Brain function is everything involving thought, learning and memory. While it would be great to categorize and compartmentalize the process, neuroscience has discovered something most educators already know: that’s not how the brain works.

The brain is a triad organ consisting of an area for motor function (the lower/reptilian brain), one for emotions and memory (the mammalian/limbic brain), and one for thinking and reasoning (the neocortex or thinking brain). These three distinctly different brain areas do not function in isolation; they work in concert with each other.

Neuroscience has revealed that learning is the result of a holistic approach that activates the triad brain rather than a single part. For educators, this means integrating learning experiences that use solid research about how the brain learns, and neuroscience apps can assist with this approach.

Here are the 7 best neuroscience apps for educators:

1. HaikuDeck – Build stunning visual slide decks that evoke emotion and do it quicker than hunting the wide web for templates and pictures.
2. Tinkercad – Bring imagination to life with easy to use computer-automated design. Thinking and designing in 3D has never been easier.
3. MindMeister – Mind mapping makes learning easier because it mimics how the brain functions. Even better, students can collaborate on mapping projects.
4. Evernote — The brain loves integration, but too much information can be overwhelming and easy to lose track of. Use this app to organize everything while collaborating with students and other educators.
5. Socrative – Give your students the learning validation they need with an interactive assessment tool designed to provide instant feedback – for them and for you.
6. Schoology – Do you love edtech but hate certain social media apps because they’re too public? This app offers a learning management system that gives teachers an instructional platform and their students a social media experience.
7. Animoto – Videos tell stories, and stories are the emotional connection to learning. Animoto is your connection to helping students create stories.

Looking for more great neuroscience apps? Use this checklist in selecting the best app for your classroom:

• Uses a big-picture approach to the learning
• Offers highly visual platform
• Encourages an emotional connection
• Advances higher order thinking skills

The race to success in utilizing neuroscience apps lies not in who has the most apps, but in who has the right kind of types. Engage the triad brain in the apps you use, and you’ll find your students becoming more excited about learning.