Navigating the Digital World: Must-Have Gadgets Including Laptops & Smartphones & Your Next Book

In This Article

• Must-Haves: Computers and Laptops
• Connections: Phones and Smartwatches
• Apps to Support Studying
• Frequently Asked Questions

Heading back to school each year involves more than grabbing a backpack and pencils, whether you’re studying online, in a building, or via homeschooling. My kids are in middle and high school, with a college student in the mix as well. Our family has found different tech tools helpful at various points in their educational journeys.

Must-Haves: Computers, Laptops and Peripherals

Does your child need a laptop or a desktop computer? It could be that they need both, plus accessories (known as peripherals) like mice, webcams, and headphones.

Laptops are great for letting kids work when they’re on a school bus, waiting for a ride, or hanging out anywhere there is a Wi-Fi connection. They don’t always have the same power and capabilities, however, that a desktop PC might. But for completing most middle- and high-school assignments, they should work just fine.

Some schools or districts provide students with Chromebooks free of charge; others don’t. On the other hand, college students are almost always expected to provide their own devices (like laptops or computers).

Depending on your child’s situation, you might need to budget this year for a new laptop or desktop computer, or you might be able to get away with adding just a few peripherals like a new mouse, webcam, or speakers.

Beware of school policies around Chromebook lending. In most cases, parents must sign releases indicating they will be responsible for anything that might happen to the device. That can put you on the hook for a spendy replacement or repair you might not be ready for. Schools do have other options they can give you, including requiring the student to keep the Chromebook at school or providing them with paper assignments instead.

The real trick is deciding what you need to buy. While it’s tempting to purchase the cheapest items, that can backfire because “inexpensive” sometimes translates into cheap materials that can’t withstand your child’s activities or the occasional tossed backpack. Less expensive devices may also lack the speed or power to do everything your student needs them to.

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For example, if your child is a STEM kid or a graphic artist, more power and storage are necessary overall. On the other hand, kids who just need to manage basic projects and complete homework on time will probably do fine with a standard Chromebook.

As you make your purchases, consider how long the item will last with your child. Some kids are rough on technology, while others are more thoughtful and responsible; age often dictates how nice I’m willing to purchase for a specific child.

Look for Student Discounts

Check for discounts before you buy! Several major tech manufacturers offer student discounts, including HP andDell . Some retailers, likeBest Buy , offer back-to-school deals as well.

College students typically require more rigorous systems that offer increased power and storage capacity to manage their projects and needs; middle and high schoolers can often get by with less robust systems.

Here’s a list of themust-have tech items every student needs ; your specific situation could also mean you need something extra.

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Connections: The Power of Phones and Smartwatches

Phones can be a bone of contention for parents and kids everywhere, but the simple fact of the matter is they are fast becoming a staple for students from middle school and up.

They can use the built-in calculator, access school assignments, connect with teachers, and do even more from a phone these days. They can also set appointments and reminders, for example, and create to-do lists to help them stay organized.

While parental controls and rules should always apply, I’ve found there are a variety of mobile apps that have been useful for helping my kids get and stay organized. These apps are frequently available for both phones and smartwatches; we’ve got a listthat are also completely free to download and use .

Beyond the organization perks, phones are, in many ways, lifelines to peers. While that can be a bit tough for parents to manage, it is an important aspect of teenage life these days.

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One of my teenagers also uses a smartwatch; these can be a great, portable way to help a busy child stay in touch and keep track of appointments while limiting their need to stare at a screen.

What’s been extremely useful in our household is that a smartwatch can also take and make phone calls or text messages (additional carrier fees likely apply); when a phone is in a backpack (or lost), I can still reach my child, and they can reach me.

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Using Apps and Sites Can Support Good Study Habits

Be careful and thoughtful if you’re considering using ChatGPT for your child. It can certainly be helpful in some ways (think: helping to spark ideas for a snappy essay title), but AI tools like this essentially scrub the internet for information, which isn’t always accurate and can frequently be considered plagiarism if used verbatim. Encourage your child to do their internet research instead.

Back to school means more than finding the right books this year. While those are crucial (and often spendy), a frequently overlooked aspect of getting back into the school groove involves finding and using the right apps to support learning, enhance productivity, and improve organization tactics.

If your child loves using their smartphone, give them something parent-approved to use!

Photomath, Yousician, and similar types of apps are fun for kids of all ages, and they might not even realize they are learning while using them.

You don’t need to always download an app, by the way.

Many websites offer all kinds of study support: Kidztype.com , for instance, can help teens ditch the thumb-typing approach and learn how to type quickly and consistently on a keyboard.

Apps and sites can provide fun ways to teach kids what they need to know.

College kids might not appreciate games, but they certainly won’t mind the help that different sites and apps can provide, especially when it’s crunch time during mid-terms and finals.

Time-management apps, for instance, can help them organize and prioritize assignments so nothing gets missed at the last minute.

When selecting appropriate apps for your kids, consider the following:

• Reviews from other users, particularly about ease of use, pop-up ads, and costs
• Only use download sites you know are trustworthy, such asGoogle Play Store or the App Store
• Talk to other parents about the apps and sites their kids use; you can frequently get great suggestions that way

Kids, school, and technology are all here to stay; learning how to juggle all of it together can make life a lot easier for everyone.

Need books? You don’t necessarily need to spend cold, hard cash on them. There are actually more than a dozen ways toget books free of charge , including textbooks for all levels. It’s worth a try, especially when you have multiple kids, and that book bill is looming large.

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FAQ

• When was technology first used in schools?
  According to Purdue University, the earliest tech used in schools was called the Magic Lantern in 1870. It was an early version of a slide projector that used printed images on glass and projected them onto walls or other screens.
• What percentage of schools use technology?
  About 45 percent of all schools have a computer for every student; another 37 percent provide computers for students in at least some grades or classrooms. More than 70 percent of schools say their teachers use technology for activities usually done in the classroom. Source: The Institute of Education Sciences.