Guidance and Policies
What is the process for adopting technology?
Are you interested in using a new software program with your students? That's fantastic!
New technology-based resources in the classroom should improve the efficiency and/or effectiveness of educational tasks for teachers and/or instructional outcomes for students. Teachers know best what benefits their students, but vetting requests for new resources helps to identify compliance with State and Federal legislation related to privacy considerations along with any potential additional technical or budgetary requirements.
Steps:
- Read through and answer for yourself this list of questions.
- Then take a look at our approved list of software. If the software is on the approved list and free to use, then you are good to go. What if the program isn't on that list? Talk to your evaluator.
- Finally, complete this form so the product can be reviewed for student data privacy compliance.
Darien Public Schools considers current information about best practices when embedding technology tools in any learning environment. The following resources are valuable to anyone considering adopting a new technology tool in the schools:
Common Sense Media: For educators and parents providing reviews of resources for children.
Educator's Guide to Student Data Privacy: PDF document introducing key points related to student data.
Federal Department of Education - Office of Educational Technology: Provides general guidance for future-forward planning in the area of Educational Technology.
LearnPlatform: Technology vendors are able to describe their product, submit verification of privacy compliance, and have the option to provide research-based evidence to support the product.
National Center for Education Research: Searchable database of grant-funded education research.