Modern gadgets for school children: what is required for distance learning? - Costless
Useful gadgets for school children
In the age of technology, you have to think not only about a backpack, pencil case, and notebooks when getting your child to school but also about electronic assistants. School lessons can be challenging and grueling for your child, but it is in your power to make life easier for your child. Learning in a pandemic requires an entirely new type of school supplies.
Costless offers a list of essential modern gadgets for school children:
- notebook
- smartphone
- tablet
- smartwatch
- kids headphones
- smartpen
- backpack with charging
- electronic book
- flash drive
- table lamp
You can view the full list of useful gadgets with prices here
Notebook
Perhaps a necessary device for a student is a laptop. You will need a computer for distance learning, as well as for homework and additional courses. Using a computer, your child can solve any problem, from writing essays to solving math problems.
Also, the majority of modern schools and lyceums have long since switched to electronic format: teachers send out lecture notes by e-mail, keep an electronic journal of children's progress and create online tests to assess student knowledge.
Today, the modern technology market offers a wide range of laptops and computers; you can choose the right option depending on your budget and needs.
We will give general recommendations for choosing a laptop for a student:
- Elementary students do not require a powerful processor or graphics card. As a rule, you will need a laptop to solve the most simple ones so that you can opt for simpler devices. A laptop with 4 GB of RAM, 256-512 GB of memory with an Intel Celeron or Intel Pentium processor would be optimal. Such a laptop is suitable for working with text editors, creating presentations, and surfing the Internet.
- For high school students, slightly more advanced models are worth considering. Children grow up and, most likely, you do not want to buy a separate laptop for games and learning. Therefore, choose laptops with a lot of memory. In this case, your child will be able to use his gadget to master new programs, for example, a graphics or video editor.
- For high school students, choose a laptop that will be relevant for several more years. It should be a good model that can use for university studies. Also, children aged 15 and over can safely begin to master any profession; future programmers and designers will need a powerful computer. In the segment of expensive devices, the choice is vast. The main selection criterion will be a good screen and a powerful processor.
Major players, such as Microsoft and Apple, release top-of-the-line laptop models every year that are great for the education sector. The Surface Laptop is Microsoft's answer to Apple's MacBook Air. For those who prefer mobility and lightness, these options are perfect. For those looking for a rugged laptop of challenging tasks, there's the MacBook Pro 13.
You can also turn your attention to the following models: Huawei Matebook 13, Acer Aspire 3 A315-54K (NX.HEEEU.04D), Lenovo IdeaPad S340-14, Asus Chromebook Flip C434.
Smartphone
Smartphones have become an integral part of our daily life; they are no longer just communication gadgets. Today there are a vast number of unique applications that help organize the daily routine, learn, and develop interactively. Therefore, in 2020, when asked whether a child needs a smartphone, the answer is “yes.” A vast range of mobile phones allows you to choose the right gadget for your budget and requirements.
You shouldn't buy the most expensive model if you are afraid that your child will lose the phone or break it. When choosing a smartphone, pay attention, first of all, to the size and strength of the case. It will not be convenient for a small child to hold a gadget with a large screen in his hand, which means there will be a significant risk of breaking the phone. You should also not choose models with a glass case; it is better to give preference to durable material with protection against impacts.
Another significant indicator for a children's phone is the battery capacity. Please note that children use smartphones not only for study but also for games and watching videos, so the battery must be at least 2400 - 3600 mAh.
Among the budget models for primary school students are Nokia 1, Digma HIT Q401 3G, ZTE Blade A530, Senseit R500, Samsung Galaxy M10.
For high school students, you should choose something more powerful and functional. We propose to draw your attention to the following models: Asus Zenfone Live L1, Samsung Galaxy A11, Xiaomi Redmi Note 8T, Nokia 2.3, Huawei P50 Lite, iPhone 7.
Of course, if your budget allows you to look at flagships such as iPhone XR, iPhone SE 2, iPhone 11, Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite, Samsung Galaxy S10e, Xiaomi Redmi Note 9.
Tablet
It is one more gadget that can become an irreplaceable assistant for your student. The tablet can become the first serious device since it can at first replace a smartphone, an e-reader, and a laptop if you buy a Bluetooth keyboard.
Of course, for a tablet, the most important characteristics will be processor power, internal memory, display diagonal, and battery capacity.
