Mobile And Social Apps- Reshaping The Future Of Education
Apr 29, 2017 Manish Bharadwaj MOBILE APPLICATION
According to a study, “Education apps were the 2nd most well-known category in 2013, with a share of 10% of all apps being learning apps.” This clearly shows that apps will play a key role in reshaping the future of education.
Student Don’t Leave Home Without Their Smartphones
Do you know that on average, students spend 3.6 hours a day with their Smartphones which is up from 3.3 hours last year? Also, they are spending less time with computers, handheld gaming devices, and TVs. So, the question why the addition or dependence?
The prime reason behind this addiction is that Smartphones and iPhones are very convenient alternatives to using computers as well as these devices give students the power of a computer in their hand. As a matter of fact, a joint study on the use of mobile devices among students found that of the 700 college students surveyed, 87% said they never left home without a phone. Also, “About 28% of middle school and 51% of high school students carry a Smartphone with them daily” a study by “Living and Learning with mobile devices” by Grunwald Associates.
Social Media & Social Apps
Today, social media is an important part of modern-day society, particularly for students. However, in most schools mobile devices have been prohibited from being used during school time as well as social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter have also been blocked on school computers in the lab. But, schools and educational institutions are starting to take a completely different approach by introducing social media or social apps into the educational system itself. For example, almost 9 in 10 students in universities in the UK use social media apps.
Moreover, teenage girls use social platforms frequently than their male counterparts. About 61% of girls use Instagram, in comparison with 44% of boys while 51% of girls use Snapchat versus 31% of boys. Also, while 33% of girls use online pinboards, only 11% of boys do so. and only 5% of teens use Tumblr platform while 23% of girls use it.
How Social Apps Helping Students
Enable Students To Contact Each Other
Social apps such as Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, etc, can enable students to easily contact with other students and teachers with regards to school assignments and projects. Apart from this, it is also possible for them to work on group projects or assignments from the comfort of their own homes. Today, those who use social media apps can participate more in class. For example, when these apps are used in pedagogy or in any educational activity, then students who have difficulty in expressing their idea's and thoughts in their classrooms can get participating in the learning process with the help of such apps. This will surely help build these student's confidence level too. Besides, such as apps are very useful for students when doing homework. A student who has any doubt or issue can clear it by posting a message on social media.
Teachers Can Share Useful Links
However, teachers and professors have a lot of options to share useful links via social apps and this benefits the student. Teachers, parents, and students can be on the same page with the help of social apps. Also, social sites help teachers to stay in touch with parents and let them know about the progress of their kids.
Educating Children With Learning Disabilities
Children with learning disabilities are one of the essential sections of students benefiting from Smartphones and iPhone or social apps. Apple’s Google’s Play Store and App Store are filled with apps for students with learning disabilities. Apart from this, various apps helping to help children suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Dyslexia, Muscular Dystrophy, Blindness, and Autism. iPhone and Android apps are big blessings for schools, parents, and teachers to help these kids learn.
Apps For School Management
Today, school management faces many tasks every day and have to manage a big number of students, teachers, and staff who are accountable for the day to day operations. But, you will see that school staff managing the school’s operations with Smartphones loaded with useful apps in the future. Let's understand this with an example. Teachers have to take care of all the student's attendance sheets with class notes, books and personal accessories. Attendance is an app, which marks a student’s attendance with a photo, thus no more fake attendances or double entries. Apple iTunes U app is useful for teachers to make and courses including necessary components like books, assignments, quizzes, and lectures.
These benefits are reasons for many app development companies to more focus on social apps, which are mainly designed and developed for students or teenagers.
Conclusion
Social apps like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Snapchat or Instagram are quickly taking over the teen world. Although social networking is sometimes seen as a negative, it has been proven to have tremendous educational benefits. Social media and messaging are the two most dominant Smartphone activities today for the student generation. And about 55% of our kids use social media on a Smartphone and iPhone for more than 45 minutes a day.
