App Annie data showed installation of educational apps in the US jumped 85 per cent in August as students headed back to school, highlighting the growing role of mobile in the classroom.

The app analytics company noted downloads of apps in this category increased from around 5 million in early June (when school dismissed for summer break) to around 9 million as of 18 August.

Classroom communication platforms Remind and ClassDojo were the most downloaded apps in the week leading up to 18 August, followed by language learning app Duolingo and Google Classroom.

In a blog post, App Annie said the spike in downloads “demonstrates the increasing importance of mobile apps to the educational ecosystem”.

“Students and teachers increasingly depend on these apps to complete routine activities that were once performed through other channels, such as paper printouts, out-dated online portals and limited communication outside the physical classroom, which lacked the same access points and streamlined efficiency as mobile provides.”

The company said the metric also reflects a general increase in mobile use among younger generations. App Annie data from February showed people aged 13 to 23 engage with their favourite apps 30 per cent more than those over the age of 25, and spend 20 per cent more time on those platforms.