google-classroom-vs-powerschool-schoology-learning

Google Classroom and Schoology are academic learning management systems designed primarily for K-12 education. They are both used in schools of all sizes. 

Google Classroom differentiates itself by leveraging other Google products and services in its G Suite for Education package, making the typically business-focused applications accessible to students. Schoology, by contrast, is a fully-featured LMS designed from the ground up for use by students and teachers in a K-12 context. 

Features

Google Classroom and Schoology share many features, but they execute these features in different ways and with different strengths.

Google Classroom excels at bringing the power and familiarity of Google applications to the classroom. Teachers report that the platform is easy to adopt and learn, especially if their school is already using other Google products. By leveraging other tools in the G Suite for Education package, Classroom offers collaboration, communication, document management, scheduling, and other features. Reviewers report that the platform is easy to use overall, with intuitive grading systems and plenty of tools for digital assignments, meetings, and exams. Google Classroom itself is also free for schools to use, and is under active development. Recent improvements include integrations with third-party student information systems for exporting grades, multi-language support for plagiarism detection, and additional ways for teachers to invite students to their class workspaces.

Schoology, on the other hand, stands on its own as an academic LMS designed specifically for K-12 schools. It’s designed to be accessible even for elementary school students, and also offers portals for parents to view their children’s grades and academic progress. Schoology integrates with a wide range of third-party applications, including Google Workplace, and includes a mobile application for student and parent access. Recent additions to the platform include guides for new users, accessibility improvements for text-to-speech tools, and additional integrations with PowerSchool, Microsoft, and Google applications.

Limitations 

Although many schools use Google Classroom and Schoology effectively, they each have limitations to consider before choosing one or the other.

Google Classroom relies heavily on its integrations with other G Suite for Education tools to provide a full range of features. It also lacks some of the extended capabilities of a standalone vendor-supplied LMS. For instance, Google Classroom doesn’t offer as many options as its competitors for parents to view student progress and communicate with teachers. Some teachers found its grading tools relatively simplistic and lacking the customization they wanted for alternative grading methods. Google Classroom’s mobile interface may also be missing features and polish when compared to the browser-based application. 

By contrast, Schoology lacks the familiarity and intuitive UI of Google products. Many teachers found the system to have a harsh learning curve, particularly when using features like in-platform grading. Some parents complain about poor user experience and navigation, although recent updates to the software have attempted to improve the parent experience on Schoology’s mobile application. Finally, some users wish for more interface optimizations, such as more efficient workflow options and more agency for teachers when sharing documents.

Pricing

Google Classroom is free for schools to use, and is included in the G Suite for Education package as well. The core G Suite for Education suite is free for eligible institutions. Google also offers G Suite Enterprise for Education, which is priced via a quote from Google and adds additional analytics, security features, and support tools.

Pricing for Schoology is available via a quote from the vendor.