The top Android option for 2020 is the 12.3-inch Microsoft Surface Pro, a highly versatile and feature-rich tablet that's made even better by the optional keyboard and stylus. It can be classified as a portable computer rather than a tablet. For fans of Apple technology, we suggest you turn your attention to the thinner and more portable Apple iPad Pro 10.5, complete with Apple Pencil. For a bigger iPad, choose the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
Among the inexpensive options you can consider: Lenovo Yoga Smart Tab YT-X705X, HUAWEI MatePad T 8.0, Lenovo Tab M10 Plus TB-X606F, Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0.
Smartwatch
It is a useful gadget for children of all ages. The main advantage of smartwatches is that they are suitable even for the smallest or very forgetful children. The watch will always be on the child's wrist, which means you can easily track the location of your child. When you synchronize with your smartphone, the smartwatch will remind your student of upcoming tasks and daily routines. They also can use as a clock, calendar, activity tracker, MP3 player, and more. Also, smartwatches will help you always stay in touch; the child will not be able to say that he did not hear your call because he left the phone in class.
Among our favorites: NomiKids Transformers W2s Yellow, Smart Baby Watch GW400E, Ginzzu GZ-507, Geozon LTE, VTech KidiZoom DX, Smart GPS Watch T58.
Children's headphones
Children's headphones are considered those in which it is possible to set an upper volume threshold that will not harm the student's hearing. When buying headphones for children, you should pay attention to wireless Bluetooth models and devices with a detachable function to avoid the problem of continually breaking cords. The headband should be adjustable. Also, appearance is of great importance for a child - choose bright, attractive models for lower grades and more adult and compact ones for high school students.
Trust Sonin Kids Headphone Grey, Philips SHK400, JBL JR300BT, Harper Kids HB-202 headphones are perfect in all respects.
Smartpen
Smart Pen is a new type of gadget that, using Bluetooth, transmits information to any device synchronized with it while writing. Thus, you can quickly digitize all the records and save them on your mobile phone, tablet, or laptop. It may not be suitable for every lesson. However, a smartpen will make the student's life much more comfortable. Thanks to the Smart Pen, no notes will be lost. You no longer have to worry about losing individual sheets of notes, because the Smart Pen will save everything in one device.
In this segment, the absolute leader is Neo Smartpen N2.
Backpack with charging
A backpack with a charger is a handy thing when your child has so many electronic devices. Gadgets are always discharged at the wrong time, and there is usually only one outlet in the classroom and then near the teacher. A backpack with an internal charging station will relieve the student of the fear of being left without a smartphone or tablet for the whole working day. This backpack is also equipped with external charging cables, so your child can help his school friends too.
Bobby Compact backpacks are the market leaders. They are equipped with USB charging and reflective elements, have moisture protection and anti-vandal coating. It is the best option for a student you can find.
Electronic book
Perhaps the best gift for a curious child. A properly selected device will not spoil your child's eyesight. You can take the e-book everywhere with you; it will be a great helper if your child does not have a tablet.
Since 2018, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite has been the market leader in e-books. However, it has worthy alternatives: PocketBook 627 Touch Lux 4, PocketBook 641 Aqua 2, AirOn AirBook City Base.
Flash drive
A USB stick is still a must-have for learning. Despite the rapid development of cloud storage and wireless data transfer, you will need a flash drive to exchange, transfer, and store electronic files. Not all schools have a good Wi-Fi connection, so essays, e-tasks, reports, and research will have to be brought to school on a flash drive.
Of course, the more memory you have, the more expensive the flash drive is. We recommend opting for 32 GB or 64 GB flash drives. It is enough for schooling. Take a closer look at KINGSTON IronKey S1000 ENTERPRISE, Corsair Flash Survivor USB 3.0 32Gb, Kingston DataTraveler Locker + G3 64GB, ADATA i-Memory UE710 32GB,USB Apacer AH333 32GB.
Table lamp
Lessons are often done in the dark, so you should think about high-quality lighting that won't tire your eyes before the start of the school year. Modern table lamps are different from those we are used to. It is not only a stylish accessory but also very functional.
For example, the TaoTronics desk lamp has four lighting modes (cool white, deep white, yellow, and white combination, soft yellow) with 5-level adjustable LED backlighting. Foldable design with swivel base and USB charging port.
Modern technologies help make learning more fun and interesting for children. Instead of bulky shelves with books, compact electronic counterparts appeared with access to any text in any language of the world. Instead of boring lessons, there are educational applications that playfully helps to learn foreign languages and develop logic. With the use of laptops and tablets, any high school student can start mastering a promising profession, even before leaving school. Modern gadgets are ways to get to know the world and get any knowledge without leaving home.
You can view the full list of useful gadgets here
