First, old one-time-a-year purchasing systems seem too slow for today's learning evolution, continually evolving tools and resources, and our desire to respond to students' needs on the spot.
Also, who chooses the tools? In this age of new standards, awesome resources, and multiple specialists--whose in charge of these decisions?
As an educator, I find that I purchase more of my own resources now than ever before because the old-time systems for purchasing are cumbersome, distant, and difficult to reach given the time and support we have for purchasing forms, processes, and efforts.
I'm not a purchasing expert, and my experience with content curation is limited to the upper elementary grades. Therefore, my suggestions are from a narrow view point. However, I do think that thinking about change in this area could save money and help us to put the best tools in the hands of all learners.
Purchasing/Curation Ideas
- A tech device for every child that is monitored by the child's family. This would enable us to provide students with access to multiple, responsive tools in timely ways--ways that students could access 24-7 for learning.
- A purchasing agent in each school system that gets the best prices, notifies staff of good deals and new products, and manages the budget throughout the year.
- Curation led by protocols rather than cumbersome systems that distance good tools from educators and students.
- Streamlined, transparent, and easy to navigate systems of purchasing so educators don't have to buy their own supplies for learning and teaching.
I certainly don't have all the answers to this question, but today when I spent yet another $100. for supplies students are eagerly using to learn, I thought about this topic.
How have the purchasing and curation systems in your school system changed to support responsive, timely teaching and learning? What ideas do you have for future change? How do you streamline these processes so that students are served well?
Additional Note
In the past few months, I've heard two employees of education-related non profits say that the red tape in schools have led to their decision not to work with public schools. I think decisions like those relate to the thoughts I have in the post above.
Additional Note
In the past few months, I've heard two employees of education-related non profits say that the red tape in schools have led to their decision not to work with public schools. I think decisions like those relate to the thoughts I have in the post above.
