6 reasons why Chromebooks are the device of the moment

What makes Chromebooks popular, and will they outlast their buzz?

google-devicesAs the familiar refrain goes, “It’s not about the device,” but even so schools need to choose one to advance their digital instruction goals. And by all accounts, Chromebooks are the device of the moment, with 2.5 million shipped to schools in the first half of this year alone. There’s no doubt they’re trendy, but is there any deeper reasons for the sales surge beyond appearance and affordability? Recently, I joined host Larry Jacobs and Google Certified Innovator and trainer Chris Scott for an episode of Education Talk Radio in which we talked through these issues at length and came up with a handful of reasons for the Chromebook’s trendsetting status. Here’s the CliffsNotes of that discussion, but be sure to check out the full conversation available online.

Google’s name has staying power. We’ve been Googling for more than a decade by this point, and with the near ubiquity of Google Apps for Education in the nation’s classrooms, educators and students feel comfortable with the Google ecosystem. Branding helps, but at the end of the day, educators do realize that Google is just the conduit for students to advance their learning, not the first and last steps.

Chromebooks have some surface-level advantages. First, they’re cheap, with models often starting around $200. And while the cheaper cost can mean lower quality, it also means cheap replacement parts, too. IT management is simple — and there are few horror stories equaling what schools went through with iPads. They’re easy to share among students, and at a time when online high-stakes testing is still very much a part of the conversation, Chromebooks have the all-important built-in keyboard. None of these things necessarily makes the Chromebook the ideal or superior device for education, but they certainly don’t hurt.…Read More

When one-to-one goes wrong

Not all implementations are smooth sailing. Here’s what to keep an eye on

one-to-oneWhen Murphy’s Law rears its head during a one-to-one implementation, things can start to unravel pretty quickly. Even the best-prepared districts can struggle with issues like bringing the network up to speed, professional development for teachers, proper device selection, and/or ongoing IT support for the implementation.

Robert Craven has seen it all when it comes to one-to-one challenges and horror stories. Currently senior director of technology at Tustin Unified School District in Tustin, Calif., he’s overseen one-to-one implementations at five different school districts. Each deployment was different, said Craven, and so were the problems that came along with those implementations.

“There’s always going to be something that doesn’t work out 100 percent or as planned,” said Craven, whose current district has had a one-to-one in place for three years (he came onboard two years ago). “In these cases, it’s about how you readjust and compensate for the problems.”…Read More

Video: When to choose iPads vs. Chromebooks

Two educators go head-to-head on which device is better for classrooms

Ed. note: In partnership with Lesson Planet, we asked their professional development resource arm, PD Learning Network, for the most popular videos on their site. We’ll be featuring a limited number of these, one a week, each Monday.

In the last few years iPads and Chromebooks have both seen astronomical growth in education becoming two of the most popular devices for classrooms and one-to-one programs. In light of that it’s only natural that power users and fans will compare and contrast their merits, given that so many schools have limited funds for devices.

That’s basically the setup for this spirited debate by Jennifer Gibson, CEO of PD Learning Network and an iPad connoisseur and Rich Dixon, vice president of professional learning and a devoted Chromebook user.…Read More

Mobile use rises, but school wi-fi stagnates

Pearson/Harris Poll reveals new findings on mobile device ownership and how wi-fi access impacts learning in school

wi-fi-schoolsJust 68 percent of grades 4-12 students in a recent survey said they have wi-fi access at school, though 96 percent of those same students have wi-fi access at home.

The survey, released by Pearson and conducted on its behalf by Harris Poll, finds that while student ownership of mobile devices continues to increase, wi-fi connectivity at school lags behind home access.

With increased ownership comes increased use. Use of both tablets and smartphones (at home, school or elsewhere) has risen across all grade levels.…Read More

Grant bridges educational divide in Ga.

