This session will look at the implementation and use of Google Chromebooks in the classroom. Mark Carbone, CIO with the WRDSB, will offer a board perspective on Chromebooks, discussing infrastructure, the implementation of board wide wi-fi, supporting a system wide move and what tools are needed for the task. Ed Doadt, Principal at the WRDSB’s Huron Heights Secondary School, will then offer insight from an administration perspective, detailing the background of the board’s Futures Forum Project. He will look at how it has led to a common philosophy and approach based on common strategies, tools and language and touch on how Chromebooks have helped enable this. Andrew Bieronski, a teacher who works under Ed at HHSS in the Futures Forum Project, will then speak to the use of a set of Chromebooks in his classroom. He will look at how their use supports collaboration between teacher and student and also between students themselves. Andrew will offer a breakdown of how the Chromebook compares to similar tools, and highlight how it enables active learning through the use of Google Apps. Lastly, a student from Andrew’s class will join the presentation through video-conferencing and share their perspective on how the use of a Chromebook has supported and improved their learning. This session will be free flowing with time for questions and open discussion, and will build on the introductory session Mark and Ed offered at ECOO last year.

 

 

Board implementation

English-Civics and Careers – Futures Forum Project

You need to have the right kind of people at the board level and at the school. You need also to have the right students – either they were picked, or at random, both worked well.  When you have the right kind of people then you can have a successful project.

Use of Chromebooks in the classroom – not a Windows platform.

advantages – everything stored on-line, long battery life (easily up to a day), 8-second start-up, very cheap

 

all programs are cloud-based.  Students can have their own login or login as ‘guest’

More popular than netbooks or iPads!

can also be managed at the board level.  IT can send out updates overnight.

Even if you lose your connection, many of the applications that still work.

Also there are many companies out there that are coming up with applications that work on the cloud, video editing for example can now be done through on-line applications.

As a collaborative tool, the teacher can create shared folders on Drive so that all assignments and work can be stored on Google Drive.

Printing – can connect to another computer to print or airprint model if necessary.

This board (WRDSB)  will be rolling out 60 Chromebooks per school.

 

 

I would love to get these machines into my school!!