Is Google G Suite Or Microsoft Office 365 Right For Schools?

Every modern classroom relies on technology. Choosing and installing the right educational applications is essential to ensure that teachers and students have all the resources they need to be successful.

Educational applications are available from multiple sources, with Google and Microsoft offering some of the most popular and well-known options. While both Google and Microsoft provide technologies that can improve learning effectively, many stakeholders wonder which of these packages is actually best.

Breaking Down the Options

Both G Suite from Google and Office 365 from Microsoft offer tools that are designed to make classrooms more productive. Although they operate similarly, there are also differences.

Office 365

Office 365 includes several applications that are particularly useful in education, such as Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Advanced autocorrect, image editing and bibliography features are also available. Some applications also allow users the ability to collaborate through calling, chat and written feedback. Certain features available from Office 365 require a subscription.

G Suite for Education

Like Office 365, G Suite includes several applications, such as Gmail, Docs, Sheets and Google Calendar. G Suite operates entirely out of the cloud and has developed a reputation for being intuitive, reliable and easy to use.

Both G Suite and Office 365 can be used to improve education and learning. For example, with either option, instructors will have the ability to create quizzes, surveys and questionnaires. With Office 365, instructors can also use technology to grade assignments and provide feedback.

G Suite Offers Google Classroom, while Office 365 offers Microsoft Teams. Although these two applications are similar, Microsoft Teams offers several advanced features not available from Google Classroom.

Making a Choice

Both Office 365 and G Suite offer features that can be useful in education. However, there are several advantages that set Office 365 apart as the better choice. Some of these advantages include:

• More storage – Office 365 offers up to 1 TB of storage in OneDrive folders and up to 50 GB of storage in Outlook inboxes.
• Better organization – Office 365 allows students to set up calendars and create private channels to share files.
• Communication – Office 365’s Microsoft Teams allows for instant messaging, audio calls and video calls, which facilitates collaboration.
• Customizable subscriptions – With Office 365, schools can subscribe to the specific features they need to meet the needs of their classroom or district.
• Better security – With Office 365, schools have access to Advanced Threat Protection Security, which is designed to combat cyber attacks and identify malware quickly.

To provide students with the best educational experience, schools need to invest in the right technology. Installing and managing educational technology is much easier with the help of the right IT company. At Network Outsource, we have been managing IT since 1996. Contact us today to learn more.