Now that the summer is coming to a close, the panic may start to set in that both teachers and kids aren't quite ready to head back to school. However, getting organized and being prepared for a productive school year is easy to do after enlisting in the help from some apps.
Whether it's looking for homework help, a go-to scheduling mobile planner or finding ways to integrate technology into the classroom, there are countless apps that make all of the above a possibility.
College students can tap into their smartphones to help manage their finances and find food, while younger students can learn through augmented reality experiences that make classroom time fun. Parents may also want to be able to stay on track of their family's schedules, while making sure their children make it safely home from school.
There is just about an app for everything, so why not make some room on your device to get this school year off to a great start?
Here are 8 apps parents, teachers and students at various educational levels should download as they head back to school.
Footprints
Who It's For: App for parents and guardians
What Is It: Footprints is safety app that allows parents to know exactly when their child arrives to school or gets home from school in real-time. This app gives parents the peace of mind that their kids are exactly where they said they would be, with the ability to track more than one family member at a time. Parents can also set up "Geofences," such as the child's school so that they can be alerted when their child crosses this fence.
Where To Download: App Store for iOS.
Adobe Spark
For: Teachers and students
What Is It: App that allows both teachers and students to create interactive visual stories, perfect for explaining a complex lesson plan or for group presentations. The Adobe Spark web app allows users to easily create social posts, web stories, graphics and animated videos in minutes, whereas there are three standalone apps for iOS for each of these features.
Where To Download: App Store for iOS: Adobe Spark Post, Spark Page, Spark Video.
BillGo
For: College students
What Is It: Financial app that eliminates complications regarding money, while helping young adults on their own for the first time manage their money by allowing them to spilt bills, keep records of payments and be reminded when bills are due. This app lets the user pay their rent, utilities and even monthly Netflix bill directly from the app so that receipts are all in one location. Users can also send and receive money from each other so that roomies can spilt the pizza check.
Where To Download: App Store for iOS, Google Play Store for Android.
Picniic
For: The whole family
What Is It: A family organizer app that allows all members to add and view their scheduled activities so that every member is on the same page. The app includes a calendar to plan events when each member is free or add their soccer practice or tutoring session, to-do lists such as what someone needs to pick up from the supermarket, and a meal planner for healthy family dinners. The app also allows members to save medical info in case there is an emergency, or the babysitter's info in case mom or dad can't make it home in time to watch the kids, as well as a family locator that allows members to check in and share their location when getting home from school or when out with their friends.
Where To Download: App Store for iOS.
Hooked
For: College students
What Is It: Hooked is a food and drink app that lets hungry students find food for a great price. The app displays deals at restaurants near a college campus that change throughout the day. The app is live in 23 major college campuses throughout the U.S. and includes more than 1,500 restaurants.
Where To Download: App Store for iOS, Google Play Store for Android.
Clear
For: High school/college students
What Is It: Organizational app that helps students stay on top of their schoolwork by setting tasks and reminders to get their assignments done. Users create to-do lists such as their homework and projects and set notifications for when they need to work on them to be able to hand them in on time. The app can also be applied to other aspects of the user's life, such as when needing a reminder about a chore, appointment or sport practice.
Where To Download: App Store for iOS.
EON Experience AVR
For: Students, teachers
What Is It: An augmented reality app that brings gaming to learning to help students understand topics in anatomy, biology, history, physics and astronomy. Teachers can incorporate this app in the classroom by teaching lessons that allow the students to grasp the content by doing and experiencing.
Where to Download: App Store for iOS, Google Play Store for Android.
Varsity Tutors
For: High school/college students
What Is It: Tutoring app that gives students practice tests, quizzes, flashcards and other means to practice for standardized testing — perfect for those preparing for the SAT or GRE exams. There is also the ability to find a tutor across 200 subjects, as well as upload photos of assignment instructions or test results in real-time.
Where To Download: App Store for iOS, Google Play Store for Android.
