See if the parent saw a post and the parent missed it, contact the parent directly.
What can the students do on the Class Dojo app?
The students can:
- Complete individual or class homework in their portfolio.
- See and comment on posts.
- Access shared files.
- Stay safe because only the parent and the teacher can see their work and posts.
5. Quizlet
Quizlet is a web-based and mobile learning platform that helps students learn and remember information through interactive activities such as flashcards, practice tests, and games. It was founded in 2005 by Andrew Sutherland, a high school student at the time, and has since grown to become one of the most popular learning platforms in the world, with over 500 million user-generated flashcard sets and more than 60 million active users.
Pros and Cons of Quizlet
| Pros | Cons |
| You can easily differentiate review for your students | Students can get distracted by ads |
| You can incorporate collaboration and teamwork into your classes | They could learn incorrect information |
| Students have another way to prepare for tests | Children may use Quizlet to cheat |
6. Prodigy Game
Prodigy Math Game is a great way to practice math concepts and skills in a fun and engaging way. With the Prodigy Math Game, students can progress at their own pace and receive immediate feedback on their performance. The game also adapts to each student’s level, making it an effective tool for differentiated instruction.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Fun and engaging | Can be addictive |
| Educational | Some math problems are not aligned with school curriculum |
| Covers a wide range of math topics | Premium accounts can create inequities |
| Personalizes learning | Can be repetitive |
| Tracks student progress | Not all math concepts are covered |
7. Nearpod
Nearpod helps educators make any lesson interactive, whether in the classroom or virtual. The concept is simple. A teacher can create interactive presentations that can contain Quizzes, Polls, Videos, Collaborate Boards, and more.
- Interactive lessons: Nearpod allows teachers to create and deliver interactive lessons with text, images, videos, quizzes, polls, and other activities.
- Differentiated instruction: Nearpod’s features, such as real-time formative assessment and student-paced mode, enable teachers to differentiate instruction and meet the needs of all learners.
- Collaboration tools: Nearpod’s collaboration tools, such as Collaborative Boards and Collaborate Mode, allow students to work together on projects and assignments.
- Formative assessment: Nearpod’s formative assessment features, such as real-time quizzes and polls, provide teachers with immediate feedback on student understanding.
- Data and insights: Nearpod provides teachers with data and insights on student progress, which can be used to guide instruction and improve student outcomes.
So much fun checking out @nearpod with Ms Sanderson’s math classes today at Lewisville Middle School! Hard to pick a favourite between Draw It and VR features, but safe to say they loved everything! pic.twitter.com/sSKppq0tGa
— Anna Doucette (she/her/elle) (@AnnaDoucette10) November 2, 2023
8. Quizizz
Quizizz is an online learning platform that allows teachers and students to create and deliver interactive quizzes, lessons, and games. It is a popular tool for formative assessment and differentiated instruction.
Key Features of Quizizz:
- Lessons: Quizizz allows users to create interactive quizzes and lessons with text, images, videos, and audio. Questions can be multiple choice, true/false, fill-in-the-blank, or open-ended.
- Assign quizzes and lessons to students: Quizizz allows teachers to assign quizzes and lessons to students individually or as a class. Students can complete quizzes and lessons on any device with an internet connection.
- Provide real-time feedback: Quizizz provides teachers with real-time feedback on student progress, so they can identify students who need extra help and provide immediate remediation.
- Differentiate instruction: Quizizz allows teachers to differentiate instruction by providing students with different sets of questions based on their individual needs. For example, teachers can give students more challenging questions if they are ahead or easier questions if they are struggling.
- Make learning fun: Quizizz uses gamification elements, such as leaderboards and badges, to make learning more fun and engaging for students.
FAQS
What are the benefits of using tech apps for learning?
Answer: Tech apps can make learning more engaging and fun for students, improve learning outcomes, enable differentiated instruction, increase collaboration, and improve communication with teachers.
Q2: What are some of the best tech apps for students?
Answer: Some of the best tech apps for students include:
Productivity apps: Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides, Microsoft Office Suite, Evernote, OneNote
Educational apps: Khan Academy, Duolingo, Quizizz, Quizlet, Kahoot!, Socrative
Communication apps: Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Discord
Q3: How can I choose the right tech apps for my students?
Answer: When choosing tech apps for your students, consider the following factors:
The needs of your students: What subjects do they need support in? What are their learning styles? The features of the app: Does the app have the features that your students need? The cost of the app: Is the app free or paid? If it is paid, is it worth the cost?
Q4: What are some of the challenges of using tech apps in the classroom?
Answer: Some of the challenges of using tech apps in the classroom include:
Some tech apps can be expensive. Not all students have access to devices and internet at home. Some tech apps require technical support, which can be time-consuming for teachers.
Q5: How can I overcome the challenges of using tech apps in the classroom?
Answer: Here are some tips for overcoming the challenges of using tech apps in the classroom:
- Get a grant
- Use a variety of tech apps
- Set clear expectations and model responsible tech use
- Get help from tech support
Conclusion
Technology can be a powerful tool for students, helping them to learn more effectively and efficiently by these tech apps for students. There are a wide range of tech apps available that can be used to support students in their studies, from productivity apps to educational apps to communication apps.