Interview with Director of Instruction
Who decides what apps are purchased for the school?
App decisions begin from a variety of sources, usually starting with teachers, but sometimes administrators. Ultimately, the decision to "purchase" an app (even free ones) comes from the director of instruction after consulting with subject matter leaders and/or principals or the administrator in charge of special education.
What is the decision making process behind that? Is there a vote, discussion, list of pros and cons, etc.
We have an app request link for teachers on our website. Teachers begin the process by completing this. From here, either approval happens soon after this, or a series of discussions start between those involved to make a good decision.
What are some of the key aspects that you look for when making these decisions?
- is it backed by educational research in terms of its development and research showing that it works
- does it fit well with our curriculum and instructional approaches
- does it follow privacy guidelines
Has the school ever made a switch in apps from year to year? If, so what are some of the apps that were used in the past?
Yes, an example is we moved away from Lexia Learning for supplemental reading instruction because it did not fit the direction we were headed in in the area of literacy.
What programs (not necessarily an app) are currently in place that cater to children's social and emotional needs?
Online portion of Second Step
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