Google or Apple educational products or ...?

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TeacherGal
Posts: 128
Joined: Sat May 14, 2016 8:51 am

Google or Apple educational products or ...?

Post by TeacherGal »

At our school we are getting some training for Google and Apple educational products. Any idea how the wind is blowing on these and which to invest time in becoming knowledgeable on? Is one system starting to become a clear winner and have any top schools made any clear decisions on which groups of products they want their teachers to use?
fine dude
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Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 7:12 pm
Location: SE Asia

Re: Google or Apple educational products or ...?

Post by fine dude »

Good schools make optimum use of all the available technology to augment learning.
Apple products that are traditionally used in top schools are iPads, apps, iBooks etc.

Google software is more of a collaborative tool - Drive, Classroom, Maps etc. Some schools are switching to Chromebooks as well.

My favourite is an iPad loaded with Google apps. Ultimately, it depends on how creative or innovative the teacher is in the classroom with the available technology.
PsyGuy
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

Google

Apple wins in hardware (though Chromebooks are gaining popularity) the hardware doesnt take any real training to know how to use a track-pad/mouse and keyboard. You can figure out how to use a Mac in an hour or less. Apple also has a very popular tablet platform, there isnt a Google equivalent. Chromebooks and Chromeboxes are gaining popularity in ISs, as they require far less maintenance and technical attention. The counter argument is that they have limitations when it comes to applications.

Software is where the real difference is and while Apples creativity suite is available across multiple devices (phones, tablets, laptops, etc.) Google software has a very attractive price entry point (free) and provides a lot of tools from office suite software to storage to Google classroom that is a classroom management system. It takes some creativity but you can do a LOT with Google apps.

The most popular combination is either Apple laptops and/or iPads and Google apps/classroom. When parents/students are subsidizing/paying for the hardware laptops tend to be more common. When the IS is paying for the hardware for use or placement within the IS Chromebooks tend to be more popular.

Microsoft has a educator training program as well as Apple and Google, of the three Google Educator has the highest utility.
shadowjack
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Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am

Re: Google or Apple educational products or ...?

Post by shadowjack »

Best schools are usually Mac platform with GAFE suite for software, along with standards like Word.

If I were going to do a certification, Apple and GAFE come first. GAFE is 10 bucks for a level 1 cert. Apple cert for educator is more.
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