Ever since the arrival of the computer, technology has been seen as a paradise for cheaters, scammers and corner-cutters the world over. Within education particularly, technology is held in suspicious fingers with heavy frowns at the world of online essay mills, fake degrees, uncertified courses and leaked exam papers.
Usefull apps for student
But technology and education don’t have to be kept separate – combining interactive technology with educational materials has been proven to help accelerate learning and promote more innovative methods of retention than a simple textbook and a set of cue cards could ever do. And learning is only a part of it; technology also has other benefits for students, including better safety, better health and better communication.
Below is a selection of the best apps for students that are now on the market and of great help to students interested in more effectively recording their lectures, communicating with classmates, and utilizing technology to their advantage in regards to both their studies and personal wellbeing.
usefull apps for student1. Lecture capture apps
Just a few years ago, students attending lectures would have to spend the entire time scribbling wildly on notepads, in order not to miss any vital bit of information. Then along came technology, and now,lecture capture apps are a reality. Although the recording of lectures has been common practice within universities for a while, with lecture capture apps, students are able to record and listen back to their classes on their own initiative, without having to spend extra money on expensive recording equipment.
SoundNote (iOS) is a popular lecture capture app for iPad users, acting as a notepad and audio recorder, allowing students to store an entire lecture in both visual and audio form. If it's a whiteboard that you want to capture however, ShareYourBoard (Android) is intended to allow users to photograph a whiteboard from any angle, to store all the data for catch-up and revision purposes.
Other than SoundNote, one of the most popular lecture capture apps – keeping it simple with the name – is Lecture Capture (iOS), but Notes Plus(iOS) and Audio Memos Free – The Voice Recorder (iOS) are also of good quality.
Usefull apps for student
2. Revision apps
The revision app is in big business this century, and it seems technology has achieved what we never thought possible: making revision fun.
EverNote Peek (iOS) is a popular revision app exclusive to the iPad. This student app uses revision notes (made on EverNote) in order to quiz users on what they’ve learnt so far from their revision. Best experienced on the iPad 2, with the Apple Smart Cover of course, the EverNote Peek revision app utilizes the iPad’s cover to hide and reveal clues for answers to your revision topics, making it easier for users to quiz themselves.
For those not currently in the pocket of Apple Inc., however, there are other revision app options.ExamTime is one such student app, currently just web-based but with the potential to go mobile in the near future, offering resources to create revision charts, mind maps, flash cards, notes and quizzes in a fun and colorful program. Another choice is the aptly named Revision App (iOS), covering all education levels, while Exam Countdown (iOS) keeps track of the days until each of your exams.
If you’re a flash card fanatic you may also consider StudyBlue, a student app which uses your course information and presents you with a selection of card sets for related revision. Users are also able to make their own flashcards and test themselves.
usefull apps for student
3. Exam prep apps
There are also student apps now available which aim to prepare users for certain exams such as the MCAT, GMAT, LSAT and GRE tests which are used by many graduate schools as part of the admissions process. BenchPrep is the forerunner in this new market of student apps, using a social networking-style functionality which allows users to connect with fellow test-takers and peruse the BenchPrep revision materials with quizzes, notes and more. Users are able to track their learning progress, which may make revision a bit more manageable.
TCY Exam Prep (Android) is another exam prep app, aimed at business students in India and the US. It features study resources for MBA/CAT tests, GRE, GATE and bank exams.
4. Student planner apps
Organization is key for a healthy and proactive university lifestyle, which is why student planner apps are becoming ever more popular. Not only do they save on paper, many student planner apps also send reminders and alerts straight to your phone or device.
Popular student planner apps include Timetable (Android), an app featuring a sharp and clean interface which users can map their timetables onto with ease. For more familiar-looking planner apps for students, consider those with a more familiar spreadsheet-style layout, such as My Class Schedule (Android) or Class Timetable (iOS).
usefull apps for student
5. Bibliography helper apps
If you’ve ever spent hours writing up a hefty bibliography, you’ll know just how much work goes into making sure you’ve included all the information in the right places with the right punctuation. EasyBibis an extremely useful app for students, which creates an academic reference for any book simply from a scan of the book’s barcode. As bibliography styles vary depending on where you study, EasyBib offers referencing in MLA, APA and Chicago styles. Users simply take a picture of the barcode or type the title of the book into their devices, et voila, professional referencing done!6. Video call apps
Most students will be aware of video calling software such as Skype and FaceTime (iOS 7) by now, and this technology is becoming even more easy-access as computer companies integrate quality cameras into their products and internet connection speeds get faster. As the overall technology improves, so too do the versions available on smaller devices. Using FaceTime on an iPhone has become as easy as making a call, while Skyping on a tablet makes it brilliantly possible to cook dinner/browse the web/compose a text while talking with your parents back home. Other video call apps include Fring, Movicha (for multiple-party calls and conferences) and Tango.
