In trying to streamline the processes of communication, coordination and bringing the organization together, the Department of Education has decided to switch to Google solutions. Being a department that serves the entire archipelago, Google Apps were the natural choice. An member of the staff can now access their files, calendars and reach other members of the organization no matter where they may find themselves.
They will also no longer have to use their personal emails for official functions, plus their Gmail accounts will sync with all the other cloud apps the organization has chosen to use, such as Google Calendar, which allows easy coordination of work or class schedules, meetings and events online, Google Drive/Docs – an integrated service that provides a single place to store, access, create, edit, and share documents, files, and folders of all types, Google Sites , which lets users develop and customize rich websites and embed Google Docs, Google Calendars, videos, and other media with no HTML required and Google Groups which will let the department create mailing lists and discussion forums to easily and efficiently sharing documents, calendars, sites, and media with specific groups.
As the first nationwide deployment of Google Apps, DepEd’s leap into the cloud is a visionary one. The move sees them joining seven of the eight Ivy League universities and 72 of this year’s top 100 US Universities (as determined by 2013 U.S. News and World Report’s ranking) that have gone Google too. It’s a great, practical and progressive step forward, and we’re all quite optimistic it’ll work great.