APP: The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford has launched an app for its students to serve as a virtual community and central place for members of the Pitt-Bradford community to join groups, check out events and even check on their assignments.
Apps (short for applications) are created for use on smartphones or other mobile devices such as iPads. They allow users to more easily access information than through a website.
Bernie Picklo, academic technology integrator, developed the app, called Pitt-Bradford Connect, with Involvio, a company specializing in creating apps for educational institutions.
Today’s students are true digital natives and have been using technology since they were children. According to Involvio, 18- to 24-year-olds are using apps 66% of the time when they are using their phones or computers.
Popular functions for students on the app are the events calendar, their own individual class schedule and a chat section. They can also check the dining hall menu for the evening, the Area Transportation Authority bus schedule, and the laundry room to see if there are any washing machines free — all on the fly from wherever they are.
The app also acts like a pocket switchboard, allowing students to call campus police, make an appointment with the counseling center or put in a maintenance request.
Students can form groups to act as electronic bulletin boards for their individual clubs, classes or residence hall floors, making it easier to plan meetings and events.
Other sections of the app allow students to ask questions or look for rides back home for the weekend or holiday breaks.
Picklo can also send important general reminders and alerts out to app users about anything from housing registration to emergency information.
“It’s really great for asking general questions that you might not know where to look to find the answer,” said Joshua Nelson, an economics major from Bradford.
“It’s also a convenient way to get any kind of small event or get-together going. I’ve used it to get volleyball games together. It’s awesome!”
