Teaching Hub

Recommended Apps for Teaching and Research

With more than 2 million apps in the App Store, it can be hard to know where to start. Here are the apps eTech recommends for teaching, research, and productivity. Most are free, but some are paid or require a University account.

For more information about setting up your iPad, or about using it as a teaching and research tool, visit the eTech iPad page or schedule time with an eTech consultant.

Productivity

  • Adobe Reader: PDF reader with the ability to annotate, sign, review, and share documents — Free
  • Airsketch Pro: Project photos and PDF documents (such as exported PowerPoint or Keynote slides) to a computer and  annotate them in real time, all from your iPad — Paid
  • Box: The unlimited cloud storage services provided to UA faculty, staff, and students. Box is accessible on desktop and mobile devices, and it is encrypted, making it a viable option for teaching and research — Free
  • Microsoft Office Lens: Office Lens turns your phone into a document scanner, with the ability to convert photos of notes and whiteboards into readable text files — Free
  • Microsoft Outlook: OIT-recommended app for UA email, calendars, and task lists — Free
  • Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint: Microsoft’s productivity suite for document, spreadsheet, and presentation creation, with the ability to sync files across devices and collaborate in real-time — Free with University-issued Office 365 account
  • MindNode: Mind-mapping tool that allows you to organize and share your thoughts in an intuitive way — Paid
  • Nebo: Notetaking app with the ability to write, draw, edit, and organize notes, and convert them into digital text files — Paid
  • Pages, Numbers, Keynote: Apple’s productivity suite for document, spreadsheet, and presentation creation, with the ability to sync files across devices and collaborate in real-time — Free
  • Shortcuts: The official program for shortcuts and task automation on iOS devices — Free

Audio and Video

  • AudioNote: Notetaking app that synchronizes notes and audio, allowing you to jump to parts of the recording by tapping specific words or drawings — Free
  • Google Duo: Google’s video calling app, an alternative to Skype and FaceTime — Free
  • Voice Memos: Apple’s built-in voice recording app that allows you to record and sync notes across devices (iPad, iPhone, Mac) — Free
  • Zoom: Cloud-based app for video and audio conferencing, collaboration, chat, and webinars — Free through OIT

Education

  • Blackboard: Blackboard’s mobile learning app for faculty and students — Free