tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7217387041195834134.post4652196805819591518..comments2014-07-12T16:17:00.443-07:00Comments on appsbypaulhamilton: The unethical rise of In-App purchases in educationAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02173295136969848773noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7217387041195834134.post-85611871097436166482014-07-12T16:17:00.443-07:002014-07-12T16:17:00.443-07:00Thanks John for the e-mail.
It is an issue for dif...Thanks John for the e-mail.<br />It is an issue for different schools bulk purchasing Apps using Apple Configurator.. It is an issue for students in a 1:1 program that have parents apple ID's and the students as young as 6-8 being bombarded with In-App purchases at school and home. I believe it is an issue for Apps like Hopscotch that have targeted the age group with the "teaching kids to code" angle and creativity, but dangling new characters in front of them at extra cost. For me, in our current school structure, In-App purchases are a nightmare. The Garage Band In-App purchases was the start. As I mentioned in my post, offering edu version is great but needs to be introduced at the beginning of the App development, not as an after thought. As a parent I really struggle with EDU apps that entice and encourage young students to buy, buy, buy. Maybe old fashioned, but I don't think this is right. An advertising screen that pops up in the middle of my 7 year old daughters session on an App is wrong, on one App we found it difficult to keep using the App at all. On my desktop I would call this spam! I think we are headed down a very slippery slope John. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02173295136969848773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7217387041195834134.post-64008911803384794592014-07-12T15:48:06.541-07:002014-07-12T15:48:06.541-07:00I do not really see this as a huge problem in the ...I do not really see this as a huge problem in the Education Sector. Any time I have encountered an App with in-app purchases I loved and wanted to use in the classroom, I simply reached out to the developer and let them know. To be honest, you would be surprised how many have no idea that we cannot purchase in-app purchases in the Education field. I worked with Andy at Toontastic when they first released their App and it had an in-App purchase. The easiest fix is for them to make a full price App that has all the bells and whistles included in the full price. Hopefully they participate in the Education store and give you half off after 20 copies too. Some developers I've talked with have told me that Cupertino is telling them that schools can easily make in-app purchases. This conflict of information makes developers not realize we cannot buy their App even though we want it. Every developer I have reached out to has been more than willing to adjust their product to work in the education field. For those that don't, there is usually a different App that does the same thing so we move to that. The glaring exception is Garageband. I forgot they had the in-app purchases. Perhaps it is feedback we can push even more this week at the ADE Global Institute! :) John Shoemakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05645661326870046917noreply@blogger.com