For those of you who want tips on how to conduct a successful Skype interview (for a job, internship or admissions interview), read our recent blog post.
usefull apps for student
7. Student safety apps
As a student, you’ll be seeing your first taste of real independence. But with this comes the obvious safety risks when out and about alone. A number of apps for students have been developed promoting personal safety, for use both on- and off-campus. These student apps help to keep users safe should they find themselves out alone at night. The Circle of Six app works on both Android and iOS, and was designed for university students to keep connected with close friends when out and about. The app is particularly useful for locating lost friends on nights out and also allows users to send their circle of six friends an instant call for help at the touch of a button. The GPS tracker will mark your location on your friends’ devices, ensuring you’ll always be able to find one another if necessary.
Other student apps concerned with safety include Watch Over Me, bSafe, React Mobile and GuardianSentral (iOS), which is an on-campus guardian app being road-tested at select institutions, such as Northwestern University in the US.
usefull apps for student
8. Wake-up apps
If you happen to be a persistent snoozer who always wakes up about 20 minutes too late for lectures, then Alarmy: Sleep If You Can is the app for you. Alarmy is an alarm app for students which requires users to complete small tasks (such as taking a photo of something specific or shaking the phone up and down a number of times) before the alarm turns itself off. Not only will this mean you’re alert and raring to go, Alarmy will also give you the latest weather update so you can decide whether to arm yourself with an umbrella before leaving home.
Sleep Cycle is another such app that aims to correct its users’ sleeping pattern by waking them up during their lightest sleep phase. The app does this by monitoring both movement and the time the user went to sleep. This means you should wake up feeling less groggy in the mornings, and you might also get an extra 10 minutes of breakfast time
usefull apps for student.
9. Responsible-drinking apps
You may be a student, but that doesn’t have to mean becoming irresponsible when it comes to alcohol. The responsible-drinking app WiseDrinking charts how much you’ve been drinking, gives you suggestions of moderation, lets you know when it’s the optimum time to call a cab and maps your location in relation to public transport services.
Using inputs of gender, weight and height, the app calculates blood alcohol content (BAC) levels by calculating the amount, type and timing of all alcohol consumed and when the user’s last meal was. Although the app is entirely dependent on user input and therefore should only be used as a guideline, WiseDrinking can help you to stay aware of your consumption and give you guidance should you feel a little worse for wear.
And, if you want something a little more scientifically concrete then you might consider investing in Alcohoot, a smart breathalyzer that attaches to your smartphone and tells you when you’re edging over the sensible limit.
usefull apps for student
10. Fun fitness apps
If you decide to indulge in one too many student pizza deals, you can easily make sure to remain fit and healthy with the choice of a wide range of fitness apps made for people who need a bit of help squeezing exercise into their schedules.
For those who would normally find running boring, the app Zombies, Run! is a fun (and funny) way to get you pushing yourself when jogging. The app plays your own music playlists alongside recorded audio depicting a zombie apocalypse in which you must run from the infected. More than a little terrifying, yes, but as a super-intense workout it’s hard to beat!
If you’d like to keep your fitness routine zombie-free, other tried and tested fitness apps include Nike Training Club (iOS), Sworkit, Moves, Fitbit (iOS), JeFit, RunKeeper, Strava, 7 Minute Workout and MapMyFitness. If you decide to get them all,Nudge is another app that serves to collate all your fitness data and puts it all in one place. This means you can keep track of your nutrition, exercise, hydration and sleep without countless numbers of reminders and progress reports from each app.
usefull apps for student
11. Healthy eating apps
If you’re looking to shun the takeaways by eating healthily while keeping to a student budget, consider downloading a few healthy eating apps. Examples I’ve come across which are perfect apps for students include Rockin Ramen (iOS), a student app featuring a number of nutritious recipes with ramen as a main ingredient, and MealBoard (iOS), an app which plans healthy meals, grocery shops, and recipes based on what you’ve got in the fridge.
usefull apps for student
Other helpful student apps
- Oxford English Dictionary – to look up words on the go. Paid app.
- Dictionary.com Dictionary & Thesaurus – dictionary and word-finder for those on a budget. This app also works offline.
- Dropbox for mobile – allowing users to access and edit documents, upload photos and play their own videos anywhere.
- Penultimate – a handwriting app made by EverNote allowing users to write with a digital pen and upload the work to any device.
- Skout – A friend-finder app helping students meet new people in their locality.
- Socrative – student app for quizzing and assessment.
Post credit Noman Ali and professional blogger Laura tucker:
Image credit Topuniversity.
USEFULL TIPS FOR STUDENT