R.A.T.(ting) Out the Benefits of Chromebooks in the Classroom
As an affordable alternative to personal computers,
Chromebooks are becoming a ubiquitous tool in many K-12 classrooms. My district
went 1:1 with this hardware four years ago, and while there are still some
minor bandwidth issues and random blocking of sites from time to time, they
have transformed teaching and learning in our schools.
Simply put, Chromebooks are small laptops that run on Google
Chrome and use Google Drive or other cloud-based storage options. They are
sturdy enough for students to carry around all day (every day), and they have a
long-lasting battery. Like a PC, they can be used with or without a mouse, and
some have touch screens. These devices are small but mighty in their
pedagogical function.
What Chromebooks offer to students in the area of
personalized and blended learning is nothing short of amazing. They allow for
collaboration, accessibility, and creation at the highest levels, which truly enable
21st century skills to develop. The classroom is no longer a place
for the “Sage on the Stage.” Rather, it is a place where teachers become
architects and designers of educational opportunities, thus acting as coaches
and facilitators while students take ownership of their own learning.
The R.A.T
assessment framework works well as a lens from which to see the benefit of
Chromebooks in the classroom. They are as follows:
Replacement: At
this level, Chromebooks facilitate a “paperless” classroom. Worksheets can be
scanned or made digital, tests can be given via Google Forms or Docs, and
essays may be typed rather than handwritten. As a replacement tool, schoolwork may
look very much the same as it always did, but assignments are housed in Google
Classroom for ease-of-use. Chromebooks function as a virtual repository for
student work as well as function as a means to accomplish assignments, tests,
and projects.
Amplification: As
a tool for increasing efficiency and productivity, Chromebooks hit the
proverbial bullseye. Gone are the days of photocopies, lost handouts, and unsharpened
pencils. These devices allow for greater organization for both teachers and
students. They act as a repository for assignments that are always legible,
always in the same place, and always accessible. They house Learning Management
Systems (LMS) such as Schoology, Google Classroom, and Edmodo, all of which
allow for assigning, quizzing, and collecting student assignments. In addition,
Chromebooks are now being used in state testing, so they are saving time and
money, as packets of test materials, handouts, and answer sheets are no longer
necessary.
As a bonus, Chromebooks facilitate greater student agency
with accessibility tools. For students with vision impairment, the resolution
of screens may be set higher or lower, for students who need oral accommodations,
add-ons can enable screen readers, and multiple tools allow for voice typing.
Even keyboard shortcuts can increase productivity and allow students who cannot
use a mouse full functionality in their assignments. These are just a few of
the ways Chromebooks assist diverse learning populations.
Finally, Chromebooks allow for research using e-resources
and the internet on individual devices. They have made searching for information
infinitely easier than it once was, and using tools such as Wakelet or Google
Keep make note-taking a snap.
Transformation: As
a transformative learning tool, Chromebooks allow for unlimited creativity in
the classroom. They also facilitate differentiation in a way that is much more
difficult through other means. Teachers have at their disposal many tools and
websites that allow collaboration, content creation, and critical thinking.
Listed below are just a few of the amazing tools that are available through the
use of Chromebooks:
Storyjumper–Students
can create digital stories with this amazing tool. The site integrates with
Google Classroom and is collaborative. (Grades K-12)
Anchor–Students can create
their own podcasts with their Chromebooks using this site. They have the option
to upload to Spotify, or simply share the link on Anchor with their teacher.
Podcasting is a growing medium, and they provide a viable way for students to
showcase their learning. (Upper Elementary-12)
Peardeck–I have most
likely mentioned this tool before, but it is a wonderful way to create
interactive lessons for students. It also includes a Flashcard Factory feature
that is worth the price of an upgrade, but the free tools through the Google
Slides add-on are robust enough as is. (Grades K-12)
Google
Slides–I love all of the G-Suite options, but Google Slides is great for
collaboration on student-centered projects. (Grades K-12)
SeeSaw–This site
allows for creative assignments where students have the option to draw, upload
photos, take a video, blog, or link to material. It functions well as a
portfolio tool and has a parent feature, where, if that functionality is enabled,
families can see their students’ work. (Grades K-12)
In all, as a pedagogical tool, Chromebooks allow for so much
diverse application that they are truly transformative devices. They seamlessly
aid in the facilitation of the 4 C’s (Creation, Communication, Collaboration,
and Critical thinking), and I am so grateful that I get to work in a district
that values this technology.
Great minds and all that... I also wrote about Chromebooks and R.A.T.! My district is 1:1 with CBs as well. I think about R.A.T. a lot when I decide whether to use technology in a new lesson or activity with my students. In college, the emphasis was to get to the TRANSFORMING level whenever possible, but sometimes with 1:1, there is a lot of emphasis on doing replacement and, like you said, go paperless.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the links for Anchor and Storyjumper! Some other things I love to use with CBs in my classroom is WeVideo for video editing and collaborative Google Slides posted through Google Classroom so that everyone can edit -- each student/group gets a slide, and at the end, they can see everyone's slides!
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ReplyDeleteHi Again - Sorry for the first snafu of a response. I have ongoing issues when it comes to my laptop's touch pad. I perpetually inadvertently touch it with the palms of my hands, which moves my cursor around crazily and sometimes even publishes comments that I have not yet completed ;) All that said, I enjoyed reading your blog post. I especially appreciate your insight that Chromebooks facilitate differentiation, making them transformative in terms of teaching and learning. I hadn't thought about that, but it makes a lot of sense to me. Also, as Ashley shared, thanks for posting the links to Anchor and Storyjumper. I'm unfamiliar with these programs and look forward to checking them out.
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