FREEMIUM'S COST: Free and freemium apps empower teachers with the ability to experiment with new tools, but at a cost. The latest in the New York Time's coverage on edtech examines how education products are spreading "haphazardly," given that many privacy and security loopholes still exist. One professor asserted that "companies are soliciting teachers to breach the obligations of schools," and it surely can be a headache for administrators trying to keep track of all the products that are being signed up for.
But we ought to celebrate--and not clamp down on--teachers' enthusiasm to take initiative and try new things in the classroom. Not every product may work as marketed, but at the very least the industry can step up by guaranteeing and enforcing consistent privacy and security protocols. Here's a start.
