It’s still early, but worth mentioning as it’s potentially pretty big news: engineering director Chris Yerga of Google recently announced Google Play for Education, an online destination where schools can find the right tablet content and tools for their students and teachers. With easy bulk ordering for groups, schools will be able to purchase and instantly distribute apps, videos, and books right to their students’ devices. They’re currently encouraging developers to create “first class content that will help schools” and to create such innovative educational apps “without having to knock on school doors to reach teachers and students.” Teachers and administrators can browse content by curriculum, grade, and standard — discovering the right content at the right time for their students. For example, if your app offers an exciting new way to learn sixth grade algebra, Google Play for Education will make it easy for math educators to find, purchase, and distribute your app to their classes. A wide launch may come by start of school in Fall 2013; educators can then make high-volume purchases using standard institutional payment mechanisms (purchase orders) and distribute them to the students they want — whether it is a class of 30 or a district of 30,000. Powerful browsing tools will allow educators to quickly discover apps, books, videos and other content. Many of these will be recommended by teachers and categorized according to Core Curriculum standards, and grade level. Educators, upon finding useful apps, can then push them out to student devices. Developer? Read more here. Educator? You’ll have to wait, but check it out anyway. Also, read more about it here.
Great tool