Hi-Line Survey: 95 percent embrace education apps, websites

According to a survey of 300+ students in a Hi-Line Poll, over 95 percent of students are using academic websites and apps to boost their learning

There are hundreds upon hundreds of apps and websites students from all over the globe use for academic purposes. A narrowed down list singles out some of the top rated within the Cedar Falls student body.

Quizlet is one of the most popular, used by four out of every five students. Others that are recognizable are Slader, a website primarily used in math to double check problem solutions; Duolingo, an app that eases the process of learning new languages for many and Grammarly, an app that constantly gives users new word suggestions, notifications for spelling errors and even helps with things like sentence structure while typing papers. Other popular digital teachers include Khan Academy, an interactive website used for varying degrees of math; and Trello, Desmos, Membean and even the basics such as YouTube.

A more surprising factor in digital education is the amount of time student’s dedicate to these apps. More than one out of two students use at least one app or website on a weekly basis, one of three students uses them daily and only 2 percent say they almost never use any digital websites or apps. 

In the Hi-Line Poll, words of gratitude from students sprang up everywhere thanking these apps and websites for helping them cut down stress levels and feel more prepared. 

One student said, “I use Quizlet to study for a lot of tests, specifically for my AP Biology tests last year. It was really nice to have a consolidated version of each term and concept we needed to know that could refresh your memory quickly and easily before a test after reading the book. Without Quizlet, I probably wouldn’t have gotten an A in that class.”

A current freshman from Holmes Junior High said, “In math, we use Desmos to give us an idea of what graphs and functions are. We had an assignment where we had to type in the function to find out what kind of graph it made, and the website was super helpful.”

Others commented on the beneficiality of other apps as well. “Quizlet helps me a lot with vocabulary terms in my classes, Desmos helps me a lot in my math class for graphing and Grammarly for an extra pair of eyes on my English essays,” one said.

Another said, “I use Quizlet to prepare for all of my American history tests,” along with, “The apps help me get 100% on my Spanish tests, mostly because of Quizlet. It really helps you study and focus in on learning the new material.”

For some, simple things like organization can mean the world while staying on top of already challenging classes and balancing homework. This is where another useful app called Schoology is handy. Schoology is used by almost every teacher in the school and is also used to post updates about anything going on in the school. “Schoology helps me with keeping track of all of my classes and staying organized,” one high school student said.

Especially with learning foreign language, studying is a necessity for many,  “Duolingo has helped me in French class with learning things like greetings and goodbyes.” Another said, “When I’m struggling with French I can always use Duolingo to help me understand.”

On top of it all, many apps and sites boil down to the preparation for important tests and exams. Survey respondents said it’s hard to do everything to study and still not know what to expect when test day comes. That’s exactly what some apps would like to offer. A freshman said, “Being able to take something that will look similar to the test and not have it be graded is a really nice benefit.” 

By using academic apps and websites, 95 percent of students are gaining important knowledge about a collection of things as well as the reassurance these apps and websites provide to reduce stress levels.

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