Software Selection Forms

Does the current district/educational institute that you work for use Software Selection Forms to gather information before purchasing software?

After questioning a few colleagues, it seems the district I work for does not use Software Selection Forms before purchasing software. It is my opinion that this may be due to the age of our faculty which tends to be that of a generation that is tentative to use new means in their classrooms. In the coming years, as the faculty turns from veteran to that of the next generation, I would hope the forms will become a staple in our district’s developing technology.

Explain how this process can be beneficial to all constituents.

As I read the assigned pages, I saw and agreed with the purpose of using the survey forms. . Just as a district’s administration would consult their Technology Coordinator before purchasing software, it is just as important for the ideas of the software’s primary users, the teachers, to be considered. As teachers experiment with new technologies they can suggest programs that could assist in their own and others’ classrooms.
Another area I believe these forms would be helpful are in terms of the administration. It is important that the administration of the district makes sure that new software is compatible with their procedures and scheduling formats in order to not have the need to “reinvent the wheel”.
As knowledgeable as a Technology Coordinator is when it comes to what meets a district’s needs, the input of a teacher who interacts with the students and their collective ideas of what makes the classroom fun and effective is invaluable. How is this helpful to all constituents? Well the students get to learn in an environment that is fun and different from what they are used to. This new approach may increase their learning in the classroom. In terms of the teachers, when students are interested, it not only makes teaching much easier, but also increases the results of their lessons. Administrators get to keep their district’s networks running smoothly as well as have successful results coming from their classrooms. The Technology Coordinator also gets to keep their networks running smoothly, and they also do not have to listen to as many complaints from teachers and administrators. This I’m sure is worth the extra work in itself. To summarize, the process helps to link cost, effectiveness, ease of use, willingness to use, and happiness of users together.