Installing, monitoring, and managing educational applications is a crucial part of providing the best technology in the classroom. There are several reasons why both Google and Microsoft technologies are good educational choices for children of all ages. They not only improve technical skills, but can help students learn all subjects more effectively. Which one, however, is the best choice for education? The following information describes what Microsoft and Google offers, the benefits and drawbacks of each, and which is ultimately the best choice for instructors.
What Type of Technologies are Available for Education?
Both Office 365 and G Suite are tools to increase productivity in the classroom. They share similarities, such as providing collaboration for teachers and students in real time. There are a few differences in the productivity apps offered by both.
- G Suite for Education – G Suite is a cloud-only platform that features a variety of applications. A few of these include Calendar, Sheets, Docs, and Gmail. It also has a reputation for having an intuitive, clean interface.
- Office 365 – Office 365 features several apps including PowerPoint, Excel, Word, and Outlook. Microsoft, however, also offers image editing, bibliography features, and advanced autocorrect. Several documents are integrated with call and chat capabilities that provide students with feedback and collaboration capabilities. With Office 365 a slight subscription fee is required for extra features and more protection.
How Can These Technologies be Implemented and Used?
These types of technology can be used in a variety of ways to improve education and dramatically affect learning. The following are several specific ways that educators can implement Office 365 and G Suite into their curriculum.
- Office 365 and G Suite both have an app that allows instructors to create quizzes and distribute questionnaires and surveys. While both can provide forms of testing, Office 365 also offers feedback and grading capabilities.
- Office 365 offers Microsoft Teams that provides similar options as Google Classroom. However, Office 365 also offers several of the advanced features that can be found on Skype such as video conferencing that allows up to 250 individuals to participate in each session.
Why Choose Microsoft Office 365?
Both Microsoft and Google offer several great features for instructors to use in the classroom. Microsoft, however, is leading the way in education with Windows 10 being used in K-12 as well as higher education at a rate of 1 million new users each month. Office 365 is the best choice for most educators for several important reasons.
- Office 365 provides web versions of PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and Outlook free of charge. Besides the basics, they offer customizable subscriptions that can meet the needs of virtually any educational system and classroom.
- Office 365 provides storage of up to 50GB in the Outlook inboxes and up to 1TB in OneDrive folders. It also gives students the ability to organize private channels to share files and set up calendars for future group projects.
- Office 365 offers Microsoft Teams that enable students and instructors to engage in audio/video calls and instant messaging. Jennifer Gonzalez with Cult of Pedagogy states, “Having the ability to set up a quick video call with a teacher down the hall means you’re much more likely to collaborate, and that means better teaching.”
- Office 365 provides Advanced Threat Protection security. EmpowerIT states that Office 365 provides security that monitors files and emails to combat a variety of cyber attacks and malware. It also allows students and instructors to set restrictions for access through Active Directory.
How Can Network Outsource Work for Educational Organizations?
To provide the best education possible it’s necessary to include technology that is up-to-date, secure, compliant, and reliable. Network Outsource has been managing computer and IT systems since 1996. They feature technology solutions that include cloudsource connections, mobile management, expert support and security. Network Outsource offers exceptional IT services throughout New York City and Long Island. Contact Network Outsource for more information.