Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eCampus News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

22 favorite mobile apps: Appy Hour on the Future Trends Forum

In June of 2018, the Future Trends Forum ran an experiment. We didn’t host a guest, as we usually do. Instead, we hosted an “Appy Hour,” a session where we invited participants to simply share their favorite mobile app for learning. (The idea came up during the June 7th Forum discussion. Kudos to the community for thinking of it!)

The experiment turned out to be… a wild success. People jumped onto video to share app after app. Discussion flowed freely.

This wasn’t done programmatically. I didn’t pick or pre-load ready-to-go speakers. Several days before the event I fired off a mass email, as is customary for each Forum. When I started the session, I introduced the topic then simply opened the floor to volunteers. This was very ad hoc and organic.…Read More

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10 best Apple and Android Apps for research

These research apps provide everything from citation to scholarly searches

researchresizedOne of the biggest perks to including mobile devices in the classroom is also one of the most basic—conducting research with the touch of a finger. And outside of downloading Google’s search app, many apps cater intuitively to finding articles and annotation sources, which is helpful for any student, educator or librarian.

From showing examples of how to cite multimedia sources to being able to annotate any kind of document on a mobile device, and from creating customized online searches of scholarly publications to being able to log into your computer files from your phone, these apps are a plus for anyone interested in conducting meaningful research.

Know of any research apps for students in higher education, or apps that librarians have recommended? Have you tried any of these apps? Leave your comments in the section provided below, email me at mstansbury@ecampusnews.com, or find me @eSN_Meris on Twitter.…Read More

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10 assistive technology Apple and Android apps

These apps can help special needs students thrive in a higher education setting

assistive-apps-technology
Copyright: 1000 Words/Shutterstock

As the higher education landscape changes to one more suited to serving the diverse needs of students, part of that responsibility is in helping find resources that can assist special needs students in navigating curriculum, course management and communication.

Some of the more common concerns students with special needs face, such as text-to-speech functionality, organization and scheduling, and communicating with faculty and admin their needs or questions, now have apps available for Apple products—and many times, Android—to help with those concerns. Many have been vetted specifically by educators or students with special needs.

For example, students who have difficulty writing due to disabilities can benefit from the free Dragon Dictation app; or if a visual disability makes using a calculator difficult, the Talking Calculator app could become an ideal solution.…Read More

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10 Apple and Android Apps for campus security

These 10 campus safety apps cover a broad range that could be tailored for most institutions

security-campus-apps
Copyright: Twin Design/Shutterstock

Integrating campus security and technology, smartphone apps make campus safety more convenient. From GPS locators to social media monitoring, these cost-effective opportunities can improve existing systems for higher education faculty, staff and students.

[Listed in alphabetical order]

1. Campus Safe iPhone/iPad, Android, As low as $1 per user, per year…Read More

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The business of ed-tech: From blue lights to mobile apps

Once ridiculed, mobile technology is bolstering campus safety through innovative apps

mobile-appsIt was in a 2009 safety committee meeting with University of Florida (UF) officials that Jordan Johnson first mentioned the potential impact of mobile technology in bolstering campus safety.

Johnson, then the UF student body president, was met with blank stares and quizzical looks. He acknowledged web-connected smartphones would need to be more ubiquitous on campus before they became a vital part of safety and security measures, but the reaction was less than welcoming.

“It was mainly making a forwarding-thinking comment,” said Johnson, who proposed the use of mobile technology to boost security after a rash of attacks on UF students. “I know they didn’t really take me seriously though. It was pretty clear the idea was seen as ridiculous.”…Read More

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