Consumer Alert:  Educators beware that vendors and the media are eager to sell tools which will ‘solve’ the current problems in K-12 education.  This article will address why educators should take caution before spending thousands of dollars on a quick-fix solution.

If your state recently received Race to the Top funds or if you have read articles on the topic of K-12 education in the newspaper, you are aware that several Americans feel that an “App” is the cure for classrooms.  This may be a stretch, but you should be aware if you read or hear the following claims:

21^st Century Learning Skills.........There’s an App for That.

Character Education...................,There’s an App for That.

Closing Achievement Gaps...........There’s an App for That.

College Readiness......................There’s an App for That.

Curriculum Mapping.....................There’s an App for That.

Differentiated Instruction..............There’s an App for That.

Duty-Free Lunch...........................There’s an App for That.

Healthy, Active Students................There’s an App for That.

Inquiry Learning...........................There’s an App for That.

Low Performing Schools.................There’s an App for That.

Safe Schools................................There’s an App for That.

Writing Across the Curriculum.........There’s an App for That.

Textbooks are not a silver bullet.  Programs, state standards, train-the-trainer programs, literacy initiatives, high-yield strategies, SMART Boards, and other district initiatives have failed to single-handedly increase student achievement.  Placing a computer, an App or a new resource in the hands of students will not solve the problems in K-12 education.

This past week, the News & Observer reported how a North Carolina school district is considering using Race to the Top funds.  While I respect the leaders in the school district, it appears like the news correspondent was attempting to increase readership by writing a creative lead.  The general public could read this article and wonder why more schools are not finding an “App” to support student achievement.  The article suggested:  “School leaders are hoping they can get an app for underperforming students.”

I am not opposed to technology integration, blended learning or utilizing an App in K-12 education to support student understanding.  If educators can utilize one or more Apps to meet the desired learning outcomes, then it would be wise to invest in such tools.

If educators are meeting with vendors, viewing webinars with a team of teachers, searching for tools to support student achievement or wondering if an App exists to support the school improvement plan, I recommend purchasing Schooling by Design, by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe.

Wiggins and McTighe (2007, p. 204) make the following recommendations:

Stage I        Identify the Desired Results

Stage II       Determine Acceptable Evidence

Stage III      Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction

Educators will benefit from purchasing any product or instructional tool if they identify their desired results before listening to the sales presentation.  It is easy to be deceived by the bells and whistles that current products are able to offer.  Several of the products that I have witnessed are glorified worksheets and do not offer a new approach to teaching and learning.  If educators follow the recommendations by Wiggins and McTighe I believe that they can begin to ask, “Is there an App for that?”

References:

Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2007). Schooling by design: Mission, action, and achievement. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.