We are taking the leap into 1:1. We are close to this already at the junior level (grades 4,5,6) and we feel it is time to move to a Chromebook for every student.
Today, we have put in an order for 20 more Chromebooks. This is an experiment we are taking part in with another school with similar demographics to ours.
My job will be to offer staff all the support they need to help this work. I am already working on more PD sessions that I hope will help the teachers adapt to a 1:1 environment.
Once the machines arrive, each student will be assigned a machine. The students will then have to take the machines home and bring them back the next day. Not bringing a machine to school will easily be the equivalent of not doing your homework. I have also purchased six more tech tubs to help with storage.
Having the machines at home is really important for us. Many of our students do not have computers at home and it is difficult for us to extend the learning going on at school if students have limited or no access to computers.
We will probably make mistakes, but we will learn together. There are lots of good articles out there from people who have already gone down this road – we will take our direction from those who have gone before us.
I will use this blog to document how we do. I really believe this initiative will bring about significant change in the way we teach at our school. Now it is time to find out!
Here are some of the articles I will be re-reading:
Devices Need to Support Learning – Eric Sheninger
Technology can close achievement gaps, improve learning – Stanford University
Five Steps for Implementing a Successful 1:1 Environment – Edutopia
Why 1:1? Why Chromebooks? JASONMARKEY
The Logistics of 1:1 Chromebooks at Leyden
JASONMARKEY (really important article – note the date 2012!)
Teachers Manual to a Paperless Classroom – Educational Technology and Mobile Learning
My Livebinder Collection on 1:1
Click here to open this binder in a new window.
Whole-Hearted 