A lot has happened in the world of digital learning since ExcelinEd’s Digital Learning Now initiative and Getting Smart released the first Smart Series paper in August 2012. So this summer we have refreshed the series and made some changes.
Today, we’re sharing a blog post from Getting Smart highlighting the updated Smart Series paper “Smart Series Guide to EdTech Procurement.”
Smart Series Guide to EdTech Procurement
Originally published January 2014, updated and re-released Summer 2015
Authored by: John Bailey, Daniel Owens, Carri Schneider, Tom Vander Ark, Rob Waldron
Download the full paper
In partnership with: Digital Learning Now, Foundation for Excellence in Education
This paper is one of nine in the DLN Smart Series – a collection of interactive papers that provides specific guidance regarding the adoption of higher standards and quality assessments focusing on the shift to personal digital learning.
“Smart Series Guide to EdTech Procurement” sets out to help school and district leaders think through the key decisions in planning for the shift to blended learning. The goal is to create a framework for EdTech purchasing by offering practical advice to guide key decisions, sharing lessons learned from districts that have already made the digital shift, discussing the implications for blended learning, and providing examples of best practices in education policy that support smart procurement.
After setting the stage for smart procurement in the context of the national shift to personalized learning, authors describe 12 keys to smart EdTech procurement:
- Take Inventory
- Determine the Educational Priorities
- Exercise Caution on Customization
- Pursue Collaborative Investigation and Purchases
- Demand Guarantees & Assurances
- Make Real Comparisons
- Conduct A Pilot
- Prioritize Data Sharing and Interoperability
- Remember that Service Matters
- Consider Total Cost of Ownership
- Close the Deal
- Implement, Implement, Implement.
Download “Smart Series Guide to EdTech Procurement“
Read other posts in this series: