Smartphones have, over the past few years, gotten something of a bad rap. They’re regarded as a major impediment to focus and learning, because of the attention economy that’s grown up around them. When so many app developers are incentivized to think up new ways to drive engagement, it’s no wonder that we can’t stop ourselves from looking at certain applications, again and again.
But this considerable problem shouldn’t lead us to discount the advantages of the smartphone, especially when it comes to learning. Through the modern internet, these devices can access a vast range of resources on topics ranging from the general to the specific.
Take the right precautions, and you can be even more secure in your use of your phone. If you are an Android user, a free VPN for Android might allow you to connect to whatever site or service you like without exposing your data to third parties, for example.
So, how can you use your phone in the right way, and what services should you be looking at?
Download learning apps
If you want to pick up a new skill or master a new discipline, then the right specialised application might allow you to do so. This might mean brushing up on your language skills, learning the intricacies of human anatomy, or even going through a full course, with a certificate at the end. The advantage here is often that you can pick up where you left off and learn at a pace that suits you.
Access the news
You might not think of news consumption as being part of your education. But the fact is that you’re taking on board new information whenever you read an article, listen to a podcast, or watch a video. The trick is to distinguish high-quality sources from inferior ones. This is where news aggregators like Ground News come in handy.
Watch educational videos
The proliferation of online video has had big implications for the way that we learn about new subjects. TED and YouTube are goldmines of free information – and if you’re willing to pay a little, you can often find video courses that go far beyond what you can glean from books and written material.
Of course, this tends to be slightly subjective. Certain topics and certain learners are a better match for the video format.
Jot down your notes
If you want to take notes quickly, then your phone can be a valuable asset. You might simply speak into the microphone and have an AI-powered application transcribe the result. You might already have access to the app in question.
It’s worth attaching a word of caution, however. There’s considerable research that shows that we retain information much better when we physically write it down – and so digital alternatives should be viewed as a supplement for traditional note-taking, rather than a replacement for it.