These days, even after the lockdowns have eased, it is evident that online learning is not going anywhere. Better yet, online education and using smart devices in the classroom is rapidly becoming the norm.
Because of this, plenty of digital solutions are being released every day that can help students complete assignments, retain information, and allow teachers to present learning material in a unique way, improving the overall quality of education.
When it comes to finding the next app for your classroom devices, Microsoft app store is the way to go – no matter if you're looking for something that would help you prepare for tests or a tool to help visualize and gamify educational content for your students.
Best Windows Apps for Education: Our top picks
To help you achieve your learning goals, we compiled a list of some of the best education apps on the Microsoft app store. Whether you're a student or a teacher, here are some apps you should consider adding to your devices this academic year.
Boom Cards
| Features | Self-grading learning cards |
| Resources | Ready-made resources, news, videos |
| Free plan | Yes |
Boom Cards is an app that helps turn boring worksheets into interactive games and activities for all age groups. With this app, teachers can easily assign materials to classes and review student performance.
Besides presenting the students with fun games and instant feedback, Boom Cards also offers these features:
- Plenty of ready-made material
- Works even with low-bandwidth internet
- Privacy by design
- Auditory instructions
- A variety of game types to customize
What's great about Boom Cards is that it allows teachers to see knowledge gaps and learning patterns, making it easier for them to address specific challenges the students may have.
PID Simulator
| Features | Real time PID controller simulation |
| Resources | Guides |
| Free plan | No |
The PID Simulator app is a live PID tuning simulator where users can modify the input data to mimic real-life scenarios, then adjust the PID controller to monitor the output's reaction.
This app helps users learn, program, practice and teach PID control loops by providing these features:
- Adjustable ramp rate
- Control of graph speed and feedback reaction time
- Load step simulation
- PID feedback
- Random distortion for real life scenarios
What makes PID Simulator stand out is the ability to adjust the reaction time – modifying this set point allows the user to simulate different environments and devices.
BOOKR Class
| Features | Animated books and games for learning English |
| Resources | Blog, tutorials, printables, events, book list |
| Free plan | Free trial |
Next up is BOOKR Class – an app that makes learning English engaging and fun for children as well as provides a comprehensive educational tool for teachers.
Besides offering an enormous library of books and stories, BOOKR Class boasts these features:
- Teacher’s Dashboard
- Content can be used offline
- Ad-free
- 2000+ educational games
- Content for beginners (pre-A1) and intermediate levels (B2)
What makes BOOKR Class unique is that it was created for teachers by teachers, supporting the development of language skills – reading, writing, listening, and pronunciation, and other essential soft skills such as problem-solving and creativity.
ABC C Alphabet Learning Games
| Features | Alphabet education |
| Resources | Blog, printables |
| Free plan | Yes |
ABC C Alphabet Learning Games is a fun app for kids, from toddlers all the way to preschoolers and kindergarteners, to learn about phonics and the alphabet. The app focuses on the letter C and provides tons of activities that help recognize the letter and the objects associated with it.
Here are some of the features that ABC C Alphabet Learning Games offers:
- A voice reading the pronunciation of everything
- Appropriate content
- Engaging interface
- Each object accompanied by colourful pictures
- Trace and color games
What's convenient is that kids can explore the C words by categories like birds, animals, vegetables, fruits, and things, and can easily access the specific material they need.
NetExam
| Features | Learning Management System |
| Resources | Blog |
| Free plan | Free trial |
Next up is NetExam – an enterprise-grade learning management system used by many well-known companies worldwide. With NetExam, users can learn skills and earn certifications needed to sell services or products on behalf of a software, hardware, networking, or cloud services vendor.
Some of the key features of NetExam include:
- Certification programs for over 125,000 global partners
- Gamified learning material
- Virtual labs
- Video challenges
Overall, NetExam is a great app that seamlessly integrates with MS Dynamics CRM, Azure AD and major CRM platforms, allowing users to improve their marketing and sales skills in no time.
Scratch 3
| Features | Create games, animations, stories |
| Resources | Tutorials, ideas, FAQ |
| Free plan | Yes |
Scratch 3 is an app that allows students to create fun games, stories and animations using a simple visual interface. This app helps young people learn coding, all while improving their problem-solving skills, collaboration and fostering self-expression.
Scratch 3 not only lets the students' creativity shine through, but it is also:
- Available in more than 70 languages
- Can be used offline
- Allows remixing other projects
- Available as ScratchJr for younger users
- Easy to customize for educators
The best part about it – Scratch free to use for everyone. It is designed, developed, and moderated by the Scratch Foundation, a nonprofit organization.
Sphero Edu
| Features | Robot coding |
| Resources | Blog, manuals, self-service resources, activities |
| Free plan | Yes |
Using robotics to teach kids coding has quickly gained traction over the last few years, and Sphero Edu helps you do just that and even more. This app goes beyond coding and offers unique STEAM activities, allowing students of all skill levels to create, collaborate and learn with Sphero robots.
To ensure effective learning, Sphero Edu offers these features:
- Draw, Block, and Text modes
- Progress monitoring
- Integration with Google and Clever
- Activity library
Besides providing activities for all learners, the Sphero Edu app is also compatible with a variety of devices and can be used both at school and at home, making coding education accessible and convenient for everyone.
BrainPOP Featured Movie
| Features | Educational videos |
| Resources | Research |
| Free plan | Free trial |
Next on the list is BrainPOP Featured Movie – a learning app by BrainPOP, a learning resource supporting variety of subjects and reaching millions of learners worldwide.
Some of the key BrainPOP Featured Movie features are:
- Animated movies and quizzes released every day
- Suitable for kids in grades 3-8/ and ages 8-14
- App is based on a proven approach that boosts academic achievement
Another great thing about this app is that its videos not only educate kids about historical milestones and figures but also cover current events, holidays, and a wide variety of subjects.
Best Windows Apps for Education: Final recommendations
Here's a quick overview of all the best education apps mentioned in this article:
- Boom Cards – an app that allows teachers to turn learning material into fun games and activities.
- PID Simulator – a simulator where users can learn about PID control loops in real-life scenarios.
- BOOKR Class – helps learn English through animated books, stories and games.
- ABC C Alphabet Learning Games – provides learning games and activities with a focus on the letter C.
- NetExam – an app that allows users to train and earn certifications needed to sell services or products.
- Scratch 3 – a free app that allows young people to code games, animations and stories.
- Sphero Edu – a hub to create, contribute, and learn coding with Sphero robots.
- BrainPOP Featured Movie – provides kids with educational videos and quizzes related to the topics covered.
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