Apple Classroom vs Piazza
Apple Classroom
apple.comPiazza
piazza.comSide by side
| Figure | Apple Classroom | Piazza |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $379/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 12 |
| Spec score · Classroom Management Software | 8.7 (#4) | 8.6 (#5) |
| Purpose | Classroom helps teachers guide students through lessons, keep them focused, and share learning resources. | Piazza is a Q&A platform that connects students, TAs, and professors so students can get help with coursework. |
| Support | Apple provides a Classroom User Guide and links to education support guides and AppleCare for education support. | Piazza lists [email protected] and 800-818-4124 as support contact options. |
| What it does | Classroom lets teachers guide lessons, monitor student screens and distribute learning resources from iPad or Mac. | Piazza is a cloud social-learning platform for class questions, answers, announcements, files, videos and discussions. |
Plans
Piazza
- Contribution-supportedFree
- Contribution-supported modelFree
- Instructor license — 400-student maximum$379 a month
- Instructor license (up to 400 students)$379, paid once
- Instructor license — 700-student maximum$429 a month
- Instructor license (up to 700 students)$429, paid once
- Instructor license (unlimited)$479, paid once
- Instructor license — unlimited class size$479 a month
- Department license (up to 2,000 students)$9,000 a year
- Department license$12,000 a year
In their own words
Apple Classroom
Apple Classroom is a free app for teachers to guide lessons, keep students focused, and share learning resources on iPad and Mac. During a session, teachers can see all student screens together and direct one student or the class to a web page, book, or app. They can launch apps, websites, and books; restrict a student to one app; lock screens; and mute device audio. Agendas can set timed tasks and launch a Classroom session. Teachers can share documents and links with AirDrop and present student work through AirPlay on Apple TV. Classes can be managed by IT or created by teachers, with students arranged into groups. Schools using Shared iPad can have students reassigned to the device they most recently used. Apple says students can connect remotely, while the App Store listing says Classroom actions take place only over the local network. Apple School Manager can connect identity providers and student information systems for class rosters. Apple says it does not sell student information or share it for third-party marketing or advertising.
Piazza
Piazza is a course Q&A platform connecting students, teaching assistants, and professors around coursework. Its wiki-style format lets participants edit shared responses, with one student answer and one instructor answer for each question. Students can post anonymously to classmates, or anonymously to the instructor if the instructor permits it; instructors can endorse questions and answers. Course pages can hold announcements, course information, syllabi, assignments, lecture notes, and links. Participation reports show instructors who asks, answers, edits, or reads, as well as when questions arise during the term. Piazza lists integrations with Blackboard, Moodle, Sakai, Desire2Learn, Canvas, Jenzabar, and Angel. Integrated rosters can enroll users with appropriate roles, and users can sign in through the LMS. Piazza is available on web, iOS, and Android, with class alerts in its mobile apps. It says student email addresses and course enrollment details are accessible only to class instructors, and describes technical, administrative, and physical safeguards. Founded in 2009, it is headquartered in Palo Alto, California. A contribution-supported plan is free; paid instructor licenses start at $379 a month, billed per term.