E-Learning Platforms: Google Meet, Microsoft Teams or Zoom?

From Microsoft Teams to Zoom , web conferencing platforms used to facilitate remote work and learning are evolving, with the arrival on the market of the Google Meet app, an evolution of the already popular Hangouts . The sudden rush to more powerful tools, capable of easily managing corporate remote working and e-learning during the lockdown, has recently shifted media attention to a sector where tech giants Microsoft, Amazon, and Google are battling it out. At the heart of the issue is the battle for commercial dominance in a new sector, that of digital web conferencing platforms, now made strategic by the "forced closure" of companies and schools. Since February, the extraordinary demand for connectivity from users, not only in the business world but especially in the educational sector, has forced the use of web conferencing platforms by all stakeholders, from institutions to private users.

MIUR's suggested platforms for home learning

At the end of February, on its official website, the MIUR (Ministry of Education, University and Research) presented a section dedicated to distance learning during lockdown, as "a work in progress to support schools during the emergency closure period." It also suggested adopting a series of remote learning tools: Google Suite for Education, Microsoft Office 365 Education A1, Amazon Chime, and Weschool. Google Within Google Suite for Education , alongside well-known tools such as Gmail , Drive , Calendar , Docs , Sheets , Presentations , and Forms , there is also space for Hangouts Meet and Classroom , the applications that directly enable distance learning. While Classroom is primarily dedicated to virtual classes, distributing assignments and tests, and managing comments on a single platform, Hangouts Meet aims to enhance the videoconferencing features typical of the business sector, to ensure secure video meetings (data is encrypted) under the protection of Google's infrastructure. Among the exciting new features offered by Google Meet are HD video and audio meetings, real-time subtitles with voice-to-text conversion, easy access where anyone can join with a simple click on the link from desktop or smartphone, international numbers to dial into any meeting, and integration with Calendar to schedule events and meetings. Microsoft Teams In Office 365 Education A1, Microsoft launches Teams , the hub capable of enabling video conferencing, video calls, digital whiteboards, class collaboration, and file storage. Meetings, apps, files, and team conversations: everything is brought together in a single shared workspace, which can be accessed using your favorite mobile device. Zoom Finally, we mention Zoom , a pioneering American platform widely used and appreciated by professionals (over 500,000 organizations use it), which is experiencing a huge boom on the one hand, but is also facing serious privacy and security concerns on the other. Recently caught in the eye of the storm for alleged user data leaks to servers in China (for which they are promptly taking action), Zoom brings video conferencing, online meetings, and group messaging into a single, easy-to-use application. Amazon: For the record, we mention Chime , a new communications service offered by Amazon, which organizes meetings through a secure, easy-to-use, and trustworthy application capable of managing virtual meetings, chats, video calls, and virtual classrooms.

Meet, Teams, and Zoom: A Comparative Analysis

Thanks to a comparison table provided by Acer , it's possible to quickly compare the basic features of the three education services offered by Google, Microsoft, and Zoom. Ultimately, bigG's massive entry into the web conferencing space (combined with the already innate potential offered by cloud computing) means that many schools are now relying on Meet for online distance learning lessons and the Classroom solution for homework assignments. To support distance learning through virtual classrooms, last week Google announced the arrival of a new interface capable of displaying up to 16 participants simultaneously during video calls . The premium features of the Meet service are free until September 30, 2020 , to provide concrete assistance to those working or studying from home during this challenging time. The offer is primarily intended for schools, businesses, and private users.