1. Going Mobile: Does Your District Need an App? Evelyn
McCormack, Southern Westchester BOCES Ellen Lane, Putnam/Northern
Westchester BOCES
2. Does This Look Familiar?
3. Where to Find This Powerpoint
www.slideshare.net/evelynmccormack
4. Why Mobile? More parental involvement & engagement The
world has changed Delivery method is arms length & convenient
Parents expect immediate and customized news and information Mobile
apps reach a greater and more diverse audience English and
non-English adoption proevalue.com
5. Because Theyre There Smartphone sales have risen 85 percent
year over year. More than 1 million devices activated per day. By
2015, nearly 1 trillion apps will be downloaded globally, compared
to 7 billion in 2009. Average American spends two hours/day on
mobile device. 57,293 hours over a lifetime. One of every four
online searches takes place on mobile device. --Gartner Inc., Berg
Insight, onlineschools.org
6. 75% use smartphones while in the bathroom. 83% of young
people sleep next to their mobile device. Young adults, non-whites,
and those with relatively low income and education levels are
particularly likely to be cell-mostly internet users. --Pew
Research Center, convinceandconvert.com, onlineschools.org
7. App 101: Whats Right for Your District? Native Apps Mobile
Website Hybrid Apps
8. The Demographics The rise of mobile is changing the story.
Groups that have traditionally been on the other side of the
digital divide in internet access are using wireless connections to
go online. Among smartphone owners, young adults, minorities, those
with no college experience, and those with lower household income
levels are more likely than other groups to say their phone is main
source of internet access. Both African Americans and
English-speaking Latinos are as likely as whites to own any sort of
mobile phone, and are more likely to use their phones for a wider
range of activities. -- Pew Research Internet Project
9. Native Apps Created for a specific platform Downloaded from
an app store like Google Play or Apples App Store Live on device
& can use its features Allow for personalized experience Work
offline Push notifications Better user experience
10. Responsive/Mobile Web Websites that look and feel like an
app Works across platforms Written in HTML5 May increase website
visibility in search engines Does not work offline No Push
Notifications
11. Hybrid Apps Installed from an app store Cheaper to create
than native app Can use many of the features of the device Rely on
HTML being rendered in your browser Combine elements of native apps
and mobile websites
12. Mobile Website Generic App Branded App
13. What to Look For in an App: Integration Easy access to
school addresses, staff/contact information, calendars, sports,
lunch menus. Delivers alerts (weather notifications, school
closings, athletic scores, significant events) in real-time using
push notifications. Integrates with 3rd-party technologies so
parents and students can access records, grades, calendars,
attendance info. Integrates w/district social media sites.
14. Social media News feed/visuals New families button
15. Student Information System customized for parent users
Staff directory with names and head shots
16. User Experience Well designed & easy to use so parents,
students & teachers can easily adopt. Easily downloaded from
iTunes and GooglePlay at no cost. Access to critical
information/resources on district website, so stakeholders can keep
up with whats happening when theyre working, traveling, away from
home. Provides ad-free zone. Delivers familiar experience with
updated feed, (similar to popular social media).
17. Customized stream of news items of interest to the
user
18. Features & Customization Brand the app with district
colors, themes, logo to match website. Vendor/provider frequently
updates app to introduce new features and functionality.
Do-it-yourself capabilities, including ability to add icons that
give users easy access to information, including calendars, lunch
menus, online payment systems. Allows you to reconfigure links as
often as you want.
19. Branding
20. Languages Can parents configure the app in their native
language? English is not the primary language spoken by 21% of
American parents. (US Census) The English Language Learner K-12
student population in the US has grown 10 times faster than non-ELL
population from 3.5 million in 2000 to 5.3 million in 2010.
21. Service and Support Vendor has 24/7 support, resources and
expertise to maintain app throughout its lifecycle. Vendor
configures and launches your mobile app, and sets up your
information in Apple and GooglePlay app stores. Look up app ratings
and pay particular attention to apps that get four star
ratings.
22. Rolling Out Your App Test app on multiple devices &
make adjustments where necessary before rolling out to
stakeholders. Choose popular school event that attracts large
audience to announce and/or display your app. Back-to-school night,
concert, etc. Create flyers or postcards for parents to take home
with all pertinent information on how to download app. Hang signs
in windows near school entrances. Create a QR barcode that users
can scan to be directed to your app on the app stores.
23. Create video to introduce the app Add a page to website to
explain features of the app and provide instructions on how/where
to download. Hold parent technology night to help parents develop a
comfort level with app. Tech-savvy parents can serve as trainers
outside school hours. Unveil app at a Board of Ed meeting &
televise. Include updates & links in newsletters, Twitter page,
Facebook, district blogs. Design FB banner like the one on next
slide. Check with vendors. Some provide you with promotional
materials and links. Make the app the first way to learn about
weather events or schedule changes
24. Fairbanks School District
25. Chippewa Falls USD received local press about their app =
1,600 downloads. Baldwin County Public Schools sent out text and
email notifications about their new app = 6,000 downloads in one
day. Papillion-La Vista Public Schools posted banners in all their
school buildings = 8,000+ downloads McKinney ISD notified their
sports booster and PTA organizations = 20,000 downloads.
26. Mobile App Vendors Parentlink www.parentlink.com School
Messenger www.schoolmessenger.com Willow Tree
www.willowtreeapps.com School Connect www.schoolconnectservices.com
School Info www.schoolinfoapp.com Allerton Hill
www.allerton-hill.com
