Questia

(iPad/iPhone, Android, Windows, free, developed by QuestiaMedia Inc)

Are textbooks and academic journals on the way out? The rise of apps such as Questia are opening up much more interesting avenues of research for secondary and college students . This phenomenal resource allows access to more than 80,000 books, 100,000 articles and 7,000 research topics. Just make sure to give due credit to your sources: nobody likes a plagiarist.

Suitable for: ages 12 and up.

RescueTime

(iPad/iPhone, Android, Windows, free, premium packages with additional tools available, developed by RescueTime)

There’s no time to waste when you’re studying – or, indeed, when you’re self-employed or working on a particular project. There’s a whole heap of hours tracker apps out there, but RescueTime is particularly useful for studying. It runs silent (but deadly) in the background of your computer and mobile devices, measuring how much time you’re spending on apps and websites. It can also block distracting websites. Overall, a very effective tool for improving productivity.

Suitable for: ages 12 and up.

Focus@Will

(iPad/iPhone, Android, free, but in-app purchases available, developed by Dulcetta Inc)

Part study app, part music app, this claims to increase users’ attention spans by up to 400 per cent by increasing focus through playing particular types of music at just the right time. It is, or claims to be, based on neuroscience. And there are some good productivity features too.

Suitable for: ages 12 and up.

Nowdothis

(Android, free, developed by makeramen)

One of the many “to-do” list apps out there, but one of the simpler, cleaner and better ones. Take each task for the day one at a time. Allocate a set amount of time for it, and work against the clock. At the end, a ding indicates time up, and you can then measure how much you’ve done.

Suitable for: ages 12 and up.

iReward chart

(iPad/iPhone, free)

An app that’s especially useful for children (or adults) with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It provides extra motivation and rewards for completing tasks or chores through a star-award system. You can also track your child’s progress over a few weeks.

Suitable for: children, especially those under the age of 12.

YOUR FAVOURITE APP: If there’s a great educational app you’ve found that you’d like to share with other readers, please use the comment box below.