The natureof learning continues to evolve over time - the advent of technology has had ahuge impact on how children learn. This can be an advantage or a disadvantage, dependingon how a child grasps concepts.
Fortunatelyfor children, educators and parents, there are a number of apps that helpchildren of all ages absorb information in different ways and cater to theneeds of each learner.
Here arefive that can help your teen learn effectively:
1. Speechify
Speechifyis an app for mobile devices and desktop computers that reads text aloud usingcomputer-generated speech. The app also uses optical character recognition technologyto turn physical books or printed text into audio.
The app allows users to take photos of textand then have it read aloud to them. Speechify was founded by Cliff Weitzman, adyslexic student at Brown University in the United States, who developed thefirst version of the tool himself to keep up with his lecture reading material.
Speechifyhas a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars and is available through the ChromeExtension, iOs and Play Store. The app offers free standard services and premiumservices for a minimum of R1 149.
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2. KhanAcademy
KhanAcademy is an educational app for everyone - whether you're a parent helpingyour Grade 1 child, or a graduate looking for an in-depth look at microfinance.If there's a topic you want to learn about - no matter how basic or advanced -Khan Academy almost certainly has a video lesson for it. The app has a ratingof 4.5 out of 5 stars and is available free of charge on iOs and Play Store.
Best ways to keep tabs on your child's online activity
According to recent studies, the average teenager spends several hours each day using computers, tablets and smartphones to do everything from playing games and chatting with friends, to shopping and watching videos.
In fact, teens spend an average of 7.5 hours each day on entertainment media that has nothing to do with school. That's why it's so important for parents to keep track of their youngsters' screen time and know what they are doing on these devices.
Here are three apps to help you do just that:
- Kidslox
4.4-star rating
Block apps, set daily limits on screen time, filter the web content easily, and much more. The Kidslox parental control app is the perfect solution to manage your family's screen time.
- OurPact
4.4-star rating
OurPact is the top-rated comprehensive parental control app for screen time. It is a text/app/website blocker and a family locator with screenshot views of your child's online activity.
- Qustodio Kids App
2.9-star rating
We recommend that you first download the Qustodio Parental Control App onto your device (usually your mobile phone or laptop), then download this Qustodio Kids App onto your child's device. Together, the two apps allow you to manage your child's allotted screen time seamlessly.
3. Beeminder
TheBeeminder app may seem a little aggressive, but let's be honest - nothingmotivates you to pursue your studies, work or any other goal like not wantingto lose money. Keep track of your goals, add data and get push notificationsbefore you derail, with the Beeminder iPhone app. Beeminder is goal trackingwith teeth.
It plots yourprogress on a yellow brick road to your goal, and if you go off track, it takesyour money! The Beeminder app also lets you sync your goals with your healthapp data, so you can track steps, distance and other metrics automaticallywithout having to enter the data manually.
This promotes physical health while you studyfor your exams! The app has a rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars and is available forfree on iOs and Play Store.
4. Lumosity
Games canplay an important role in developing your teen's brain. Lumosity's cognitivetraining programme is a fun, interactive way to exercise your brain and learnhow your mind works. Used by over 100 million people worldwide, Lumosity'sprogramme consists of games that train memory, speed, flexibility and problemsolving.
So whenyour teen is taking a break, these games can help them relax and stimulatetheir mind at the same time. Lumosity has a rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars and isavailable on iOs and Play Store. The app offers free standard services andpremium services for R205.38.
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5. MyLife Study
My StudyLife is a cross-platform planner for learners, educators and lecturers to helpyou manage your study programme. My Study Life allows you to store yourcourses, homework and exams in the cloud so you can access them from anydevice, wherever you are.
Unlike apaper planner or school diary, My Study Life integrates all areas of youracademic life - see homework due and overdue for classes, or classes that clashwith your exams, and you can even add revision tasks for a particular exam -all in one free, easy-to-use app. The app has a rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars andis available on iOs and Play Store.
