Mobile Computing

Itslearning Offers Smartphone App for Student Notifications

• By Leila Meyer
• 01/07/15

Cloud-based learning platform itslearning has created an app for iPhones and Android phones that lets students receive mobile notifications about assignments, events and grades, as well as messages from teachers and other students.

The app works with the itslearning platform and automatically notifies students of upcoming deadlines, tests or other events, or of changes to any tasks. When a teacher posts grades, assessments or comments in the itslearning platform, students immediately receive a notification on their smartphone. The notification includes a link that opens the item in the itslearning platform on the phone's Web browser.

The itslearning app also supports messaging between students and teachers. When somebody sends a message through the itslearning platform, the recipient receives an alert on their phone. They can also use the app to send messages to each other directly without going through the itslearning platform.

"Previously, students had to log on to the itslearning platform in order to see their homework assignments, events and other school related tasks. Some of them would procrastinate or simply forget," said Arne Bergby, CEO of itslearning, in a prepared statement. "Now they no longer have to actively log on to see what they have to do because they'll be getting instant updates on the device they look at the most — their smartphones."

Key features of the itslearning app include:

• Student notifications as soon as the teacher posts grades, assessments or comments in the itslearning platform;
• Student notifications of upcoming homework deadlines, tests and other tasks;
• Synchronization of school events with the phone's calendar;
• Messaging from the itslearning platform or app to individual students and teachers or to groups;
• Customization of notification alerts, including options for audible alerts, push notifications on the lock screen or badge notification icons; and
• Access to the itslearning platform through the smartphone with a four-digit PIN.

The itslearning app is available as a free download from the Apple App Store and Google Play. Further information about the itslearning app can be found on the company's site.