5 Apps That Will Make Back To School A Breeze
Back in my day (said in my old lady of 28 voice) – we didn’t have apps for school!
But yes, now that almost every kiddo can have an iPhone or Android these days, there’s a good chance that you’re going to want them to do something educational with it.
So whether your kid is just getting into school, or if they are heading toward graduation, these 5 apps are going to make their lives (and yours) that much easier.
EasyBib | iOS + Google Play
Ahh, the dreaded Bibliography. Now, many of the students we know these days do things on the internet, but if you’re still hitting a book and are in need of a citation, this app makes it simple for you. You can scan the barcode on the back of the book and it will pull up the citation for you.
Don’t worry, the app still helps you set up for the internet world as well, where you type in the website URL and it generates the citation. It also helps you immensely by choosing what type of citation you need, like MLA, APA, Chicago, Harvard, and more. Man, do I wish I had this in college!
Easily cite over 32K ebook and 380 journals with @CambridgeCore and EasyBib tools. #libchat #citations https://t.co/crBCBHTDi6 pic.twitter.com/St3SzmtRjg
— EasyBib (@EasyBib) June 29, 2017
Google Drive, Google Apps | Google Play + iOS
Google Drive and its affiliates are a GODSEND when it comes to school work. I didn’t have this tech until college but it was so helpful, and I still use it for work today! With Drive, you can send large files to class partners or teachers (same as something like Dropbox) but where Google has the upper hand is it’s Docs and Sheets programs.
Back when I was younger, it used to always be so hard to have a computer, because sometimes your documents from Microsoft Word didn’t transfer to the right program, or you needed a higher version to use it properly. Docs help you avoid that problem completely, by being just a click away, and can be used via App on the phone, or by going to docs.google.com to write on the computer. The same goes for Sheets, which is pretty much a copy of Microsoft Excel.
The best part about this tech is that you can use it as a collaborative tool. If you’re doing a group project for a class, you can give access to your work to your partners, and it will show who’s making the comments, changes, etc. And if your teacher is supportive of this program, they will also be able to see who did all the work and who slacked off. Pretty cool, right? Plus, it automatically saves everything in the cloud so you have no excuse that you “lost it.”
Find the files you need instantly with Quick Access, powered by machine learning: https://t.co/r2a7tqf0Tv pic.twitter.com/SE4mR8FSLd
— Google Drive (@googledrive) July 19, 2017
PCalc | iOS / RealCalc Scientific Calculator Google Play
I hate math. HAAATEEEE it. But having a calculator makes it easier, especially if you’re needing to use more than just the order of operations. The two apps above set you up for calculating success, but I must also remind iOS users that many of these functions are already obtainable in their in-house calculator. You just have to turn off the rotate lock on your phone, and if you rotate your phone, extra keys will appear.
Screenshot of iPhone Calculator (Screenshot By Amy Cooper)
Trello | iOS + Google Play
I swear by Trello. We started using this for work occasionally, but as I progressed, I had boards for everything and it’s great for organizing. If you’ve got a tech-savvy middle schooler or a high schooler who would rather keep a digital planner than a paper one, they can create a list for every class they have and put due dates on the cards in accordance with the teacher’s due date for the assignment, paper or test to study for. It’s honestly one of the most helpful tools I’ve ever come across, and it could be so helpful for children and adults.
Do you use Trello for independent learning? Here's how to track your progress and celebrate little victories: https://t.co/l6tH4iXJyX pic.twitter.com/MMwDhoXPgL
— Trello by Atlassian (@trello) July 31, 2017
Flashcards+ | iOS / SuperCard Flashcards | Google Play
From language courses to Algebra exams, flash cards come in super handy for testing and studying. So why not have them on your phone? For iOS, you can make your own cards, use the cards that are already in the system, and even get pronunciation help from the app itself. The Google Play application uses Quzzlet as it’s source point, and even lets you do picture-based cards by drawing on the screen.
Is there an app we haven’t covered? Feel free to share them with us!
Amy Cooper is a lifetime student, because no matter what she’s doing, she’s always learning new things.
