| page.title=Guidelines for Apps |
| page.metaDescription=Get your apps ready for Google Play for Education. |
| excludeFromSuggestions=true |
| @jd:body |
| |
| <div style="position:absolute;margin-left: 636px; |
| margin-top:-76px;color:#777;">If you're interested<br> |
| <a href="{@docRoot}distribute/googleplay/edu/contact.html" |
| class="go-link" |
| style="display: block;text-align: right;">SIGN UP</a></div> |
| |
| <div style="background-color:#fffdeb;width:100%;margin-bottom:1em;padding:.5em;">You |
| can now include your educational apps in the recently launched Google Play for Education program, |
| getting it into the hands of participating schools and key influencers in the education technology |
| community. See <a href="start.html">Get Started</a> to |
| learn how to participate. </div> |
| |
| <p>The sections below list the guidelines and requirements for apps |
| participating in Google Play for Education. |
| |
| <p>Before you include your app in Google Play for Education, set up a <a |
| href="#test-environment">test environment</a> and make sure your app meets all |
| of the safety, usability, and quality guidelines given here. You can use the |
| linked resources to help |
| you develop a great app for students that offers compelling content and an |
| intuitive user experience on Android tablets.</p> |
| |
| <p>In addition, ensure that your app complies with the terms of a <a |
| href="https://play.google.com/about/developer-distribution-agreement-addendum.html" |
| target="_policies">Google Play for Education Addendum</a>, as well as |
| the standard <a |
| href="http://play.google.com/about/developer-content-policy.html" |
| target="_policies">Google Play Developer Program Policies</a> and <a |
| href="http://play.google.com/about/developer-distribution-agreement.html" |
| target="_policies">Developer Distribution Agreement</a>.</p> |
| |
| |
| <h2 id="requirements">Safety First</h2> |
| |
| <p>To participate, your apps must be designed to be appropriate for |
| the K-12 market. The basic requirements that your apps must meet are:</p> |
| |
| <ol> |
| <li>Apps and the ads they contain must not collect personally identifiable |
| information other than user credentials or data required to operate and improve |
| the app.</li> |
| <li>Apps must not use student data for purposes unrelated to its educational |
| function.</li> |
| <li>Apps must have a content rating of "Everyone" or "Low Maturity" (apps with |
| a "Medium Maturity" rating are allowed, if they have that rating solely because |
| they allow communication between students).</li> |
| <li>App content, including ads displayed by the app, must be consistent with |
| the app's maturity rating. The app must not display any “offensive” content, as |
| described in the <a |
| href="http://play.google.com/about/developer-content-policy.html">Google Play |
| Developer Program Policies</a> and <a |
| href="https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/188189"> |
| content-rating guidelines</a>.</p></li> |
| <li>Apps must comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act |
| and all other applicable laws and regulations.</li> |
| </ol> |
| |
| |
| <h2 id="inapp">Monetizing and Ads</h2> |
| |
| <p>Google Play for Education provides a simple and secure environment for students |
| and teachers. To support that environment, priced or free apps that do not use in-app |
| purchases are preferred, as are apps that do not display ads. Apps that use in-app |
| payments or ads are acceptable, but you must declare those behaviors when opting-in |
| to Google Play for Education. Your app's use of in-app purchases or ads will be |
| disclosed to educators when they are browsing for content.</p> |
| |
| <p>Follow the guidelines below to help your app receive the |
| highest ratings and offer the best possible user-experience.</p> |
| |
| <p>If your app is priced or sells in-app products, you must:</p> |
| |
| <ul> |
| <li>Sell all content and services through Google Play for Education</li> |
| <li>Allow Google Play to offer teachers limited free trials before purchase |
| (through business terms only, no development work is needed)</li> |
| <li>Disable in-app purchases if possible, or ensure that: |
| |
| <ul> |
| <li>Users can access your app's core functionality for a classroom setting without |
| an in-app purchase.</li> |
| <li>In-app purchases are clearly identifiable in your UI.</li> |
| <li>You declare the use of in-app purchases at <a href="{@docRoot}distribute/googleplay/edu/start.html#opt-in">opt-in</a>.</li> |
| </ul> |
| </li> |
| </ul> |
| |
| <p class="note"><strong>Note</strong>: In-app |
| purchases are blocked on Google Play for Education tablets at this time.</p> |
| |
| <p>If your app displays ads, you should: |
| <ul> |
| <li>Disable the display of ads if possible, or ensure that: |
| <ul> |
| <li>Ads are not distracting for students or teachers</li> |
| <li>Ads do not occupy a significant portion of the screen</li> |
| <li>Ads content does not exceed the maturity rating of the app.</li> |
| <li>You declare the use of ads at <a href="{@docRoot}distribute/googleplay/edu/start.html#opt-in">opt-in</a>.</li> |
| </ul> |
| </li> |
| </ul> |
| |
| |
| <h2 id="approved">Educational Value</h2> |
| |
| <p>Apps submitted to Google Play for Education will be evaluated by a |
| third-party educator network, which will review them based on alignment with <a |
| href="http://www.corestandards.org/" class="external-link" |
| target="_android">Common Core Standards</a> and other factors. This will help |
| make your content more discoverable for teachers and administrators as they |
| browse by grade level, subject, core curriculum, and other parameters. </p> |
| |
| <p>Apps with highest educational value will have these characteristics:</p> |
| <ul> |
| <li>Designed for use in K-12 classrooms.</li> |
| <li>Aligned with a common core standard or support common-core learning.</li> |
| <li>Simple, easy to use, and intuitive for the grade levels the app is targeting. |
| App is relatively easy to navigate without teacher guidance. Not distracting |
| or overwhelming to students.</li> |
