Managed Apple IDs to integrate with Google Workspace – Apple

With a focus on the needs of the U.S. education sector, Apple has announced that Managed Apple IDs will integrate with Google Workspace, along with a wave of other useful education-focused announcements.

Eyes on ease and integration

The integration with Google Workspace identity services comes as a new feature coming to Apple School Manager and Apple Business Manager starting this spring.

Both of those currently support integration with Microsoft Azure Active Directory. Now, IT teams who use Google Workspace can experience the same benefits: directory sync and federated authentication.

Federated authentication means end users can sign into their Managed Apple ID with their Google Workspace account, making for a seamless login experience in apps.

The news comes along with a slew of announcements for the U.S. education sector. These include a new professional learning program for educators who coach teachers to get the most out of Apple technology, called Apple Learning Coach. The company will also launch a new hub for Apple professional learning resources and collaboration called the Apple Education Community, coming this fall.

Education for educators

“We know that professional learning opportunities — from educators, for educators — make all the difference in unlocking the potential in every student. Apple Learning Coach is designed to do just that, and we are thrilled to offer this new program today,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Education and Enterprise Marketing.

“We also look forward to bringing the new Apple Education Community online, as a vibrant space for educators to learn from and connect with one another, and we think educators are going to love the new features coming to Classroom and Schoolwork to make learning even more interactive.”

What is Apple Learning Coach?

Apple Learning Coach is a free professional learning program that trains instructional coaches, digital learning specialists, and other coaching educators to help teachers effectively use Apple technology in the classroom.

It does so through a mix of self-paced lessons and virtual workshop sessions with Apple Professional Learning Specialists, participants learn how to support teachers where they are, as they integrate technology into learning.

“Apple Learning Coach is one of the best professional development opportunities I’ve ever been through, and we’re already seeing the impact in our classrooms,” said instructional technology specialist, Jessica Keller.

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) published a report today certifying that Apple Learning Coach earns a Seal of Alignment to its coaching standards.

[Also read: Scottish city of Edinburgh is giving iPads to every child]

Apple Learning Coach “Contributes to the pedagogically robust use of technology for teaching and learning,” and demonstrates it does “consciously, purposefully and meaningfully support best practices for digital age teaching and learning,” the report said.

Apple Learning Coach is accepting applications from educators in the US through April 19.

What is the Apple Education Community?

The Apple Education Community site will serve as the hub for Apple’s depth of professional learning programs, including Apple Teacher and Apple Learning Coach.

It will combine Apple’s existing Learning Center and introduce the Forum, a secure, collaborative space for educators to connect and learn from each other.

What else is coming?

Apple’s apps for education will also be adding important new features this spring. The Classroom app will add a new agendas feature that will enable educators to create time-based outlines for class, and trigger associated actions in the app.

Apple’s Schoolwork app will let educators add multimedia such as an audio recording or video into assignment instructions, exit tickets, and try-again messages to increase student engagement.

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