Google announced updates to its education tools during its first-ever virtual Learning with Google event.
Among the highlights of the global live stream is the next era of G Suite for Education — now called Google Workspace for Education — which comes in four distinct editions: Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals as a free tier and then Google Workspace for Education Standard, Teaching and Learning Upgrade, and Google Workspace for Education Plus.
With millions of Filipino students nationwide placed on distance learning, the reliance on online education tools is no longer just about availability, but also how closely they suit the different needs of each kind of learner.
Google Workspace for Education houses Google products like Classroom, Meet, Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Chat, and many more in one place. In this new phase, learning tools that aid in teaching, learning, connecting, and sharing will be more accessible from anywhere, using any device.
- Users of Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals (formerly the free edition of G Suite for Education) will not see any changes apart from the new name and features such as offline mode, improved mobile grading, roster sync, better pictures of homework, Classroom add-ons, and student engagement tracking in Google Classroom.
- Meanwhile, Google Meet will now give teachers more control during sessions with the new “end meeting for all” and “mute all” features, as well as allowing multiple moderators in calls to make it easier for teachers to partner with others in facilitating classes. A new screen recording tool is also coming this March, enabling teachers and students to record lessons and reports in real-time.
- The paid editions of Google Workspace for Education expand on security and learning tools. For example, the Security Center in Google Workspace for Education Standard offers greater visibility tools such as advanced audit logs and advanced mobile management which make online learning more secure.
- The Teaching and Learning Upgrade, on the other hand, enhances instructional impact through advanced communication capabilities in Google Meet, as well as features that enrich class experiences and tools that guide critical thinking and academic integrity with originality reports.
- For institutions looking for the ultimate comprehensive solution, Google Workspace for Education Plus (formerly G Suite Enterprise for Education) provides tools with advanced security, better analytics, and enhanced teaching and learning capabilities.
- Existing users of Education Fundamentals and Education Plus will start to see the new edition names and the upgrades in their admin consoles automatically. The new editions of Education Standard and Teaching and Learning Upgrade will be available starting April 14, 2021.
Google Workspace for Education continually expands its offerings and product capabilities to augment online learning experiences. In the last year alone, dozens of free features such as hand-raising in Google Meet, rubrics in Classroom, and grammar suggestions in Google Docs were made available, along with new premium offerings to expand advanced security controls and enhance collaboration tools.
Visit the website for complete information on the new Google Workspace for Education editions.
Google held a digital safety tips webinar to help Filipinos stay safer online. Google also published free magazines on media literacy to help Filipino youth avoid misinformation.
Are you a Proud Filipino? Get more good news stories on Filipino Pride! Subscribe to GoodNewsPilipinas.com and our YouTube channel: Good News Pilipinas! TV
