The world’s first Chromecast-equipped Google Learning Space launches in Brazil

In a blog post on the Google Enterprise blog, CEO of Foreducation, a company that works with schools to deploy Google products in classrooms, today announced the launch of the world’s first “Google Learning Space.”  The space is described as a collaborative learning center that will offer students from the Colégio Mater Dei private school in São Paulo, Brazil the chance to interact with Google technology in a Chromecast, tablet, and Smart TV-equipped environment: 

Now, we’re taking things even further by creating the first ever physical Google Learning Space, a collaborative learning center where students of all ages come to read, learn, and share using technology in a specially designed environment. The colorful space is equipped with two Chromecasts, which students use to project assignments, presentations and videos from their laptops and tablets; two Smart TVs; a sound system; and a high-performance wireless network. The room is set up to accommodate a variety of learning activities — students can choose from beanbags for independent reading, stools for guided instruction, or mats for interactive group work. 

Students at the Mater Dei school had already been using Google Apps for Education and running apps from Google Play on Android tablets in the classroom: As Mater Dei high school student Thiago Pinheiro says, “Google tools make my life easier and more versatile because I can work wherever I am without worrying about storage, access or the possibility of losing something.”

Google notes that Colégio Mater Dei is associated with Weducation, a K-12 educational group that is responsible for around 3000 students across 7 campuses, so it’s possible we’ll see the new Google Learning Space make inspire other schools to launch similar initiatives.