Author’s Bio: Ross Smythe is the chief concept developer at Teknowledge Mobile Studio. He regularly writes on the web, specifically on various topics related to education technology. In the post, he explores mobile apps that help with studying.
For secondary school and college-bound students, making enough time for studying on a daily basis can be rather challenging. Recent research shows that most students get only three hours every day, to actually devote to his/her texts, notes and references at home. Courses are, admittedly, large - and it is not unnatural for a young learner to feel rather bogged down by the seemingly huge study-pressure. This is precisely where the value of the following time-management mobile apps comes in to play:
- Evernote - The Microsoft Office suite for smartphones is good, but Evernote offers just a bit extra flexibility to students. With this application, pupils can record class lectures and topical seminar sessions - for listening to them later, and grasping important concepts from them. Ideas and study topics can also be jotted down on the app. Evernote ensures that students can access all types of digital educational aides, with no problems whatsoever.
- Tom’s Planner - Among the recent advancements in student-focused iPhone app development in India and overseas, Tom’s Planner would rank right among the very best. Regular study routines and schedules can be drawn up and stored on it, while some time for social activities can be set aside separately. There is also an exam countdown timer, to check how many weeks remain before the next semester tests. On signup, one schedule planner is available for free.
- StickK - A cool app to do away with most forms of student procrastination. Through this smartphone application, a student can bet actual money on his/her daily study commitments. (S)he gets to keep the bet amount if the academic targets for the day are met - failing which, the money goes to a charity or a classmate (this has to be specified from beforehand). No student likes losing money - and studying hard is an easy way to avoid such a scenario!
- Toggl - There are many subjects, and hosts of projects and assignments - making multitasking and task-prioritization an absolute must for every student. The Toggl mobile app is particularly handy in this regard. It helps young users keep track of the time that they are spending on individual tasks and projects. With only three or four hours being available for study every day, Toggl makes sure that the time is used effectively.
- Wunderlist 2 - Another top-notch mobile task-scheduler. The app is available for download at Google Play Store, and can be obtained from any well-known iPhone application development company as well. The provision for setting reminders is the most useful feature of the app, ensuring that project-submission, homework and other such deadlines are never missed. Of course, if you wish to attend a party, you can set a reminder for that on Wunderlist 2 too!
- Rescue Time - Many students don’t realize this at first - but it is a fact that the sheer volume of information available online can cause considerable time-wastage. To find out whether you are spending too much of the time allocated for studies for watching videos and presentations, the Rescue Time app can be a learner’s go-to tool. The app can be installed on computers as well as Android devices, and it rates users’ internet-usage on a scale of -2 (worst) to +2 (best). Monthly online engagement reports are also generated. For junior students, Rescue Time doubles up as an informative parental control app too.
- Dropbox - It’s all about study-circles and group studies at the moment- a trend that has contributed enormously to the popularity of mobile Dropbox among students. From notes and calculations, to educational videos and infographics - files of almost every format can be shared on a real-time basis via Dropbox. Provided this app is present on a student’s phone, (s)he will never be too far from his/her study desk!
- AutoSMS Responder - Even the sincerest of students is bound to get distracted, if (s)he has to reply to text/multimedia messages on his/her phone while studying. Downloading and installing the AutoSMS Responder application would be a much smarter alternative. All that users need to do is choose a preset message that would be automatically sent out as the reply to all messages that come in while they are studying. Individual SMSes can be checked (and replied to) later on.
- Focus At Will - If you feel that music invariably stands in the way of students’ concentration, the Focus At Will application would come as a pleasant surprise. Even for teenagers who are restless by nature, the app can improve average attention spans by as much as four times. The mobile app designing and features for Focus At Will have chalked out as per proven neuroscience logic. Sitting with an open book in front is of no use if you do not focus - and this mobile app lets you do just that.
- Universal Password Manager - According to expert mobile app developers, this one is ideal for securely storing the passwords of the various online accounts that students tend to have. On the application, passwords of virtual libraries, message boards, discussion forums, and even other educational mobile apps can be stored. Thanks to the advanced encryption system on Universal Password Manager, the stored data remains safe from unauthorized access. Forgetting a password would no longer be a problem.
With seamless document-sharing and task-scheduling capabilities, Google Drive is another popular Android app among students. Mind42 and Remember The Milk (which can be synced with Evernote) also come in handy for students to make the best use of their study-times. Even in three hours, you can manage to keep up with your studies with ease - get a few of these apps, and discover that for yourself!
Author’s Bio:
Ross Smythe is the chief concept developer at Teknowledge Mobile Studio. He regularly writes on the web, specifically over various topics related to education technology.
