The Must-Have App Review Rubric

Topics: app, app reviews, education apps, guide, iPad

So you just downloaded a few educational apps that you think might be useful in your classroom. How do you accurately compare and contrast them? Thanks to a new app review rubric from by eMobilize, it’s easier than ever to understand just how useful an app may be in the classroom.

On a related note, the Edudemic Directory features many educational apps and lets you quickly compare them to see how they stack up. Give it a try today!

I’ve rewritten the original rubric from eMobilize and tailored it to fit all school districts. It’s now available in a printable format that you can use again and again. Just use the link below to download.

Download The Rubric Here (PDF)

Overview of the App

App Title:
App Publisher/Developer:
Version:
Link to App Store:

Curriculum Compliance

Yes/ No – Is it relevant to the curriculum framework?
Please add any additional comments regarding implementation.

Operational

Yes/ No – Is navigation easy? For example, index, contents, menus, clear icons
Yes/ No – Is on-screen help and/or tutorial available?
Yes/ No – Does it have multiple ability levels?
Yes/ No – How does it respond to errors? For example, incorrect spelling.
Yes/ No – Are there audio/video options with controls?
Yes/ No – Can selected material be tagged, copied, pasted, saved, and printed?
Yes/ No – Does it keep a history of the user’s work over a period of time?
Yes/ No – Features that address special needs? E.g. physical, aural, visual, ESL.
Yes/ No – What support materials are included? For example, online resources, booklet, lesson plans, student worksheets?

Pedagogy

Yes/ No – Does the material accommodate diverse ways in which students learn?
Yes/ No – Is it developmentally and age appropriate?
Yes/ No – Does it provide an opportunity to increase students’ understanding?
Yes/ No – Does it provide an opportunity for higher order thinking?
Yes/ No – Does it provide an opportunity for engagement and interaction?
Yes/ No – Does it provide opportunity for collaborative practice & idea sharing?
Yes/ No – Does it promote creativity and imagination?
Yes/ No – Does it provide an opportunity for problem solving?
Yes/ No – Does it provide feedback and assessment?

10 thoughts on “The Must-Have App Review Rubric”

I think this just needs a bit more work.

Remove the section on Curriculum Compliance. Why? Well a ‘no’ here would strongly suggest rejecting the App because it didn’t fit with the current curriculum. But what if the app offered something new, not yet included in the curriculum? Surely we should not be rejecting new ideas or approaches if they are relevant to the student(s) needs?

You might want to reconsider Operational number 3. What if the app has been designed specifically for a particular level or ability(disability)?

Operational, number 4, needs to be re-written simply because you cannot answer a ‘how’ question with a yes/no response.

How about a question about is it engaging or popular, both of which could make the app easier to deploy with students. Though, of course, both of these could change with time or increased use.