As an IT Director with a background in education and 10+ years of classroom experience, I’ve seen firsthand how various tools can enhance the educational experience for teachers and students alike. From Microsoft office to Clever, Schoology, and Google Workspace, each has its benefits. One recent standout for me is Google Workspace for Education Plus. In this blog, I’ll review the basics of the free version (Fundamentals) to set the stage for the comparison and upgrade explanation as to why schools should get on the Google Bus with Workspace for Education Plus (if you haven’t already)!
The Basics of Google Workspace for Education
Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals, previously known as G Suite for Education, is the basic (free) version found in many school environments. It offers a suite of essential teaching and collaboration tools needed by administration and teachers, including Gmail, Calendar, Meet, Docs, Drive and more.
Fundamentals encompasses everything Google is capable of doing but is uniquely targeted to education. It provides a solid foundation with 100 TB of pooled cloud storage and basic security features. Schools could bump up their plan to Google Workspace for Education Standard to take advantage of advanced security and analytics. But the all-in-one solution that layers even more features and functionality is Google Workspace for Education Plus – and it’s a game changer.
Why Upgrade to Google Workspace for Education Plus?
Working closely with our school clients on all things technology, I’ve seen their needs evolve over the past several years. From hybrid learning to building expansions and collaborations, we are not only ensuring that their learning environment is technically sound but running smoothly in all the areas that matter most. We recognized that although it’s always nice to have a no-cost license option, there are usually pretty compelling reasons to get on board with a product that boasts upgraded features that unlock a whole new experience.
For me, those reasons are the Enhanced Security and Administrative Control, Expanded Drive Storage, and the Additional Features that are unlocked with Education Plus. Stay with me as I dig in on why these are a win-win for schools.
Enhanced Security and Administrative Control
Keeping data secure is always a top priority. With Google Workspace for Education Plus, schools (or their Managed IT Service Provider) have access to advanced security features like a unified security dashboard and improved audit and investigation tools. The security dashboard helps proactively detect potential threats by providing a centralized location to view security related information such as login attempts, password resets, spam, external file sharing, or compromised devices. In short, it ensures your data safety.
The improved audit and investigation tools help administrators take control. Whether to track down device and user issues or identify suspicious activity, searching and investigating user log events is a breeze. Your internal IT team (or your MSP) will thank you while these enhancements will give your Administrators confidence in your security.
Expanded Storage
Unlike other Workspace for Education editions, Google Drive storage in Plus provides an additional 20GB for each staff and student license. That is in addition to the already shared pool of 100 TB offered with Fundamentals. With the shared pool, schools can allocate storage as they see fit; but the additional space supports those classrooms with growing digital resource needs such as video use, etc. There is no limit to the number of licenses that can be added, so this allows schools to provide students with larger Drive accounts. The result? No more complaints about running out of storage space!
Additional Features Unlocked
With Plus upgrades, teachers can focus on innovative teaching practices while students benefit from the collaborative tools. How does that translate? Check out the enhanced capabilities of Google Meet including breakout rooms, recording, live captions, and 10x more the number of participants. With asynchronous and distance learning still present in many schools, these unique Meet offerings allow meeting hosts or teachers to divide participants into smaller groups during a video call. Live captions provide just that. Not dissimilar to your NetFlex subtitles, Google Meet live captions provide real time subtitles for users to follow.
Keep in mind, schools can drop the cost of extra meeting software subscriptions such as Zoom because Google Meet gives teachers the ability to record and share those videos with students who may have missed a lesson.
In addition, educators have access to coveted plagiarism checking functionality for submitted Google Classroom assignments. This benefit is exceptionally useful in today’s AI-driven world and includes the “Originality Reports” feature that compares documents against a database within your school’s domain. Without the upgraded license, Google Classroom is restricted only to interactive assignments and essay collection.
Conclusion
Upgrading to Google Workspace for Education Plus creates a more secure, flexible, and enriched learning environment. Its advanced security features, increased storage, and additional features along with robust support are essential for any school aiming to leverage technology to its fullest potential. Working with our educational clients, I am reminded time and time again as we review cybersecurity and remote learning how this upgrade enhances the educational experience for their students, making it a worthy consideration for any education team. It is not just an upgrade; it’s an investment in the future of your education offering, so get on the Google Bus with Workspace for Education Plus!
If your school’s in-house IT staff is spread thin and could use some help, or perhaps a managed IT services partner to handle it all, reach out to us today for a consultation!
Joe Lachendro
Education Team Manager, Spera Partners
Consultation For Schools: https://sperapartners.com/Complimentary-Consultation/
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