Are you using a new tech tool for the first time? This is a list of questions that you can use to consider the tool’s affordances and limitations.
SET-UP:
- What’s involved in set-up and on-boarding students? For example: the social annotation too, hypothes.is, takes some time to set-up and get familiar with, which is fine if it will be used throughout the semester but may not make sense for one-time use.
- Is there a cost involved for the student or for the institution?
- If the tool is a “freemium” tool (i.e. there is a free version, but you have to pay for additional features), would you need the features that you would have to purchase?
- Is there tech support that faculty or students can access if they run into issues?
ACCESS:
- Can this platform/tool be accessed both on a smartphone and desktop?
- Will students need to access this platform/tool in class using WiFi?
- What are some potential workarounds if WiFi access is unreliable?
- Are there limitations to the number of participants? How large is your class? Are there potential workarounds?
- What accessibility provisions does this platform/tool offer?
PRIVACY:
- What are the privacy settings offered for this platform/tool?
- Is it FERPA compliant? For example: Is this tool used to post/share grades with students? Does it share personally identifiable information including things like the student’s name; the name of the student’s parent or other family member; the address of the student or student’s family; a personal identifier, such as the student’s social security number or student ID number; a list of personal characteristics that would make the student’s identity easily traceable; or other information that would make the student’s identity easily traceable? If so, is there an option to opt out or for the student to adopt a pseudonym?)
- If this tool is available for free, does it collect students’ data? What kinds of data does it collect? How can you make this transparent to students? Will you give them the option to opt out?