The following guides provide additional information for evaluating/choosing technology resources in the K-20 environment
An
Educator's Guide to Evaluating
Claims About Educational Software. There are many issues to consider
in selecting educational software. NCREL and Learning Point have
identified the following issues and offers some ways to help address these
concerns: evidence of its effectiveness; alignment with your school, state, or
district's standards; suitability for your students' needs and learning styles;
and the total cost of purchasing, maintaining, and upgrading needed hardware and
software.
Essential
Principles of Quality. This checklist is based on the SREB Essential
Principles of Quality and is designed to assist states and schools in
determining the quality and effectiveness of Web-based courses.
Children's
Software Evaluation Instrument. This is the evaluation instrument
that Children's Software used to evaluate their full-length reviews. An
explanation of their ratings of software is also included.
COSN
Gartner TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) Tool This tool specifically
investigates the workstation, network and server cost of ownership in the K-12
environment, providing an instrument and a process that schools and districts
can use in determining their total cost of ownership (TCO) for technology.
EduTools
(Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education and WCET). EduTools is an
open source created to help educators and administrators research and evaluate
a wide range of e-learning products, services and policies.
ISTE
Sample Software and Web Site Evaluation Forms. The goal of this form
is to provide teaches with an evaluation guide that focuses on the educational
use of a technology resource. This form can be used for software, an
Internet site, a laser disc or any other technology-based resource to be used
with students.
Questions
to Ask About Your Technology Investment. (National School Board
Foundation and Plato Learning). This answers questions relating to technology
investment that school districts, principals and teachers may ask.
Software
Evaluation Form - Kathy Schrock. This software evaluation form was
created for teachers.
PRIMO
Database. Primo is a peer-reviewed instructional materials online
database on such topics as information literacy, Internet searching, research
strategies and lesson plans. Find a tutorial on teaching information
literacy or how to design a lesson plan for teaching how to use Internet
resources. PRIMO is administered and maintained by the Emerging
Technologies in Instruction Committee of the Instruction Section, part of
the Association
of College and Research Libraries.
SIIA Software Implementation Checklist for Educators. This Implementation
Checklist provides guidance to educational institutions that need to plan for
and carry out the large-scale implementation of purchased software applications.
Years of experience have shown that effective implementation practices can be
the determining factor in obtaining successful results from software
applications, both instructional and administrative. The actions an institution
takes prior to the delivery of the software and during its initial use can help
ensure this success. This Checklist suggests these actions and provides a
summary description of each.
