Virtual teachers provide lessons on the go

Do you want to learn to recognise bird calls? Pick up a new computer programming language? Learn Chinese? Chances are, wherever your academic pursuit takes you, there's an app for a tablet or smartphone that will help. There are 19,000 apps in the iTunes Store's education category.
At the Android Market, there are 13,000. But beware, not every educational app is the ideal tutor. A study by German consumer goods tester Stiftung Warentest, comparing English vocabulary trainers, found many with weaknesses in their contents and approach.
So what should a good academic app look like? "It's important that it's interactive, with multimedia capabilities and individuality," says Michael Cordes, director of the continuing education team at Stiftung Warentest.
Thus, an app that only tutors - as opposed to one that offers exercises and then quizzes the user about information learned - will have less value. The targeted use of images and sound can't be underestimated either; ditto when it comes to the option of making lessons suit an individual's needs.
"The more influence I can have, the more I can use the programme in a targeted fashion," says Cordes, who has a background in educational science. "Change of pace is also important," he says. Some apps that were tested turned boring quickly. Especially when it comes to complex topics, it's important that exercises offer some variety.
When it comes to IT topics, it's best to use a problem-based approach, says Christoph Sahner of video training service Video2brain. "The presentation of workflow is the real strength of video-oriented teaching."
For example, Video2brain offers an iPad app that is not just for use underway, but for practicing new software or learning a programming language at one's desk.
That way you can watch the video on the tablet and try out the same steps yourself, says Sahner. "Tablets are great because they are big enough to show details in videos and, depending on the context, pull in other media."
Long-distance schools like Germany's Studiengemeinschaft Deutschland are also big believers in educational apps.
That means printed course materials like study guides as well as podcasts, in-person seminars, web courses and time with tutors. "The app should give participants added academic value," says faculty director Harald Stuermer. "This way you can check your status, even if you're in the train on your way home."