How Smartphones Can Be Used For Organized Education

It is the age of educational technology. Electronic devices and the Internet now play an integral role in education worldwide. In face of the recent drastic changes and widespread disruptions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the benefits offered by Information & Communication Technology are undeniably essential. The chaos accelerated the proliferation and implementation of different educational technologies, such as learning apps, blended learning, MOOCs, AR/VR/MR, remote, online and digital learning, etc. All of these techs are now much more common and easily accessible with the most basic resources.

Smartphones, one of the most commonly used electronic devices today, too, has become a potent tool for education currently. Advances in software design, major developments in hardware configuration and ease of Internet access are some of the biggest reasons behind their usage as educational tools. But, can you organize one’s educational or learning process properly using smartphones? How can one learn in an undisrupted manner without getting impeded by all the different distractions? The answers lie below.

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Guide To Learning In An Organized Manner Using Smartphones

Let’s get straight to the point. Nothing is impossible if you put your heart and mind to it. Well, almost nothing is impossible if you want to achieve it with all your being. The same goes for learning using smartphones. Today, the processing and storage power of most smartphones is comparable to most medium-level PCs and laptops. The ease of accessing fast-speed Internet makes accessing a variety of online academic resources simple and swift. All that’ left is for a student to start studying with focus and motivation.

How Smartphones Can Act As Effective Learning Tools

Cellphones have long been considered a nuisance to education. They were considered to facilitate cheating and different other illegal things that violated academic integrity. As EdTech and online academic resources began to expand and evolve, things began to change.  New online resources became available, phones became more powerful and new learning opportunities opened up. Smartphones transitioned from tools that educators feared to something highly beneficial.

• High-speed Internet access allowed students to learn from numerous learning resources. You can hire professional assignment expert to write your assignments or essay assignment writing guides instantly through your smartphone.
• Google Play and Apple Store – the mobile app repository for Android & iOS smartphones are THE place to download a wide variety of educational apps. From time-management & study organizer apps, to note-taking, citation, dictionaries, concept map creators, etc. one can find literally anything necessary for organized learning.
• Smartphones have become advanced enough to allow the conduction of online classes using applications such as Google Classroom, Edmodo, Moodle, Blackboard Learning Management System,

All features and options, from class recording & note-taking to session scheduling, query placement, task assignment and integration with other learning resources, work perfectly in smartphones. What’s more, a large variety of educational apps are specifically designed for smartphones.

• edX & Udemy, two of the largest MOOCs, Google’s Socratic & Google Play Books, Wolfram Alpha, a leading knowledge engine, YouTube, Grammarly, an AI powered content checker, Khan Academy, the world’s largest FREE academic portal– all have their own mobile apps and allow students to access their most prominent resources via smartphones.

Opportunities to access different learning resources via smartphones are literally endless. With proper guidance and monitoring, smartphones can act as an extremely potent educational tool for students all over. But, do lecturers and teachers think the same way? Let’s find out.

The Use Of Smartphone As An Educational Tool: Lecturer’s Perspective

Research conducted by professors from the Kandahar University and published on ResearchGate offers some striking insights regarding lecturer’s perspective on using smartphones for learning.

• 88% of respondents support the usage of smartphones for note-taking.
• 86% would allow it for audio and video recording.
• 82 % would allow usage as a calculator.
• 78% support the access of mobile apps and browsing the Internet for research.

Meanwhile, 68% of respondents are wary of smartphones being used for messaging and accessing social media. All in all, the findings show that a majority of respondents support the usage of smartphone for learning purposes and thereby, are receptive of the benefits offered by these devices, for organized education. So, what exactly are the different ways smartphones make education organized?

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Using Smartphones to Organize Your Learning

The power of the Internet and the superb processing power of modern smartphones offer myriad ways for pupils to study in a well-organized manner.

1. Stay connected to your classes and learn all about the latest assignments through your smartphone.

Numerous academic institutions use mobile-friendly apps such as Moodle and Google Classroom to assign task, deliver resources and carry out discussions. Students can access everything in an instant with a capable, net-enabled smartphone.

2. Record all lectures & presentations and keep track of your notes. Professors generally allow the usage of smartphones for recording classes and lectures.
3. Note-taking apps such as Evernote, Google Docs, Microsoft One Note, Zoho Notebooks, etc. are now available for taking instant notes. Take quick notes, store them securely, and access them anytime, anywhere from your smartphone. You can also sync these apps with other electronic devices.
4. Access educational videos & podcasts on YouTube, Dailymotion, etc. easily via your smartphone. Almost all major universities around the world have a YouTube channel where anyone can view available lectures, & discussions.
5. Calendars and time-management apps keep track of all assignment deadlines, plan proper study routines and make the best use of this precious resource. Set timers, and draft a routine as necessary.
6. Connect with your professors, access your institution’s website and other resources any time you feel like, through your smartphone.

When used properly, smartphones can be an extremely beneficial tool that makes tech-enhanced education a reality. Before we round up this write-up, here are some great smartphone apps that can help you organize your studies better.

Best Student Planner Apps For Smartphones

1. Todoist

Todoist is a great project planner and time-management app for Android, iOS, and desktop. The initial version is free and paid upgrades are available. Used by mega-corporations such as Amazon & Disney, this app is tailored for use by everyone.

• Jot down vital information.
• Set up routines & timelines for projects, assignments and other activities.
• Add upcoming assignments and tasks in the planner, and set reminders as necessary.
• Check and modify notes, tasks and anything else you feel like.
• Indicate recurring tasks and label them by priority.

2. Microsoft To Do

Free on Android & iOS with a Microsoft account, MS To Do is a powerful entrant in the field of student planner apps. One of the unique aspects about this app is that it allows to categorize tasks with respect to different factors. One can sort tasks into lists such as “Yesterday”, “Today”, “Work “, “Home”, “Lab”, etc. You can also create your own custom lists.

3. iStudiezPRO

Plan your day, week, month and time efficiently with iStudiezPRO, one of the most widely used student planner apps in the business.

• Enter class schedule with relevant info or build a daily schedule as you want.
• Week View and Day View help you schedule, keep track and be reminded of your tasks.
• Live reminders and notifications will keep you updated about all urgent responsibilities.
• Arrange everything by time and date with solid precision.
• Sort your activities by date, course, priority, etc.
• Keep track of the grades received in a subject with ease.
• Sync with other devices and integrate other resources seamlessly. 

And, that rounds up this article.

Like every other technology, smartphones, too, are tools in the hands of us humans. It is up to us how we will use it. A motivated and dedicated student will make the best use of these devices to boost their learning. Some will require careful monitoring to prevent misuse and distractions. But, all in all, smartphones can be a potent EdTech tool and be instrumental in achieving organized education.