“Big Player” give free helpings of ArcGIS Online to Kids

via APB

I can’t help but laugh at this news a bit.  I’m not educator but read up.

The dominant player in the world of geographic information systems is making free accounts to its advanced mapping software available to an estimated 100,000 K-12 schools in the U.S.

So free accounts of something that adults can’t even figure out how to use.  I’m sure that will work out great.  My son already thinks GIS is too complicated, now he might have to figure out how to manage Esri credits with ArcGIS Online?  I admit though, I’ve been really busy lately so I haven’t kept up on the cost of AGOL:

In its release, Esri says the value of an account for the software is $10,000, leading to the $1 billion valuation for the entire donation ($10,000 X 100,000 U.S. K-12 schools.) 

AGOL costs $10,000?  Oh, well played Esri! You’re a “big player”!