Why Schools and Universities Need Mobile Apps in the Digital Age

In just over a decade, mobile applications have taken over the world. It has greatly impacted a wide range of industries including the education sector. Nowadays, almost every student owns a smartphone and they are capable of using it as a great device in education. Some may access smartphones as their own personal library while others may use it for interactive learning.

It has enabled teachers to create a highly interactive environment which enables them to connect with the students and the outside world. Interconnectivity has allowed them to manage student progress and conduct parent-teacher meeting sessions with just a tap of a button. In fact, modern technology has allowed many unknown institutions to turn into highly progressive ones.

Why Mobile Apps Are Important for Schools & Universities?

According to a recent study, more than 70% of Americans use smartphone technology to surf the Internet on a daily basis. And almost 80% of these individuals are students from renowned educational institutions such as Harvard University, Cleveland State University, MIT and others.

It indicates how quickly mobile apps are getting adopted by the average modern-day students. As far as the benefit of using mobile apps concerned, here’s how learning institutions are making the most.

Apps Can Become an Easy Access to Learning Materia

Students enrolled in different universities can’t access the library at a single instance. And since, they are engaged in constant learning, they require continuous access to the latest textbooks.

An average student can’t have access to all the necessary textbooks at all times. Previously, they either had to purchase hard copies or they had to sit at the library to complete their studies.

With the advent of smartphones and cloud technology, many websites have emerged which are offering textbooks in the form of e-books to help students easily learn. Not only do these apps offer access to ebooks for completing assignments, but they also have plentiful multimedia and videos.

Apps Provide Teachers a Leverage to Online Learning

Some mobile apps are a great source for teachers. It allows them to create a classroom environment where he/she can assemble students and help them suggest different topics to read and learn.

Once, the students have equipped themselves with the right knowledge, they can use the same app to run assessments. This methodology can help students prepare beforehand for their examinations.

According to IT expert residing in Windsor University Campus ,

Mobile apps are slowly making their way into the education institutions. We are proud to see many great developments on the android scale, iOS scale and cloud infrastructures which are leading the millennials into a new era of data.

Such apps are magnanimously favored by teachers because it reduces the time a teacher spends in standing in front of a class and educating them in person. It enables a teacher to reference a lot of learning material during their lectures which the students can refer back to during their preparations.

Apps Help Establish Easy Communication for Students

Many modern-day institutions have realized how important it is to establish effective communication. And some mobile apps can improve the communication process greatly among students. It can enable them to connect with the teachers and the administrative departments at the same time.

By enabling students to readily provide feedback and share comments about various issues, mobile apps allow them to brew up a highly interactive environment where they can solve their problems.

Apps can Contribute to Improving Classroom Experiences

Most individuals nowadays are more digital native than they ever were. These kids have grown up using different social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social sites.

In short, these guys are quite the tech-wizards we never expected them to be.

Most students find reading a 600-page textbook quite some challenge. Instead, they want a ready mobile app solution that can help them summarize that information. Many apps allow students to create personal classrooms where they can group with other potential candidates. These students can then help others to educate themselves and ace their degree programs.

Summing it all up, it won’t be wrong to state that the new learners prefer:

• Flexibility in education so they can progress at their own pace.
• Educate at Institutions which can put a more determined focus.
• Access to Information in a more clear and proactive manner.

Some of the Best Study Apps for Students this Year

Good mobile app design is not easy to come by. However, it's not only the app design that matters but also its functionality and purpose. When it comes to education, you can easily find yourself lost in ideas. You keep scratching your head when it comes to making notes. You want flashcards, mind maps, something to cite your work and do a lot more. All in the wake of studying more efficiently.

Keeping that particular need in mind, I have assembled a few great learning apps just for you:

1) RefMe

As a university or a college student, referencing texts holds quite the significance. RefMe is a great app that allows students to use their smartphone cameras to scan books and barcodes. It automatically scans the resource and creates a citation in any desired format like MLA, Chicago, etc.

2) Evernote

Evernote can be your personal notebook where you can jot down your crazy ideas. You can use it to copy down lecture notes from classrooms or create short memos and set them on reminders. From photo receipts to audio files, from handwritten notes to digital texts, Evernote provides support for all.

3) Oxford Dictionary

Stuck with a word, don’t know its meaning? Oxford dictionary is a great app to help you find the right definitions. It is a great dictionary app that contains every word included in the official Oxford dictionary. Only this time, you will be accessing a mobile version of it to become vocabulary friendly.

4) StudyBlue

Searching for a mobile app through which you can upload class study materials? StudyBlue is a great app to assemble all your learning material in one place. With StudyBlue, you can create electronic flashcards for easy learning. It enables you to share many files with others and practice using quizzes.

Whether you recognize this fact or not, but apps are the future of education. In fact, transformation is not just taking place within the United States, but it is now becoming a part of every country around the world. From the UAE to Singapore, from the Middle East to Europe and even Africa, interactive learning using smart technology is now becoming a foundation for many individuals seeking to learn.

Do you have any other benefits to list down surrounding educational apps? We are all ears.

About Author:

Irfan Ak is a digital marketing strategist at Branex & a guest blogger on various websites. He is a passionate digital strategist. He has worked with various other brands and created value for them.