| <li>Enjoyable and interactive. App is engaging to students and lets them control |
| their experience.</li> |
| <li>Versatile. App has features make the it useful for more than one classroom |
| function or lesson throughout the school year.</li> |
| <li>Supports the "4Cs": |
| <ul> |
| <li><em>Creativity</em> — Allows students to create in order to express |
| understanding of the learning objectives, and try new approaches, innovation |
| and invention to get things done.</li> |
| <li><em>Critical thinking</em> — Allows students to look at problems in |
| a new way, linking learning across subjects and disciplines.</li> |
| <li><em>Collaboration</em> — Allows students and (if appropriate) educators |
| to work together to reach a goal.</li> |
| <li><em>Communication</em> — Allows students to comprehend, critique and |
| share thoughts, questions, ideas and solutions.</li> |
| </ul> |
| </li> |
| </ul> |
| |
| <p>As you design and develop your app, make sure it offers high educational value |
| by addressing as many of those characteristics as possible.</p> |
| |
| |
| <h2 id="quality">App Quality</h2> |
| |
| <p>Google Play for Education brings educational content to students and teachers |
| on Android tablets. Your apps should be designed to perform well and look great |
| on Android tablets, and they should offer the best user experience possible. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p>High quality apps are engaging, intuitive, and offer compelling content. |
| Google Play for Education will highlight high-quality apps for easy discovery in |
| the store. Here are some recommendations for making your app easy for students |
| and teachers to enjoy.</p> |
| |
| <ul> |
| <li>Meet Core app quality guidelines |
| <ul> |
| <li>Follow <a |
| href="{@docRoot}design/index.html">Android Design Guidelines</a>. Pay special |
| attention to the sections on <a href="{@docRoot}design/patterns/actionbar.html">Action |
| Bar</a>, <a href="{@docRoot}design/patterns/navigation.html">Navigation</a> and <a |
| href="{@docRoot}design/patterns/pure-android.html">Pure Android</a>.</li> |
| <li>Test your apps against the <a href="{@docRoot}distribute/googleplay/quality/core.html">Core |
| App Quality Guidelines</a>.</li> |
| </ul> |
| </li> |
| <li>Meet tablet app quality guidelines |
| <ul> |
| <li>Follow our best practices for tablet app development</li> |
| <li>Review the <a href="{@docRoot}distribute/googleplay/quality/tablet.html">Tablet App |
| Quality Checklist</a> and <a |
| href="http://android-developers.blogspot.com/2012/11/designing-for-tablets-were-here-to-help.html" |
| target="_android">blog post on designing for tablets</a></li> |
| <li>Check your Optimization Tips in the Google Play Developer Console (if you've |
| already uploaded your app)</li> |
| </ul> |
| <li>Strive for simplicity and highest usability for students |
| <ul> |
| <li>Design your app so that teachers and students can use all capabilities of |
| your app without having to sign-in to multiple accounts and remember |
| multiple passwords.</li> |
| <li>Every student or teacher using a Google Play for Education tablet will already be |
| signed in with a Google account on the device. You can take advantage of that to provide a |
| simple, seamless sign-in experience in your app. A recommended approach is to use |
| <a href="{@docRoot}google/play-services/auth.html">Google OAuth 2 authorization</a> |
| through Google Play Services.</li> |
| </ul> |
| </li> |
| </ul> |
| |
| |
| <h2 id="test-environment">Test Environment</h2> |
| |
| <p>To test your app and assess it against the guidelines in this document, it's |
| recommended that you set up a test environment that replicates the actual |
| environment in which students and teachers will run your app.</p> |
| |
| <p>In general, you should use the test environment described in <a |
| href="{@docRoot}distribute/googleplay/quality/tablet.html#test-environment"> |
| Setting Up a Test Environment for Tablets</a>, including a small number of |
| actual hardware devices that replicate the tablet form factors used in the |
| Google Play for Education.</p> |
| |
| <h3 id="devices">Android tablets</h3> |
| |
| <p>Google Play for Education uses primarily Nexus 7 devices, so |
| your testing can focus on that specific hardware device. You can purchase the |
| device from <a href="https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_7_16gb" |
| target="_android">Google Play</a> and other stores. Although testing on Nexus |
| devices is preferred, you can test on other 7-inch (or 10-inch) tablets or virtual |
| devices if you don't have access to Nexus devices.</p> |
| |
| <h3 id="conditions">Test conditions</h3> |
| |
| <p>Once you've set up a suitable hardware environment, make sure to test your |
| apps under conditions that simulate those of schools. For example, Google Play |
| for Education lets administrators control or disable certain capabilities for |
| students, so it's good to test your app with those capabilities disabled. Below |
| are some conditions to test your app in, to ensure best results in the Google |
| Play for Education environment:</p> |
| |
| <ul> |
| <li><em>Android version</em> — Test the app on devices running Android |
| 4.2. Google Play for Education devices will be running Android 4.2 or higher |
| (API level 17+).</li> |
| <li><em>Proxy server</em> — Test the app in network environment that uses |
| proxies. Many schools use proxies.</li> |
| <li><em>No location services</em> — Test the app to make sure it works |
| properly with location services disabled. Many schools will disable location |
| services for student devices.</li> |
| <li><em>No In-app Billing</em> — Test the app to make sure it works |
| properly without access to In-app Billing. In-app purchases are blocked on |
| Google Play for Education devices at this time.</li> |
| <li><em>No Bluetooth</em> — Test the app to make sure it works properly |
| when Bluetooth is disabled. Many schools will disable Bluetooth on student |
| devices.</li> |
| <li><em>No access to network</em> — Test the app to make sure it works |
| properly when the device cannot connect to the internet. </li> |
| </ul> |