Google Play For Education Brings Android To The Classroom

It wouldn't be Google I/O if the company didn't talk about all the fun stuff that they're doing for education. Luckily, they announced Google Play for Education, which is a new section in Google Play that includes apps and games that are meant specifically for the classroom in order to help students learn in a more interactive way.

Google says that Google Play for Education includes apps that have been recommended by teachers themselves, so other teachers will know right off the bat that every app in the Education section has some sort of value in the classroom, and having teachers approve and recommend the apps also cuts down on inappropriate apps from making their way in.

Educators and students can browse apps based on different categories that have been set in place, including searching for apps by type, age, etc. The new platform also integrates Google+ groups, so when a teacher downloads an app for his/her students to try, they can push the app to all of the students in the classroom at once.

Individual schools or even school systems can also create a central Google billing account, so when teachers go to buy apps, they'll be automatically charged to that central account, which cuts down the need to have teachers buy the apps themselves and be reimbursed for them, which can be confusing, and it saves a lot of hassle in the long run.

It's not just limited to apps and games, though. Teachers can also purchases books and movies that are of educational use. Currently, six schools in New Jersey are trying out Google Play for Education, and it seems to be working out quite well, as over 500 apps were downloaded and used in a single day. Google plans to release the new platform in the fall in time for the start of the school year.