Education Apps Gaining Popularity
March 18, 2010 • By Kaleigh Somers,
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HARRISONBURG, Va. — Sophomore Seth Ensign, a chemistry major, is a big fan of educational applications, especially for calculus, chemistry and physics. He uses MathRef, MultiConvert and Chemical most often.
“Chemical is the best”, Ensign said. “It does a bunch of chem stuff from finding mono- and poly-isotopic molecular masses to letting me skip the math with making solutions.”
More college students have started using educational apps — short for applications — on their cell phones to make the learning process more interactive and efficient, according to Russell Schaffer, a senior communications manager at Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions.
Some students, who plan to take exams such as the Medical College Admission Test, either currently own an app-friendly device or plan to purchase one in the next year according to results from a study Kaplan conducted.
Last year, Apple made $1 billion in app sales, according to the research firm Gartner. The company is expected to increase sales by 62 percent this year.
Freshman Megan Chandler hopes to get into JMU’s nursing program and has been using an anatomy app, Human Body Encyclopedia 3D Anatomy, to help make studying more interactive.
“The graphics aren’t nearly as detailed as I need, but the descriptions are good,” Chandler said. Her textbook offered a more costly application, but she chose this cheaper option to save money.
Last month, Kaplan released a series of phone applications geared toward MCAT and the United States Medical Licensing Examination test preparation.
The company prides itself on its “long history of offering test preparation in many formats,” Schaffer said. In 2007, Kaplan began offering SAT download programs built for the video iPod, marking itself as “the first test prep company to offer applications through the iTunes store,” according to Schaffer.
Emily Correa, a junior media arts and design major, loves the personalization most applications offer.
“I have a Spanish tutor app and subscribe to two language collections through iTunes U,” Correa said. “The educational resources on iTunes are too good not to take advantage of.”
As the Apple campus representative at JMU, Correa is well versed in the new technology. She explained iTunes U is a free database where professors can upload content such as lectures or study material for students to download.
According to Correa, apps allow students to stay organized by using interactive tools and offering textbook information. She believes they’re easy to use because of their personalization options, such as multi-colored highlighting.
“You could get an app to help you learn a language, study with flashcards, pass a test or even record a lecture,” Correa said.
Reagan Beasley, a freshman health science major, also finds the apps appealing.
“I think that technology has come a far way and I like that companies like Apple are finding ways to incorporate educational programs into products that appeal to customers,” Beasley said.
While freshman Dominic Wright does not take advantage of these applications, he agrees he would give them a try if they were compatible with his phone.
“My phone is an intricate part of my life and is the main source of contact that I have both on campus and abroad,” Wright said. “I use it more than most people, so the apps would definitely be an added bonus.”
Not all students are jumping at the opportunity because many don’t own phones or devices that are conducive to using applications.
“I don’t have a phone with app capability. I find that I don’t need it, and I like a more rugged, simpler phone,” said Kevin McLean, an undeclared freshman.
Like McLean, freshman Miranda Stein doesn’t use applications because they cost money to download. While some apps are free, others are as much as $40 or $50.
That is why some mobile carriers, including Verizon, AT&T and Sprint Nextel, are forming an alliance called the Wholesale Applications Community, according to an article in The New York Times. These carriers hope to create common standards so people with different carriers can use apps made by any of these companies.
Contact Kaleigh Somers at somerske@jmu.edu
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