Hello out there! Yes, it's me! I'm still around... just not as active on the blog as I have been in the past ;)
I'm coming out of blog hibernation to talk about an ongoing project that I'm so excited about...
CHROMEBOOKS
The county I teach in has fully embraced technology. In fact, this year ALL students will have access to devices! At the elementary level, Kindergarten- 3rd grade will receive iPads and 4th and 5th graders will receive Chromebooks.
I've been able to pilot both iPads and Chromebooks in a 1:1 setting in the classroom over the past two years. I have loved incorporating both devices in my room and found many strengths between both devices. (As well as some limitations...) For those of you who are eager to jump on the tech bandwagon or who may be a bit more hesitant to use these game changing devices, here my top 5 reasons (with app and program suggestions) why I LOVE using Chromebooks in the Language Arts block. (Math deserves it's own separate post!)
1. Collaboration: This is probably one of my favorite parts of using devices with students. We get to connect with students in a whole new way! Using Google Docs, I can leave explicit and quick feedback about a student's writing. Google classroom gives us a digital platform for online lessons, activities, and even assessments with direct and "real time" feedback. Students can also collaborate together on tech projects using Google apps or Seesaw.
2. Creativity: Get those brains thinking about content in a totally new way. I love using the app PicCollage to create visuals for projects. PicCollage can be used to be for graphic organizers, vocabulary, or to create a visual to go with student writing. It's also easy to incorporate with Seesaw. (With both iPads and Chromebooks!)
3. Authenticity. Students take so much more ownership of their writing if they have a clear audience to write to. With technology, students KNOW who is going to read their work. Seesaw? They know their peers will see their work as well as their parents. Google Docs? Great for peer and teacher conferencing. No more "write to your (unknown) reader" with writing... with Chromebooks, students can have a clear audience to write to.
4. Real Life: How often do you type on a daily basis? It's a life skill! With Chromebooks (this was a limitation with the iPads...) students are learning real typing and computer processing skills! Students also practice online tools that we use regularly- spell check, online dictionary/thesauruses, and the amazing Google search engine.
5. Citizenship. As teachers, we help mold these little learners into great citizens. We practice please and thank yous, we expect respect and responsibility, and now we need to teach them how to be trustworthy digital citizens. These students are SURROUNDED by technology and many don't know about the risks and dangers of these devices. It's our responsibility to teach students about their digital blueprint, online safety, and the importance of copyright and online plagiarism. As teachers, we have to develop the whole learner.
Need more inspiration? Check out my favorite online resource for all things techy- Erin with Erin with Erintegration is an amazing technology enthusiast and educator. She has great resources for iPads and Chromebooks and has an amazing insta account!
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