Schools that 'go Google Apps' often use 'free' as the selling point to persuade their administrators or constituents. It is true that organizations are saving thousands to millions of dollars moving their local infrastructure to the cloud (the same way companies did back in the early 1900's with power when the power companies came along). They do it for many reasons just like companies did for power ~ it is economical, reliable, scalable, efficient, etc...
Just remember, that with Google Apps for Education you are getting a sophisticated collaboration and sharing network, access to dozens (hundreds actually) of applications using 1 account, 1 login, 1 password. Instantly, barriers and challenges are removed for teachers, tech integrators, tech administrators and students. Everybody wins.
Chrome Apps allow you to 'add on' almost any tool you
need and most of the time the tool is FREE. Stop
buying and installing local software and take advantage of
the 'Software in the Cloud'
Google Apps for Education removes barriers to using technology in learning environments whether they are virtual or physical. There is a unique network of educators, organizations and students globally that learn and share together in the GAFE environment. Nothing has flattened the classroom more than Google Apps for Education. That is why it is so widely popular. It is not about a piece of software or an application. It is about people, transformation... a cultural shift.
So, don't sell it as free. That would be discounting the product. You will also find yourself at a disadvantage when you want your administration to approve an add on such as Vault for archiving, Synergyse for seamless training, Spanning for backup or Hapara Teacher Dashboard for workflow and feedback in the classroom ~ all great add ons for GAFE!
GAFE is a premiere solution for every educational organization not because it is FREE because it is brilliant.
Often folks think that HOA are used only G+ but really you can create, broadcast and edit all within your YouTube account! Just go to 'upload' and you'll find the link to create a HOA. Instructions are included on how to verify your YouTube account (must be done in order to broadcast HOA. I'll model a HOA in this video as well. It is really easy and with a little practice you can post many tutorials and tips for your students to access throughout your course. This is an excellent tool for blended learning, flipped classrooms and virtual teachers! Have fun creating your own Hangout on Air! :)
Students can learn/practice communication via email. In this quick video geared to students, they will create a signature and send an email to their teacher. If the teacher creates a filter for 'signature' to skip the inbox and go to the label then it is easy to read/assess and archive.
I'm not a huge fan of the Ford vs. Chevy debate. I feel that products have similar features/benefits that meet the needs of individuals (such as get from point A to point B). Consumers, however, develop an emotional attachment to their choice in product when compared to others. This is influenced by 'personal opinion,' 'advertising/marketing,' and 'environmental/cohort' factors. Thus comes the Google vs. Microsoft 365 debate. Being immersed in a Google Apps for Education Network and Community I rarely find myself debating the issue, but it does exists and there are, indeed, some who prefer the Microsoft environment. I am not one of those persons. When you search Microsoft in Education two links jump out at you... 'How to Buy' and 'Volume Licensing.' No such link exists on the Google in Education site. Google has a vast history of innovation, sharing and collaboration. This is what we are looking for our youth to develop in mind and spirit ~ to be innovative and collaborative. Google most definitely models that. Take a look at the Loon Project, for a perfect example of what the Google team is pursuing ~ Internet for Everyone.
Google competes by developing tools that people want. Microsoft competes by getting lobbyists to find ways to stop Google through government intervention (which to date has not been successful). Google and Microsoft are becoming increasingly 'comparable' products when in fact they used to be distinctly different. Why? Because Microsoft is now trying to become more like Google. We all know that the 'document' in Google Apps does not have as many complex features that Microsoft Word offers. That is a given. For the features that Google does not have in the documents they make up 100m fold with the 'SHARE' button and the shear number of applications that are linked to one account for the students and teachers. With one Google log in you have access to Documents, Slides, Sheets, Drawings, Forms, Blogger, Sites, Maps, Earth, Calendar, YouTube, Google+, Photos, Search, Apps, Chrome, Chrome Apps, Chrome Extensions, Cultural Institute, the Art Project, Google A Day, StoryBuilder, Scripts, Hangouts on Air...more. In Drive, you ALSO have immediate access to add to your productivity suite (for FREE) just by clicking on 'Add More Apps'. See image below.
I could go on all day and cite the reasons why Google Apps for Education is a better choice than Microsoft 365 because it is already the solution that I love and continue to thrive with.
When I step away from it and consider the bigger picture, I see this.
Google Apps for Education is a one stop shopping solution for schools but the true value lies in the sharing and collaboration that is endless.
Googlers in Education share tirelessly with each other, create how to blogs, videos, sites, training materials, post tweets, host summits, events.
If you don't have a Google+ account, go ahead and create one today. Then, join the Google in Education Communities (there are many but start here: gplus.to/gafe and tell +Lee Webster that +Allison Mollica sent you! :)
Additionally, the Google in Education Team is 'available' and 'responsive' to the community. Google Apps for Education Summits are offered worldwide and Google provides certification, training and support that helps schools build professional development networks as well.
If you are on the fence... I can tell you that the professional learning network in Google Apps for Education is massive and the common element is the desire to engage learners and continually improve the educational learning environment. It is more about the people than the product and that is what makes the product so great.
