18 Best Educational Apps for Educators and Students

There are a lot of educational apps  out there. Not many of them are easy to use or even relevant. We searched through a lot of stuff to find these apps that teachers and students can use to solve some important challenges in the classroom and beyond. Most of them are free and suitable to the Nigerian learning environment. All you need to do is download from iTunes or the Google app store. Here are some of the best educational apps you can use in Nigeria.

From compiling results and making lesson plans, to keeping attendance, time table planning, behavior records and communicating with parents, these apps let teachers harness tech to make teaching and learning a better experience.

1. Instructables

From science experiments to everyday lessons, this app offers instructions for more than 100,000 DIY projects. Looking for a classroom maker project? You’ll find it here. Did your students create something awesome? Encourage them to upload their instructions and share their ideas.

2. Evernote

This clever note-taking app can allow you share notes, assignments and projects with students through shared notebooks. Assignments can also be posted on the Assignment shared notebook and made available for parents to view at any time. It’s very convenient!

3. Oxford Dictionaries

Every classroom needs a good dictionary or two.  The Oxford Dictionary app is a quick and convenient option. A teacher from the TED-Ed community also recommends Dictionary.com. “It’s a quick way to answer ‘what does [insert unfamiliar word] mean?’” she says.

4. Schoology

This cloud-based platform is similar to a Facebook group, only it includes the needed security features for school use. On Schoology, you can create a class page where you and your students can post assignments, videos, completed work and links.

5. Classtree

Collecting those pesky parental consent forms from your students for field trips can be a nightmare, but Classtree makes the process painless and paperless. Unlike Remind, which simply notifies parents of the logistics of an upcoming field trip, Classtree actually lets you attach a consent form for parents to e-sign to go along with the announcement. The app even shows you exactly who has seen your note and who owes you a signed form.

6. SAFSMS Mobile

There is a better way of keeping attendance, grades, and class notes than in easily misplaced notebooks or on random pieces of paper. As a digital school/classroom management app, SAFSMS lets you take attendance, compile results, plan your timetable and share details with parents, all on your mobile device. You can download it on Google Play or sign up to use the web version here

7. Google Classroom

Not only can you distribute and grade assignments through the app, as well as organize all class materials on Google Drive, you can also reach your students more easily — either to make announcements or to engage them in discussions.

8. Alison

Free certified online courses, on almost any subject you can think of. On Alison, you can become an expert in Project Management, Web design, Business – just name it! All you need is your mobile device and internet connection.

9. Kahoot

Teachers love to turn a boring lesson into a game to motivate their students, but not everyone has the skills to make a game from scratch. Thankfully, the GetKahoot website makes it easy to turn your class into a gameshow. All you have to do is enter your prepared questions and answers into the site to create an instantly playable game with a web browser. Your students can then download the Kahoot app to use as a buzzer to join in on the fun.

10. Google Forms

Many teachers recommend this app for gathering feedback from students. You can create a form and students can give responses anonymously or otherwise. Schools or teachers can use it to collect end of term feedback. It’s also great for getting answers about sensitive class discussions.

11. Udacity

Udacity offers you free online courses. There are hundreds of different topics to choose from, for the curious student and even teachers!

12. Brainscape

Brainscape claims you can double your learning speed by using flashcards. Brainscape paces the repetition of each concept perfectly, so you retain knowledge more effectively. Rate how well you know each concept and Brainscape will determine the right time to give you another quiz. It’s free to create, share, and find user-generated flashcards.

13. Ready4 SAT

This is for students preparing for SAT. The app goes well beyond just drilling you to answer practice questions. It actually aims to teach you the material and test-taking tips in mobile-friendly chunks, so that you can study whenever and wherever you have your smartphone. This free app even tries to match your potential SAT score with schools and academic programs around the world, just in case you need extra motivation to study.

14. Photomath

For high-school students who just need a bit more guidance on how to isolate “x” in their algebra homework, Photomath is essentially your math buddy that can instantly solve and explain every answer. Simply snap a photo of the question (you can also write or type), and the app will break down the solution into separate steps with helpful play-by-play so that you can apply the same principles to the rest of your homework.

15. edX

Higher education is no longer exclusive. EdX makes it possible for anyone with a smartphone to learn from distinguished institutions such as MIT and McGill, and maybe even earn a certificate while you’re at it. You can tune into online lectures, take quizzes, and complete assignments at your own pace, all without having to worry about getting a student loan (though some certificates and courses do cost extra).

16. Scholar X

Scholar X is an app that provides African scholars with information to scholarship opportunities. The platform also offers crowd funding for tuition payments and other great opportunities.

17. Coursera

Coursera is an online school of sorts. It has a variety of lessons and classes that you can take. Each one educates you on a different topic. It boasts well over 1,000 courses ranging from math to science and even technology stuff. The classes have lectures, reading assignments, and video content. Finishing a course will even earn you a certificate of completion. Some of the courses are free, but others you’ll have to pay for.

18. BulbApp

Bulb App is an online digital portfolio for teachers and students that helps to keep track of learning progress for each subject. It’s also a great tool for teachers.

That’s our list for now! Do you have other tools/apps you’d like to share? Drop a Comment & We’ll Add it to the list!