While there are hundreds of worthy subject-based educational apps for high school students, the best teach adolescent learners how to use technology to be more productive so they can focus on topics that most inspire them. These five make our honor roll.
Complete Class Organizer - Student Version ($4.99)
Complete Class Organizer really tries to live up to its name. Not just a class organizer, this app packs in the ability to take course notes, record lectures, and track your grades. The intuitive layout is easy to navigate even if a bit of screen space is lost due to the graphics along the bottom. Once created, classes will appear by semester along the right side with a small week view schedule. The center of the screen shows a tabbed area featuring your To Dos. Tapping on a class opens the page for that class. Once on the Class Page, you'll be able to see the class details, along with instructor and textbook information. As with any productivity app, students will not be begging for Complete Class Organizer. But if your student needs a little help staying organized, this may well be worth the $4.99.
Mythology ($1.99)
Paul Hudson (who has curated many of our recommended Latin language apps) presents this app on Greek mythology, containing thorough re-tellings of ten classic legends: Pandora's Box, Hades and Persephone, Perseus, King Midas, Heracles, Theseus, Daedalus and Icarus, Orpheus, the Trojan War, and Odysseus. First, the users read through the well-written summary narratives of the stories. After this, a word search, letter match quiz, and a "retell it" game. Though Classical purists may be critical of the comic book-style artwork that is very much a departure from the traditional representations of the gods and goddesses, there's no denying that the illustrations are well done and vivid.
Virtual History ROMA ($8.99)
This app provides insight into Roman civilization. The 3D imagery takes the user on an amazing journey through Rome, both past and present. An in-depth study of the origins of Rome, its conquests and fall , extraordinary engineering feats achieved by the Romans, and everything about their art, wars, and public spectacles are included in the educational content of this app. The incredible graphics and virtual technologies in this app will engage and captivate students as they explore the great city of Rome and learn about that ancient civilization.
Math Pro ($1.99)
Math Pro contains basic formulas, concepts, and definitions -- all illustrated in well-done, easy to read screens (which in some cases, flip to backup screens for additional detail). Clear illustrations ordered by intuitive categories help to crystalize basic math concepts and leads to mastery of the subject. This app is a useful resource for all High School level math subjects including Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus and other advanced topics.
Campuseek (free)
This is more a companion than a guide. We love the way Campuseek helps students not only by providing information about specific colleges, but by also allowing prospective students to compare their top choices side by side, particularly after they have had time to visit. Students can use this app to help plan a visit, but more importantly, it allows them write notes, keep photos, and even record audio from tours or interviews. This allows their impressions to remain fresh when all the visiting is over and it's time to make choices.
Educational apps in this article were curated by multiple appoLearning Experts including Keith George, Abby Nowakowski, Julene Reed, Dave Fashenpour and Lisa Caplan.