There's an App for That! (App Store Volume Purchasing Program)

EME5050 - ABC, Week 11

I can remember when Apple first came on the scene in education and they actually were putting their computers into the classrooms (for FREE)!  The first computer I came into contact with was an Apple II-e and I thought I had died and gone to “technology heaven.”  Believe it or not, but that little machine (along with my little dot matrix printer and the emergence of the Internet) inspired me to move from being a lowly little elementary school teacher into becoming a “digital diva.”  I am now an MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) and as we speak, I’m in pursuit of my Master’s in eLearning from UCF.  Putting their technology in the classroom (for FREE) was a genius marketing strategy back then, so when the iPods and iPads burst onto the scene, it appeared that Apple had again “given education a gift.”  This post will point out how the old saying “if it seems too good to be true, it probably is,” has come to apply to purchasing apps from Apple.

The reason we thought we were being “given” something when the whole iPods, iPads, and apps deal came along was because Apple said we only had to purchase an app one time, and then if we had the devices (meaning iPods and/or iPads) to put it on, we could sync it on up to 999 of them.  When we first heard this “deal of the century” in my school district, we immediately thought we were misunderstanding because it was just “too good to be true.”  We then became both curious and cautious, and because we had to know more, we consulted the “Apple rep” for our district for clarification.  Sure enough, he confirmed that it was indeed true.  Our rep told us that as long as we legally purchased an app from the iTunes Store, we as an educational institution could then sync it on up to 999 devices if we possessed them.  This was a phenomenal deal, and when you paired it with the iPod and iPad, it felt like a “marriage made in technology heaven!”  Unfortunately for us, the honeymoon was short-lived and now there has been a “wrinkle thrown into the mix.”

This wrinkle is called the “App Store Volume Purchase Program.”  Don’t get me wrong that I now think the whole iPad, iPod and apps scenario isn’t a “priceless” educational technology for 21^st century students in a 21^st century world.  It’s just the deal now isn't as “sweet” as it first was  because we no longer have the flexibility of purchasing an app once and then being able to legally sync it on up to 999 devices.  Those days have come and gone.  I’m not sure why, and I wouldn’t be so bold as to try and explain why Apple made this change.  All I will do is say that we are fortunate to be able to use iPods, iPads, and their corresponding apps to help educate our students to be well-rounded citizens in this technology-drenched century in which we live.  It is our job as educators and technology leaders to make sure we use our budgets as wisely and efficiently as possible.  I still believe Apple is providing us with an unprecedented educational opportunity and our students are going to be “the better for it.”

You’re probably curious yourself about this new program for purchasing apps in volume.  The following is a link to the web site that explains everything very clearly – Apple Store Volume Purchase Program.  As you will see, this new purchasing program is still a “sweet deal,” and it makes the old saying “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade” come to mind.  I’ve always like applesauce myself, so I like to think of it as, “When life gives you “Apple,” make applesauce.”