Online school can be difficult sometimes. Though it’s super flexible (one of the reasons I enjoy it), it also takes a lot of self-control and self-teaching abilities to truly be successful.
Luckily, there are a few apps out there that can help. In fact, whatever you need help with, there’s probably an app for it. In this post, I’ve listed 9 of my most-used and completely free apps during online learning.
So get out your phone, and let’s dive into the post!
Quizlet
Quizlet is completely free (though it has a moderate amount of ads) and a great way to create and practice flashcards. There is a paid version with extra features and no ads, but it’s not necessary.
On Quizlet, you can make flashcards on whatever you want and organize them with folders. Your teacher can also make them and share them with your class.
You also have 5 options to practice each “set” of flashcards: Learn, Flashcards, Write, Match, and Test. The last 2 are games, and the first 3 are exercises that help you remember your terms.
Quizlet is extremely easy to use and great for language and science classes, so if you’re taking a course that requires a lot of memorization of vocabulary terms, I highly recommend Quizlet.
Duolingo
Duolingo is also completely free but contains some ads. It’s one of the most intuitive and interactive language-learning apps, and it teaches a lot of things.
There are 30+ languages available on Duolingo, and you can learn each in “bite-size lessons”. Each lesson progresses by difficulty, and has plenty of practice for reading, writing, vocabulary, etc. The program itself also has rewards, a streak system, and ranking.
However, note that (as of the date this post was written) the Duolingo app doesn’t have grammar explanations that go with the practice. You can find them (they’re called Tips) on the Duolingo website, and they’re super helpful in understanding why something works the way it does.
Grammarly
If you don’t use Grammarly when writing your essays, you’re either a grammar genius or missing out! You may have guessed it already, but Grammarly is an app and Chrome extension that checks your grammar; it works on many platforms, including Google Docs, Gmail, and more.
There is a paid version of Grammarly that offers in-depth and professional grammar corrections, but the free version works great for the basics! I use it for all my essays and blog posts, including the one you’re reading right now!
You can download Grammarly as a Google extension or use the web browser app; both work in the same fashion and are super simple to set up. Check it out here!
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Khan Academy
Khan Academy is a completely free online learning resource for students. From 5th grade math to AP Computer Science, biology to SAT prep, Khan Academy has almost every subject I can think of.
Every subject and lesson includes a series of practice problems, explanation videos, and even full mock tests. I highly suggest referencing Khan Academy videos for math and science explanations, as they’re simple and easy to understand.
Khan Academy is a website and an app, and I suggest saving/downloading both so you can easily visit it whenever you need to.
Gmail
As an online student, you’ll frequently get important emails from your teachers or school with updates. But unless you have desktop notifications on for Gmail (which many students don’t), you could miss them.
I have the Gmail app on my phone and leave notifications on for all my accounts; this ensures that I never miss an email, and even if I get one in my sleep, I’ll be able to see it immediately once I wake up.
If you’ve missed important emails before and do not yet have the app, download it now! It’s going to be super useful for studying from home.
Minimalist
If you like to be organized and create to-do lists without using a bunch of planners, journals, tags, and colors, Minimalist is a great app for you.
Once you open the app, your to-do list appears. It’s quite literally a plain screen with your tasks listed on it. Just swipe down to add a task and swipe left on a task to delete it.
Unfortunately, the free version of Minimalist only lets you create 1 list (and not different categories like School, Groceries, etc). But if you don’t mind writing all your homework and miscellaneous tasks on 1 list, you could definitely give Minimalist a try.
Flora
You may have heard of Forest, the app that lets you plant trees to stay focused. However, it costs $1.99; thankfully, there’s a free alternative on the market.
Flora is extremely similar to Forest, but free. Plant a tree on the app then go focus on your task. If you become distracted and leave the app for something else, the tree is killed. It may sound a little silly, but it’s a super fun way to motivate yourself to stay productive.
CamScanner
Many teachers require students to scan their work to send as a PDF. This could be quite a hassle if you use old-fashioned printers/scanners. Instead, download an app to scan right from your phone.
If you use an iPhone, the Notes app can scan documents easily. Simply click the camera icon then Scan Documents, and you’ll be able to scan files right into Notes. Then, you’ll just need to AirDrop it to your computer to upload or send it right from your phone.
However, if you don’t have an iPhone, CamScanner works great as well. It works in a similar fashion as any other mobile scanner: just use your camera to scan a document and save it!
CopyClip
CopyClip is a desktop app, and I use it almost every day! Basically, it “remembers” up to a certain number (over 70) things you copied, and stores them in the app so you can access them in case you accidentally copy something else before pasting the first one.
This comes in incredibly useful if you’re writing a paper. Save all the research quotes and sources into the clipboard and paste whichever you want when you’re ready to. And of course, it saves you the hassle of going back and forth, trying to find the thing you had copied.
Once you download the app, it’s readily accessible right at the top of your computer display. Here’s a screenshot from my desktop:
Conclusion
I hope this post was helpful to you! I know that online learning can be a struggle for many students, but these tools can make it easier! Leave a comment below with what app you use the most during online school!
And if you’re looking for more posts like this, here are a few related posts:
- Complete Organization System For Online Students
- 7 Terrible Study Habits To Quit Immediately
- The Ultimate Guide To Studying From Home
