5 of the Fastest Growing Mobile Applications for Education

Guest writer Kerry Butters combed the “Apps Charts” a couple weeks ago and submitted this post, providing 5 of the top movers. While this information changes quickly, effected by things like national standardized test calendars, I thought it was still worth sharing both for it's insights into these popular iPad and iPhone applications, and for the idea itself – using online resources like TopAppCharts to find popular apps.

As the connected devices revolution continues to evolve at an astonishing rate, more and more schools are turning to technology such as iPads and smartphones to aid learning.

iPads and tablets are a great learning tool, and the chance for a student to regularly use a top-end technology product goes a long way to increase engagement in the classroom. Of course, this must be monitored to ensure that the devices are not being used for less educational purposes, such as chatting and random gaming, but all-in-all, the introduction of tablets into the classroom is a positive addition.

There are a plethora of apps on the market, so it can be difficult for teachers to choose which are best, so below we look at five of the fastest growing apps on the market at the moment.

#1: Nick Jr Draw and Play ($3.99 on iTunes)

This combines drawing, coloring and painting tools and is ideal for kindergarten and younger kids.

This interactive app features parental controls, 8 different brushes for painting and drawing and animated stickers featuring characters from Nickelodeon’s TV shows.

There are also animated tutorials, picture ideas and a wealth of other tools designed to get children’s imaginations really working.

#2: Stack the States ($0.99 on iTunes)

This is a great app for elementary school-aged children, which teaches states, capitals, geographical locations and much more. It uses maps, flash cards and ‘state-stacking’ and gives bonus games when a child has learnt a certain amount of states. It also teaches state abbreviations, the shape of each state, famous US landmarks and doesn’t contain ads or paid add-ons.

#3: Mathemagics – Mental Math Tricks ($0.99 on iTunes)

This app is perfect for children studying for math on SAT, PSAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT or MCAT tests. Mathemagics not only includes lessons to teach each aspect of math, it allows students to break down problems into understandable chunks in order to help them arrive at the solution.

Kids can learn to multiply, divide and square, as well as much more and can progress through various proficiency levels.

#4: Barron’s Regents Exams and Answers: Global History and Geography ($2.99 on iTunes)

This has climbed a huge 47 places in this week’s educational app charts and prepares older students for the New York Regents Exam in Global History and Geography.

The app gives students three different ways to study and the opportunity to test knowledge with two sets of multiple choice questions, or a full-length practice test.

A progress bar helps users to track their progress and explanations are given when questions are answered incorrectly.

#5: ATI RN Mentor – NCLEX Exam Preparation ($19.99 on iTunes)

This is a more specialized educational app but has soared up the charts by 98 places this week. The app features almost 800 unique questions organized by NCLEX area, body function and clinical area. Customized questions and quizzes can also be created and shared with other students.

Of course, there are many more apps out there that represent great tools for both students and teachers. Evernote, for example is listed as an educator’f favorite almost everywhere you look. Another popular app is Dropbox, a cloud-based file-sharing application that allows students and teachers to share documents when away from the classroom.

About the author: Kerry Butters writes on behalf of Broadband Genie, the online comparison website for broadband and Tablet PCs, follow the link for the latest iPad deals on offer.

Related Posts (if the above topic is of interest, you might want to check these out):
15 Favorite iPad Apps As Selected By Teachers
5 of the Fastest Growing Mobile Applications for Education
Introducing a Game-Based Curriculum in Higher Ed