Learning Tool and Technology is making smartphone a new database and good for more than just posting videos on social media. Consider this…. Mobile devices are one of the most critical developments in the history of learning technology. …
Before the advent of mobile apps, there were only a few ways to go about it:
- Find someone willing to pay for you to learn the thing
- Check a book about the thing from the library
- Find somebody willing to teach you the thing for free
- Learn things yourself the hard way, through trial and error
- Learn the items you wish to learn in school
Of course, there were learning software long before smartphones were invented. They were like textbooks, which you either had to buy them or check them out from your local library. Aren’t you lucky living in the Information Age?
Let’s check out the best free Learning Tool and Apps available for Android and iOS.
UDEMY
Online service that offers vast courses on everything from web development to personal development. Whether you’re a beginner or a virtuoso, Udemy , Learning Tool has many courses to help. Virtually any subject you can think of, like starting a business, chances are Udemy has a course for it taught by an industry expert. The Udemy app gives you access to all of the courses’ videos and learning materials on the go through the mobile device. Udemy app itself is free to download, and you pay for each course you opt for. Some courses are more extended, therefore more expensive than smaller ones. The excellent news is Udemy frequently hosts blowout sales on many of their offerings.
LYNDA
Similar to Udemy, Lynda.com boasts a wide range of courses in a whole block of different subject areas, like video production or software development. The Lynda Learning Tool and mobile app offers you the freedom to learn at your own pace, whenever and wherever it’s most convenient for the user. Lynda’s vast library of courses is provided with a monthly subscription basis, allowing you to take as many classes as you like.
KHAN ACADEMY
Khan Academy is the best app and the brainchild of Sal Khan. Before founding the world-famous non-profit organization, Khan was a teacher, entrepreneur, and a hedge fund analyst. In 2012 he got credited by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. All its courses are offered 100% free. Yes, you heard it right. The learner can take as many of Khan Academy’s professional courses at absolutely zero cost. Most of the organization classes focus on more “academic” subjects, like science, math, and humanities, though there are great courses in computer science, too.
TED
“Knowledge in dangerously addictive short ideas,” as the repository, TED is a non-profit organization dedicated to the spread of inspirational or intriguing thoughts, usually in videos of about 15 minutes. The videos, dubbed “TED Talks,” can be on a wide range of subjects, science to art, to global issues. The TED mobile app accumulates the entire TED video library at a place for education and enjoyment, and content is free to view and use.
LUMOSITY
If anybody wants to build muscle, go to the gym and hit the weights. But what do you do if you’re going to work out the brain? The Lumosity Learning Tool and app offers one solution by providing a series of brain-training “games” designed with the help of scientific experts as well as game developers. Lumosity’s brain exercises emphasize on improving mental faculties, helping you learn new things, sharpen focus, increase retention, and solve problems faster and efficiently. As with other apps mentioned in the list, the Lumosity mobile app is free to download to a personal device. To make the best out of the app, the user may consider subscribing to Lumosity’s monthly subscription.
GOODREADS
Even in the digital world, books are still one of the best ways to learn about almost anything you can think of. There’s just one problem: There are a zillion different books on a zillion different subjects, and some of them are better than others. For instance, which publications should people read if they want to gain skills in graphic design software, like Illustrator®, Adobe Photoshop®, or InDesign®? Here Goodreads comes in the scenario. With above 40 million members, Goodreads is the Facebook of books. The mission is to get the right book in the right hands at the right time, whether it’s fiction, nonfiction, or self-help. No matter what the interests, the free Goodreads app can probably point toward the perfect book to help learn whatever it is you want to learn. Users can read reviews from other readers, and share good reads of their own.
DUOLINGO
Wish to learn a foreign language? Whether you want to learn French, Spanish, or one of 12 other available words from the whole world, Duolingo’s mobile app is an excellent way to get started. The Duolingo app offers a go-at-your-own-pace system, a user-friendly, that works for beginning and advanced speakers. Using photos and phrases spoken by native speakers, the user will be beefing up language skills faster than the user can say, “Ich bin ein Berliner!”
STUDYBLUE
Lost in classes? Need extra help cramming for the exam? A tutor can provide some assistance. But, if the user would like to get access to supplementary study materials created by students and teachers in courses similar to users, check out the StudyBlue app. StudyBlue is a learning tool designed to help “conquer your course,” using notes, study guides, flashcards, and more. It has a mobile study buddy who goes with you wherever you go.
WIKIPEDIA
Remember a time when people had multiple volumes of the encyclopedia on library bookshelves. Nowadays, we all have Wikipedia. The Wikipedia app is a source of constant knowledge on virtually every subject, from academics to pop culture. Leaving lugging around multiple substantial volumes of the encyclopedia, you can now access millions of articles at your fingertips. Students are warned, however. Because literally, everybody can edit articles in Wikipedia, most teachers do not consider it a reliable source of information for this reason. Instead of using Wikipedia as the source, look up the references listed at the bottom of a specific Wikipedia article and then mention those in the research bibliography.
YOUTUBE
That’s right; YouTube is not only the place in the world where users can watch a Pop-Tart hybrid soar through space on a rainbow road while singing the most annoying song for 10 hours straight. Type the words “how-to” into the search bar, and the user will find everything from how to get started in a hotel management career to how to use a bow tie. Look for one that has been posted by an expert with real-world experience in the topic user is interested in.