Last
year, I applied for a technology grant via SVSD. It was a delight to receive
this endowment and have 17 Chromebooks bestowed upon room 902. Later in
the year, three more mysteriously showed up to make a set of 20. Though it
would be exponentially more beneficial to operate with an entire class set,
these devices have transformed the way that I can teach and opens up another
world for students.
Primarily,
Chromebooks are the gateway to Google Drive, which unlocks a myriad of avenues
in the realm of editing, sharing, and grading work (more about this in my next
entry). This has been very useful in teaching the structured writing that has
been adopted by the district. They also serve as an excellent tool for research
projects. Throughout the year, students have used them to further explore
several ancient civilizations beyond their textbooks. Lastly, Chromebooks are a
wonderful stratagem for student engagement. Students get excited for the
opportunity to complete work on the computers. As individuals that have grown
up with these technologies surrounding them, they are capable, comfortable, and
enthusiastic about having access to them in the classroom.