The Chromebook has been one of the most popular ways to go 1:1 in K-12 in the last five or so years. Known for efficiency, accessibility, and convenience, the Chromebook is also affordable and easy to manage. One of the perks of the Chromebook is its operating system, Chrome OS. Students and teachers have Google tools at their fingertips, as well as internet access and other apps. Compared to bulky desktops and expensive laptops, the Chromebook has a long battery life and is typically lightweight. At this point in 2022, especially following widespread remote learning due to the pandemic, there is a good chance that a student will be using a Chromebook at some point in their lifetime.
Despite the functionality and usefulness of the Chromebook, it is just a piece of hardware until it is properly implemented as part of high-quality learning experiences. As Lucy Santos Green warns, “a tool or app may offer all kinds of possibilities, but if a teacher chooses not to access these features, the technology is then categorically basic” (Green, 2014). She recommends the use of the Technology Integration Matrix (TIM) to evaluate technology-enabled learning implementation. The TIM “provides a framework for describing and targeting the use of technology to enhance learning” (Florida Center for Instructional Technology, 2019). Using levels of technology integration and characteristics of the learning environment, the matrix is useful for identifying descriptions to use in evaluation of the lesson that the technology is being implemented in. The Florida Center for Instructional Technology offers videos and lesson details that correspond with each descriptor in the matrix to assist teachers in exploring their implementation and integration of technology: Subject Area Index | TIM and Technology Integration Matrix Grade Level Index. I share these here to provide context to the use of Chromebooks in the classroom. To avoid “basic”, teachers can use these indices to access examples of technology-based learning, using computer devices, which can be considered to be Chromebooks in most cases.
In addition to these resources, I also strongly recommend the Google for Education training resources as a way for educators to specifically prepare for using Chromebooks and Google tools in the classroom. And I encourage anyone looking for ways to go further with their technology-based learning experiences to consider exploring hyperdocs (more here and here). If every student is 1:1 with Chromebooks, hyperdocs can be a powerful approach to personalized learning.
References:
Florida Center for Instructional Technology. (2019, June 1). Technology Integration Matrix. Retrieved from https://fcit.usf.edu/matrix/matrix/
Green, L. (2014). Through the Looking Glass. Knowledge Quest, 43(1), 36-43.
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