Those of us in Canada have been sitting on the sidelines as Google Play for Education was developed and deployed in the United States in November of 2013, and later in the UK earlier this year; fortunately we don’t have any longer to wait.
This news is exciting, particularly for those of us with young children. Described as a “’one-stop shop’ for engaging, educator-approved and instantly shareable content for classrooms, offering access to thousands of curated, teacher-approved apps as well as hundreds of free classic books,” Google Play for Education has access to an already comprehensive (and ever-growing) library of content.
In support of these goals, Google has prepared five classroom-ready Android tablets to choose from that can be used by Canadian schools to access the program. Each tablet can provide access to five student log-ins while allowing control and ownership over the content found in their individual accounts (not to mention that they are loaded with additional Google software like Docs, Chrome, Gmail, and Earth).
No matter whether schools choose Google or Apple in support of their educational initiatives, it is clear that the concept behind putting a screen into student hands is effective (and becoming essential).
Jillian Koskie is an experienced software developer, content writer, project manager and usability design expert. With over 17 years in these roles, Jillian has enjoyed applying her skill-set to assist clients and users across a wide variety of sectors including: legal, health, and financial services. Combining these professional opportunities with a love of technology, Jillian is pleased to contribute articles, opinions, and advice to numerous news outlets, websites, and publications.
