Best apps for students

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Brad Spirrison, Managing Editor of Appolicious Inc., shares his favorite back to school apps for students.

TeleStory (iPad, iPhone, free)

Designed for elementary school-aged students, this app teaches storytelling and digital communication by helping kids script, produce and record their own television appearances. The app, designed by the same team behind Toontastic, is very easy to understand and gives kids a series of options to choose from - from backdrop to costume to whether they are creating a music program, adventure series or even a newscast! Best example of a new, fun application that teaches kids about content creation and the ability to communicate and tell stories with technology.

Hopscotch: Coding Made easy! (iPad, free with subscription offers)

While many of us today are expected to understand how to manipulate digital media for our jobs and day to day living, knowing how to actually program and engineer websites, apps and other digital media should be a very coveted skill-set for generations to come. This app teaches kids as young as 3 years old the foundational concepts and logic behind programming, and invites users to create simple games to get going. While designed for younger students, this is a great resource for anyone interested in learning how to code who may feel intimidated by more complex programs.

SwipeSpeare - Modern Shakespeare (iOS, Android free with subscription offers)

High school students trying to figure out difficult passages in classic Shakespeare plays are in luck. This app translates virtually everything Shakespeare published with a simple swipe. The intent is to help students as they encounter roadblocks, so they can spend time understanding key elements and themes found in Shakespeare's work. Like Cliff Notes - it's not recommended as a replacement, but supplementary resource to be used while trying to get through the main text.