Google Apps, Education Edition
PRO
- FREE
- All available tools are integrated
- Access to specific tools managed by school administrator (ie, deny access to email, chat)
- Administrators can assign user names and passwords and grant/limit access.
- Can limit access to own domain
- Access tools from school or home
- Consistent platform for productivity tools
- Encourages collaboration among faculty & students - especially if using same domain for email (easy to remember).
- Schools have used with students under 13 if they create AUP consent form,
sent home to parents, and returned to indicate they accept (or not)
their child (under 13) using Google Apps.
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Google Docs Does Not Violate CIPA (or COPPA*)
CON
- Limited to Email, Docs/Spreadsheets, Sites, Calendar, Talk, Video and Start Page
- Must have dedicated Domain for application
- New features are not integrated right away (ie, themes)
- Must have reliable Internet access
- Concerns about privacy and information being stored on Google's servers.
- Must lock Start page to prevent student access to inappropriate widgets
- Sample Start page
| Google Tools and ProductsPRO - FREE
- All tools are integrated
- Access to ALL Google tools (ie, Reader, Maps, Blogger, etc)
- Can use ANY email - not limited to Gmail
- New features and products are released often (Google Labs)
- Access tools from school or home
- Consistent platform for productivity tools
CON - Requires a Google account
- Must be 13
- Students can forget passwords or change email anytime - school has no control.
- Access to inappropriate widgets on iGoogle and Sites
- Must have reliable Internet access (unless you use Google Gears - A Firefox and Internet Explorer extension that allows to navigate on
compatible websites offline and synchronize when going back online).
- Concerns about privacy and information being stored on Google's servers.
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