Swift Playgrounds
More and more kids are being taught the importance of starting to code at an early age to make more connections in their brains and to give them an edge in their future professional lives. Swift Playgrounds is a free app available for iPads running iOS 10 or later that teaches kids the ins and outs of learning to code – all while keeping a game-like look and feel. In “The Fundamentals of Swift ” users are taught concepts such as commands, functions, loops, and so much more. As your character, Byte, progresses through the world, more difficult concepts will need to be learnt to overcome certain tasks. Once a foundation is built, you can move on to more complex modules and even code for toys like the Lego Mindstorms or Parrot drones.
Duolingo
Duolingo is a fantastic app for picking up a new language, available on Android, iOS, and the browser. The app is broken into small pieces of learning material, meant to take up just about fifteen minutes of your day for each session. With this, a variety of mini games allows you to more easily learn and maintain the material. As you progress through the material, previously learnt material is interweaved into the lessons. Stay motivated through a streak count which is logged when you spend time each day. In addition, missing too many questions and “losing” hearts will require restarting the lesson. This prevents you from breezing through the information without retaining all of it. All in all, Duolingo is more personable and a lot better than learning in grade school.
Edmodo
Teachers can add kids to their group on Edmodo to share information and even host quizzes, tests, and assignments. Students are able to leave feedback and comments as well. It is most definitely the easiest way to keep tabs on assignment updates and to submit projects, tests, quizzes, and questions digitally. Edmodo is available on Android, iOS, and the browser. One shortcoming, though, is that if the teacher does not support or use the app in their classroom, the students will not be able to either. Recently, forms of cheating within the app (such as pressing and holding on a word and tapping to view a definition) have led faculty to try to implement apps like Canvas into the classroom instead. Even if that is the case, there is room for Edmodo as a superior educational communications and collaboration app.
Photomath
For the times that math simply is not “clicking,” Photomath is the ultimate camera calculator. Simply line up your device’s camera with a written or printed math problem. Scans are completed, and the problem is solved in real time. Tap to make edits to the equation and to view the steps to solve the problem. Photomath is available for iOS and Android. While this is great and all, many students have found themselves to be using the app as a crutch to complete homework – without actually learning the material. In doing so, come exam time, it’s likely they will fail. It is just important to use Photomath as a resourceful learning tool, and nothing more.
Quizlet Flashcards
Rarely ever is there an app that encapsulates the need for a simple, easy-to-use flashcard app that just works – and yet, Quizlet Flashcards manages to do it. Create your own decks or use decks sourced from the Internet. You can use your voice to create desks and then memorize the material through mini games within the app. It is available for free on both Android and iOS. The full Quizlet experience is available online.
Conclusion
Many educational apps seem to have a “cutoff” age. This is where the information presented is no longer useful as a user excels further into their education. The above list of the best educational apps has been designed to help students through their entire schooling, and some of them may even be helpful to your career. Have any thoughts or an app you like? Leave a comment below.
