Software simplifies tasks and makes the functioning of schools and higher education way too easier.
But much to one’s disappointment, one can really feel frustrated taking a bad decision while choosing a software. Can you guess, what could be the possible reason for such frustration?
With an assorted range of educational software available in the market, the rate of taking a bad tech-decision is only in the increasing verge. When there are too many choices, it can be both tantalizing and confusing to take the final call. Spontaneous decision taken out of confusion could be a loss than profit in anyway. A wrong decision related to software selection is not just putting a hole to one’s pocket but both time-consuming and a counter-productive drive. So what holds most important in such a situation is taking a wise decision.
Below are some essential factors that will help one figure out what to look for when choosing the right educational software for their institution or students. Take a look at them!
Factors to Consider For Right Strategy
1. Set Goals & Targets
Setting a goal and target as and when one plans to buy any educational software is so important. It is important because by doing so, one can judge the software from 360 angle. They can then ask vital questions such as can the tool provide me facilities to manage various entities such like students, teachers, staff, management, parents, library, finance and other areas. Once the answer to such question are received, there is no speck of doubt remaining related to finding worth to one’s investment.
2. Customization & Integration of the Product
Another question that one should definitely ask the vendor of the software is – is the software customizable and scalable to serve large number of users simultaneously? Can it be hosted on cloud and on site? Both the questions are important because flexible software support any institution irrespective of their size or complexity. Also, look for a software which can be seamlessly integrated with the existing systems for cost efficiency and hassle-free integration.
3. Ensuring Proven Security Features
Data Security is of utmost importance especially when there is a lot of security breaches going on across the world. So before purchasing the software, it is important to check if the software provides transparent information regarding its security? Other factors that must be checked when speaking security are data redundancy, IP access controls, robust role-based permissions, single sign-on and strong multi-factor authentication.
4. Overall Software Feature and Pricing
Considering one’s unique requirements, it is important to pick up a software which addresses those needs if not all but most of them. It is also important to check if the product’s feature and function is offering greater business value along with the purchase and licensing cost. And most importantly, before giving it a final call, it is important to compare the software with other options of software. This provides a better analysis of software and allows an individual to take a wise decision.
Now, after knowing the above factors, it is important for one to ask what they want from the software and list down their requirements. Now moving on to four equally important factors to consider when one has decided to purchase the best software for the classroom. Take a look at those factors!
- First among this list is checking out if the software has fun element in it. Today much importance is given to games as it gives a lot of pleasure and do not bring boredom into what one is learning. So, the software one has selected must be fun, engaging and beautifully designed.
- Second but equally important is to check if the software provides presentation capabilities. This feature is important because such helps in effective communication in the classroom allowing one to learn. Students of present time must develop both good communication and presentation skills and so the software that one selects must support students during the creation and presentation of their projects.
The software must include a variety of content, text, images, video and audio so that students can easily create visually appealing presentations to put across what they wish to communicate in the most creative way.
- Third and most importantly, check if the software provides curriculum adaptability. For teachers, a handy technological aid is one that gives an option to edit lessons for examples or help in generating user-friendly content.
- Last but not the least, check if the classroom based software is not missing out concept mapping capabilities. The concept mapping is important because it helps students to organize and structure information for clearly communicating knowledge on any subject.
Thus, next time when one is all set to purchase an educational software, we hope following the above discussed factors will help them take a conscious decision to find the most reliable software for the institute and their students.
In case, you feel we have missed out any other important factor/ factors please feel free to discuss it with us through your comments.
