The Connected Classroom

On college campuses around the country, students will soon be swarming in with their new coffee makers, sheets, shower caddies and wireless devices. As a generation that’s been online since a very young age, they embrace the use of smartphones and tablets in the classroom and the benefits they provide to student life.

The Pearson Foundation’s 2012 survey found tablet ownership among college and college-bound students tripled in just a year. Another study, conducted by Crux Research, revealed that nearly seven in 10 college students surveyed owned a smartphone in 2013, up 14 percentage points from 2012. 

There are an abundance of apps and services available via wireless devices that can provide assistance in the classroom. Blackboard has become ubiquitous on many college campuses. This course management software allows students to view grades, share documents, connect with their professors and see notes from teachers. Microsoft Office offers mobile systems that make it possible for students to work in and out of the classroom. 

Juggling multiple classes, meetings, extracurricular activities and work can be daunting. But with modern wireless solutions like iStudiezPro and School Helper, every student can get an A in time management. With the apps, students can input class schedules and other activities into a built-in planner to keep track of deadlines, grades, homework assignments and other activities.

In days past, students needed to take copious notes during class. Today, apps such as Evernote and Share Your Board allow them to take a picture of any white board and keep track of notes electronically, organizing them into folders.

Studying has additional options too, thanks to solutions like StudyBlue Flashcards. Students can set reminders on the app so they can maintain a study schedule before a big test. Trello can help organize group projects, large or small, by assigning each person a label and filtering responsibilities to that individual through the app.