“There’s so many things we can do with them it’s crazy,” said AP Language teacher Mrs. Katherine Moore. “I don’t know how much we can use them at this point, I’m just trying new things so it’s pretty cool.”
Moore is one of three teachers in the English department who received 30 new Chromebooks to use in the classroom. The Chromebook is a laptop running on a Chrome operating system with data residing in the “cloud”, similar to that of a MacBook.
Although the Chromebook is designed to be used connected to the Internet, students will be able to access Google applications already installed on the computer, such as Gmail and Google Drive, offline.
A total of 500 laptops were distributed to three teachers in each department by the District. The Administration chose 16 teachers to essentially be ‘guinea pigs’ to test how the Chromebooks will be used in the classroom and eventually become trainers for other teachers. The District’s initiative is to give all teachers in the Springdale School District a set of their own laptops.
So far, Moore has used the Chromebooks to take notes, peer edit, quizzes, socratic seminars, and analyze art as a class. Her class is currently working on creating infographics where they can look at AP multiple choice questions, annotate them, and gain a great understanding of the test.
“Today I put up a document and just watched everyone put their answers in and talk about it,” said Moore. “It gives students so much more ownership, instead of a teacher running a presentation or doing whatever. The students really have a voice and they’re actively contributing to what’s happening through the technology.”
Moore has also created a Google community and Google classroom where students can post their ideas and thoughts on different assignments and submit their homework.
“Honestly, I love it. It makes it more efficient for taking notes and getting things done, because you can still look at those documents at home. It’s just a lot easier for me,” said senior Maggie Miller.
Miller has used the Chromebooks in both Moore’s class and AP Physics teacher Mr. Needham’s class in the Science Department. Needham is using the Chromebooks to work on online homework, simulated labs, and extra study material. The laptops have also helped him in times when labs are occupied by other classes and other equipment is unavailable.
“I think it’s great because it allows students to get their hands on some technology that they’ll need later in life, but also to be able to learn things they wouldn’t otherwise be able to at home,” said Needham.
In the presence of the new technology, Moore has already witnessed the dynamic of her classes changing, and hopes to see this positive influence spread across the school if all teachers receive Chromebooks.
“I think the classes become collaborative with each other, even just through chat. I think the dynamic changes because the students have a lot more of a voice in what’s happening. There’s nothing but good that can come from that,” said Moore.