Foundation grant will fund educational computer tablets for 1,500 low-income families

tablet-educationalThe James M. Cox Foundation announced today a $288,500 grant to EveryoneOn. The grant will fund a pilot program providing 1,500 tablet computers, preloaded with educational content, to families in Georgia who are enrolling in Cox Communications’ Connect2Compete discounted internet service program.

EveryoneOn is a national nonprofit working to eliminate the digital divide by making high-speed, low-cost Internet service, computers and free digital literacy courses accessible to all unconnected Americans. Connect2Compete (C2C) is EveryoneOn’s flagship program offered in partnership with Internet service providers and available to K-12 students and their families who qualify for the National School Lunch Program.

“More than half of the families who have enrolled in the Connect2Compete program have seen improved grades for children in the home,” said Alex Taylor, Executive Vice President of Cox Enterprises and a trustee of the James M. Cox Foundation. “We are proud to extend our support of EveryoneOn through this grant, providing families with increased access to the tools necessary to compete in today’s digital world.”…Read More

New case makes iPad video more professional-looking

iPad case helps improve video quality

padcaster-deviceA new snap-on iPad accessory is helping users create professional-looking videos, letting them shoot, edit, stream and share.

The Padcaster is basically an aluminum frame with a lens, microphone, and other add-ons that enhance the iPad’s video functions. In addition to the frame, it features a 72mm lens mount and 58mm step-down ring and a 45 wide-angle lens; a unidirectional microphone; dual microphone and headphone jack; and a standard tripod mount.

“Padcaster provides all of the tools, so all you need is an iPad and your imagination,” says Josh Apter, founder and CEO of The Padcaster, LLC. “The Padcaster is an invention born out of my own needs as a filmmaker. An iPad has the ability to capture the perfect shot and the Padcaster adds the stabilization as well as additional audio and video upgrades that are necessary to produce professional quality video.”
…Read More

Miami schools install wi-fi on buses

Wi-fi-on-the-go program targets anytime, anywhere learning

wi-fi-busMiami-Dade County Public Schools in Florida is piloting a school bus-based wi-fi program in partnership with Kajeet.

The district’s “Wi-Fi-on-the-Go” program aims to provide students the opportunity for mobile learning on the school buses.

Students can study, learn, communicate with teachers and collaborate on class assignments to and from school and extra-curricular excursions. Using the same CIPA-compliant proprietary filtering as the Kajeet SmartSpot device, the company now provides the complete solution for districts including the hardware, data, filtering and installation with its new Kajeet SmartBus solution.…Read More

Is mobile the key to physics instruction?

$5 million NSF grant initiative leads to mobile physics instruction module

physics-mobileUsually high school students take biology and chemistry before taking physics; yet, only 36 percent of students end up in physics courses, according to the American Institute of Physics.

Meera Chandrasekhar, a professor of physics at the University of Missouri, received a $5 million multi-year grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to address this challenge. She and her team developed a hands-on physics course for ninth graders designed to give them a better chance at being successful in higher-level high school and college-level science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM courses.

The handheld tablet and computer-based curriculum application modules called “Exploring Physics” were developed through this grant and have just become available for instructors and students.…Read More

Is your one-to-one program destined to fail?

If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll never know when you’ve arrived

one-to-one-failureIt’s been a busy summer leading workshops at many schools and districts with one-to-one iPad, Chromebook, and laptop programs. Many of these schools are years into a one-to-one program, and my conversations with school administrators often focus on the success of their program.

In several of these conversations, school administrators have categorized their one-to-one program as “stagnating” and that they face continued resistance from a significant number of teachers. Yet, at first glance, the administrators have provided everything the faculty needs for success.

For one, every student and teacher has a device (and in some cases multiple ones). These schools have a stable wi-fi network, so accessing websites and online programs in the classroom is not a problem. Network filtering is restrained so that teachers can bring social media websites into the classroom. Administrators have also hired instructional technology specialists to assist the teachers. Finally, teachers are afforded much latitude in tech implementation. At these schools there is no explicit requirement for teachers to use the devices and no one is tracking the hours of classroom time dedicated to technology integration.…Read More