11 Essential Components of a
Quality PreK-12 Digital
Resource

With so many
PreK-12 digital
resources, how
do teachers
identify the best
ones?

The PreK-12 Learning Group found 11
qualities for digital products that contribute
to successful classroom learning.
They are ….
We can help:

The technology behind the product should not
only be up-to-date and work on the latest
operating systems; it should also be tested from
all user perspectives.
Reliability:

Learning is the primary focus, and everything
about the digital product should be in service of
its educational goal. The program should have a
clear scope and sequence, and it must meet
quality assurance measures.
Fit for Purpose:

The resource cannot be the proprietary product
on an isolated digital island. Resources should
use common industry standards and formats so
they can be easily integrated into existing
systems.
Interoperability:

Products should provide easily understood data
on the student’s progression toward their learning
goals. The data should be exportable to common
file formats so teachers can view it in concert with
other student information.
Accountability:

Teachers and students should have the ability to
choose lessons as needed or work through an entire
progression. Content should be accessible in
meaningful units and allow for variation. In turn,
teachers should be able to customize the data they
need to monitor.
Flexibility:

Digital products should be developed so they are
usable by students of various learning abilities.
Products should be able to interact with students
using readers, closed captioning, etc.
Accessibility:

While the content is key, teachers should take
advantage of the benefits of technology to
engage students.
Interactivity:

No matter the scope of the product, there should
be separate guidance for teachers that explains
the technical aspects of how the product works
as well as the pedagogy and learning goals.
Teacher Assistance:

Users should easily learn how to perform basic
commands quickly (e.g., save, help, and exit).
Teachers should be able to easily guide students
who are on different parts of the program, and
use a dashboard.
Usability:

Users should easily learn how to perform basic
commands quickly (e.g., save, help, and exit).
Teachers should be able to easily guide students
who are on different parts of the program, and
use a dashboard.
Usability:

Make sure that the creators of the program have
expertise in the subject area of the product.
Putting together an app with basic math
problems does not mean that a developer has
the background to sequence them properly.
Expertise:

It’s critical that that students’ privacy is protected
while using digital products. Technology should
be evaluated to ensure that it meets a school’s
data privacy requirements.
Student Data
Privacy:

More information on Digital Learning Day
Info about the Center for Innovative & Digital Learning
Infographic on quality resources
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