Smartphones and mobile applications have had a far-reaching impact on a number of industries including education. From organizations like Google who are making strides in the use of technology in classrooms, to teachers adopting iPads for marking assignments – technology, specifically mobile devices have found acceptance as learning tools.
Let us take a look at how mobile learning applications help students:
- Available Round the Clock: In contrast to physical presence in the school, there are no set timings when a student can access a mobile app. All the teachers need to ensure is that the smartphone/tablet that the student is using has just the necessary learning apps. With child-friendly controls, kids can easily find information on their own.
- Engaging User Interface: Children respond positively to visual stimuli. When mobile apps offer a wide range of interactions and visual elements, the young learners are bound to get hooked. Keeping kids engaged with word games, origami or puzzles will not only keep them busy but also help in development of all their faculties.
- Staying in Touch with Teachers: Educational apps cannot and should not act as substitutes for classroom teaching. These apps are meant to complement a classroom experience. For instance, with a learning app, students can reach out to subject teachers for any queries they may have. Some apps provide features like instant messaging and emails. With such mobile apps, teachers can easily and quickly resolve student queries as they surface.
- An Alternate & Fun Mode of Learning: Gone are the days when kids would say that school is boring. With smartphones and tablets entering schools, children have little to complain about. Mobile apps become text-based learning companions and include vivid graphics and other media that can capture the reader's attention. Some applications have infographics, audio narration features, and built in quizzes – things are guaranteed to turn that dull history lecture into a joyride.
- Prepare for the Future: Technology is here to stay. When kids begin to use age appropriate apps on iPads or smartphones, they are merely getting ready to use those tools that will become an integral part of their lives in the time to come. Some mobile apps also have great features like keeping a track of a child's progress. These progress reports help parents and teachers see how the app is helping the child improve on things like reading or math.
As an organization planning to build a mobile application for children, you may be thinking whether the app should just cater to iPhone users or Android users. Building for one platform would mean you limit your app to just a section of the society. With cross platform app development, you can create a single educational app that works on most of the major platforms including Windows, iOS and Android. Your next question could be what technology to use. This where you can benefit from PhoneGap development.
PhoneGap lets businesses develop a mobile app, allows it to be wrapped in the mobile development framework and facilitates its installation as a native mobile application. If you need native look and feel in your learning app – PhoneGap is an ideal choice for you.
For those SMBs in the education sector, especially those who are new to app development, do consider getting help from a Phonegap application development company. By doing this, you can not only save yourself some time but also get a top quality mobile app listed on the top App stores in no time!
