By Dave LeClair, MakeUseOf – September 28, 2012 at 03:01PM
We are seeing more and more iPads in schools. They offer all kinds of possibilities for new ways to teach students. Because they are so portable, it is much easier for students to bring them anywhere they go, and bring the learning with them. The iPad is even useful for young students because of its intuitive, easy to understand user interface. Almost anyone can pick one up and know exactly how to use it.
Of course, the device on its own is not much of an education tool. You need apps. Sure, you can use Maps to learn a little geography and Notes to jot down some thoughts, but you really need to download some of the amazing third-party apps out there to make the most out of your iPad. Today, I am here to show you some of the very best iPad apps for students. With these apps, students will become mobile learning machines, ready to soak up knowledge anywhere they go.
Evernote
Evernote is perfect for students because they can take notes and sync them with other devices such as their iPhone or computer. It supports audio and pictures as well, so students can capture all the crucial information from class.
Skitch
Skitch is the perfect app for annotating photos. It is part of the Evernote family, so it will sync with Evernote accounts automatically. If you are a visual learner, taking photos and annotating them with pivotal information can be the perfect solution to absorb information, and Skitch is the best app for performing such a function.
Dropbox
Dropbox is the most popular application for sharing files. It can be a great way for the tech-savvy teacher to have their students submit assignments. Simply have your students copy school work to a shared Dropbox folder and the teacher will be able to get access to them in an instant. Dropbox can also be a good way for a student to keep track of their important papers and sources in one place that they can use anywhere.
Wunderlist
I recently went on record calling Wunderlist the best to-do list app on iPhone. Well, the same holds true for iPad. It is a simple application that will help students keep track of their busy assignment load. It can be hard to remember everything you need to accomplish as a student, and Wunderlist makes this a lot easier.
Dragon Dictation
This is the best application for speaking into your iPad and having it magically spit out text. If you have a student who hates writing, this app might make them more willing to do their work. Of course, students should still learn to type properly, as dictation will not always be around, but it can certainly help lighten the load a little.
EasyBib
No one, and I mean no one, likes doing a works cited page on a paper. You spend all those hours crafting a written masterpiece, only have to spend as much time as you spent writing citing sources. Thankfully, the iPad app EasyBib takes the pain out of the process by allows you to simply scan a barcode and get all the important source information instantly. It supports APA, MLA, and Chicago style. It is a must have app for the student who has to write papers.
Dictionary
I feel like I do not really need to explain this one too much. It is from Dictionary.com. It defines words, which is generally useful for students.
SimpleMind+
This is a great application for mind mapping, which is a popular brainstorming technique. It uses a simple drag around interface that even younger students can understand. When trying to organize and come up with ideas for a paper, this app is absolutely necessary.
Wolfram Alpha ($1.99)
Wolfram Alpha is the single greatest app ever made for the student struggling with math. Once you learn the tricks for entering formulas, it can solve almost anything. The catch is a student can become reliant on it, and not learn how to solve the problems for themselves. It can be helpful in a pinch, but remember, you probably will not have an iPad with the Wolfram app installed when you take a test.
Evernote Peak
This app takes advantage of the iPad’s SmartCover. You create your own flashcards using your Evernote account, and then fold up the lowest section of the SmartCover to see the question. Fold a little higher and you will see the answer. This is a fantastic application for those last minute study sessions.
Conclusion
Armed with these ten apps, students can expect to take their education game to the next level. Of course, there is a lot of hard work involved in school, and no app is a magic solution to do away with that work, but these apps can certainly help streamline the school process a little.