The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the classroom—do they really enhance students’ abilities and skills?

There’s no doubt that today we are constantly bombarded with educational apps, and we believe some of them are truly interesting for the development of our students. At BSV, we strive to innovate in all aspects, including advancements in technology, to support students in their academic progress and education.

 

Benefits of educational apps

Today, the range of apps available in the digital market to assist or directly work on students’ learning processes is vast. Whilst not everyone has access to technology, the number of people who do is very high and continues to grow. Therefore, it’s essential to take advantage of the benefits these apps can offer as a new way of learning that complements the concepts taught in class.

Educational apps are enjoyed by teachers, parents, and students alike. These apps are an excellent tool for teachers whilst making the educational environment more interactive for students.

The best apps are highly interactive, making students forget—or simply not realise—that they were designed as educational tools. Moreover, their use isn’t limited to the classroom; these apps are very effective in stimulating and maintaining continuous exploration, whether after school, on weekends, or even during vacations.

 

Examples of educational apps

Today, there are hundreds of apps we could talk about. Here’s a selection of the ones we consider most interesting:

1. Homework organisation

Homework organisation remains a challenge for many students. That’s why apps that help students organise their tasks at home are increasingly necessary.

For this, we’ve selected EpicWin, which has an excellent organisational function, ideal for students who struggle with organisation. This app helps them stay focused on homework through simple games that incentivise task completion. Thus, homework becomes fun with this educational app designed like a role-playing game. As tasks are completed, the user (the student) earns points that positively impact the development and growth of their in-game character, unlocking new adventures.

This game aims to balance academic obligations and social life through a fun and engaging approach for teachers, parents, and students. Simply create an avatar, input the list of tasks to complete, assign priority, finish the task, battle, and earn rewards based on the priority assigned to those tasks.

 

2. Time management

We increasingly want to do more but have less time, making it hard to organise ourselves effectively. This problem also affects many students, which is why time management apps are growing rapidly. Parents, teachers, and students appreciate the approach of RescueTime, an app for time management. This solution is especially good for teenagers or anyone struggling to establish a productive and efficient schedule. RescueTime optimizes technology use by identifying where the user wastes time.

We know that social media and online games can become addictive for students, leading to excessive use. Some may even be surprised by how much time they spend on these apps via their smartphones.

RescueTime helps:

  • Revealing peak hours that could be used for homework or school projects.
  • Providing visual data on what’s happening at any moment
  • Including an interesting blog with user opinions and tips for maximising time.

Try downloading the app, set goals and alerts to develop healthy habits, and make the most of your time.

Another app we want to highlight is SelfControl, aimed at older students, particularly those in Secondary who get easily distracted and find it hard to focus on studying. SelfControl is a free, simple-to-use app that blocks access to distracting websites like social media.

Just install the app on your computer, select the time you want to block access to a specific website, and until that time is up, access will be restricted—even if you restart the device or delete the app.

 

3. Improving social skills

There’s no doubt that fostering social skills and teamwork amongst students can positively prepare them for university and professional life. In this case, Sosh helps students work on their social skills and teaches them to manage stress and anxiety. The app is especially good for students with autism, particularly those with Asperger’s Syndrome, but it can also help any student struggling with social skills or anxiety.

Sosh is an interactive coach offering various functions aimed at improving social skills and regulating stress. The app focuses on the 5 R’s to help users:

  • Relate
  • Relax
  • Reason
  • Regulate
  • Recognise

Students can navigate a gallery of emotions, view a list of tips available in the app, show their stress level, and engage in interactive activities to improve their relationship-building and socializing skills. Sosh Lite is the free version, whilst the paid version offers additional features to enhance social skills.

 

4. Reinforcing Maths skills

Every day, we find new educational Maths apps aimed at students who struggle with the subject. For Primary students, Todo Math immerses them in a world full of missions and fun adventures. As they progress in the game, they also improve their skills.

This app can be very enjoyable and entertaining, functioning as a game that also serves as a reinforcement method without being boring. Simply select the game mode, decide the practice duration (up to 15 minutes per session), and complete the Maths activities, including a “free play” mode.

The app offers different levels, each with specific content, allowing students to practice various maths exercises. Todo Math is a highly attractive educational app with great potential to help students of different abilities.

 

5. Strengthening language learning

Just like with Maths, a basic skill we want to reinforce in our children is their ability to learn new languages and improve those they already know. From a technological standpoint, various start-ups have perfectly filled the gap in this need. Above all, Duolingo stands out as one of the best language-learning apps and is particularly useful for English learners. It offers 16 different languages and has been awarded Apple’s Best App of the Year. One of its best features is that it’s completely free.

Getting started is simple: download the app, choose the language you want to practice, and begin. It also includes an illustrated guide to help users with any questions.

This app provides different learning methods to suit various student preferences. You can even set timers to remind you when to practice during the day.

Another app we recommend is LingoKids, aimed at children aged 2 to 6. It helps improve English comprehension and skills through interactive lessons and games tailored to their age group. The app offers different difficulty levels adapted to each child’s needs, considering their age and English knowledge. Parents can also track their child’s progress through periodic reports.

Developed by Monkimun in collaboration with the University of Oxford, this app offers engaging content for children, whether as reinforcement or to familiarize them with the language. It’s a fantastic app for having fun whilst learning and developing English skills.

 

6. Developing the ‘phonics method’

The so-called ‘Phonics Method’ is a popular teaching system in the UK used to work on reading and writing in children and young people, as we do at BSV. To practice this method, we recommend apps by Mr. Thorne, a UK Primary school teacher who teaches this method through a series of videos.

His apps allow early Primary students to practice and improve their English reading and writing skills by working on letters and their sounds in a dynamic and entertaining way.

This phonetic method uses images, movements, and sounds to teach. Students learn to listen, differentiate letters, recognise the sounds they represent, and thus understand graphemes and words better.

 

7. Educational games

To conclude our selection, here are some educational games we consider beneficial for home use. Peak Brain Training, chosen as Best App 2014 in over 24 countries, is an app based on games designed to stimulate specific areas of the brain through specialised training plans.

The app trains specific skills such as memory, attention, and mental agility. It offers guided training based on scores and challenges, increasing difficulty in mastered areas and focusing on weaker ones. It also includes a memory game developed in collaboration with the University of Cambridge.

This app offers intelligent games that make users feel mentally “fit,” helping them develop and improve cognitive abilities. We believe that using Peak helps students train their brains whilst enjoying the various activities it offers.

Another helpful app for students is Memorado. Like Peak, Memorado aids memory, concentration, and logic through neuroscience-based games. It also includes Mindfulness exercises to stimulate concentration and awareness through meditation and relaxation, as we practice at school.

After downloading the app, users set their goals, take an assessment test to determine a personalised training plan, and complete tests aligned with those goals and skills. If you enjoy memory games and mental exercises, this is another excellent app to consider.

 

Conclusions

When parents, teachers, and students collaborate to use these educational reinforcement apps, we come closer to facilitating both the academic and personal lives of our children. Understanding the purposes and qualities of these apps, as well as their regular use at school or home, can yield very positive results, significantly increasing students’ efficiency.

Are there any apps, besides those mentioned, that you recommend? Feel free to suggest them in the comments. Any suggestions that can help other parents and students are always welcome!