Old-school learners have never taken a picture of a professor’s blackboard notes because class ran late and there wasn’t enough time to write it all down. Instead, they probably figured the professor’s extra information wasn’t worth missing their next class for and missed out on it all together.
And old-school learners have never forgotten an important paper at home only to realize that they had also sent it to their email’s inbox, which conveniently was accessible through an app in their pocket. Instead, they probably turned their paper in a day late for less credit.
Call them a distraction, call them a nuisance, even call them little robots taking over the world. But when used correctly, Smartphones – their apps in particular – are an undeniable aid for students, and the epitome of what’s separating new-age students from their old-school counterparts.
But whether you’re a student used to Smartphones and an unlimited data plan, or a seasoned adult returning to school with new-found technology, here are our top-ten apps for students.
BlackBoard App – access your professor’s webpage, grades, test scores, and much more from your phone.
Evernote – save any note, even the image of a handwritten note, into this app and filter and search through them by keyword.
Dictionary – know every word with on-the-go definitions.
iTranslate – help on your Spanish homework wherever you are.
iProcrastinate – prioritize your to-do list by class schedule and assignment.
Google Docs – work on projects and save them to the cloud so you or group-project members can access them anywhere.
Sparky – Sparknotes app that lets you better understand your novel (after you’ve already read it once, of course).
Dropbox – access documents from your computer at home wherever you are, without having to self-email them.
Mendeley – research assistant app that organizes research, automatically creates citations, and makes annotating easy.
Wi-Fi Finder – app for finding free Wi-Fi hotspots to locate where you can access homework or research without being charged.