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Discover tips, tools, and resources for using Chromebooks in education. Enhance learning and productivity with strategies tailored for classrooms.

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Beautify and Protect Your Virtual Home: Google Chrome Browser

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Wish you could wiggle your nose and clean up any mess you’ve made? With these Chrome add-ons, you can come close! Not only can you make it easy and simple to disable or remove add-ons, you can also use them to enhance how you work with images. Here are some Google Chrome add-ons and extensions that can make your life easier, as well as enhance your privacy!

Clean It Up

Two fantastic Google Chrome add-ons that you might want to consider include the following:

  • SimpleExtManager: A simple menu to enable, disable, and access extension options
  • Extensity: Quickly enable/disable Google Chrome extensions

These add-on managers not only allow you to disable or remove add-ons you may get while exploring; they may also work conditionally, meaning they work differently depending on the website you happen to be on.

Beautify Your Virtual Space

Find yourself wondering why you can’t live in a big mansion at the top of a mountain with a splendid view? Or what about a desert oasis outside your window? If you are, take advantage of these image add-ons that can enhance how you interact with images via Chrome.

  • Unsplash Instant: Every time you open a new tab, you will see a beautiful “high-resolution Unsplash photo that you can save and/or use as you like.
  • Hover Zoom: Enlarge image thumbnails on mouse over while surfing the web. Works on many sites, including Google Image Search, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Reddit, Amazon, Tumblr and others. An alternative is Imagus.
  • TinEye Reverse Image Search: Find out where an image came from, how it’s used, or find resolution versions. This is a great one for projects where you or your students forget just exactly what the source for a internet-garnered image is.
  • Pixabay Image Search: Hoping to find great pics that are copyright friendly? Pixabay Image Search will take you straight to available images.
  • Image Downloader: Allows you to get and save all the images on a web page with many options.
  • Images On/Off: This allows you to turn images on or off when visiting a web page, which can be handy.
  • Save to Google Drive: Save web content or screen capture directly to Google Drive.

Whether you need to find copyright-friendly images, save them, or prevent them from appearing, these tools will see you through.

Protect Your Privacy

No conversation of your virtual home, Google Chrome browser, would be complete without a discussion of privacy! Consider taking advantage of these three add-ons to enhance your privacy while online.

  • AdBlock Plus: Blocks ads and supports websites by not blocking unobtrusive ads by default (configurable).
  • Disconnect: Disconnect lets you visualize and block the invisible websites that track you. Stop tracking by thousands of third-party sites.
  • HTTPS Everywhere: HTTPS Everywhere is an extension created by EFF and the Tor Project which automatically switches thousands of sites from insecure “http” to secure “https.” It will protect you against many forms of surveillance and account hijacking and some forms of censorship.

Finally, consider getting a virtual private network (VPN) service. One service I have used in my Chrome browser that is available at no cost, although I do prefer Private Internet Access (PIA), is DotVPN. A VPN service creates an encrypted conduit for your information, including usernames and passwords. This prevents nearby strangers from “sniffing” your private information via the public, guest WiFi you happen to be sharing with them. If you are on an Android or iOS device, consider getting the free Windscribe VPN.

Take advantage of these Google Chrome add-ons to beautify your virtual space, maximize the time you spend on more worthwhile projects, and protect yourself online.

Update: This blog entry was updated with fresh links for the VPN on 4/23/2018.

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AndroidBYODChromebooksContent Areas

Running Android Apps on Your Chromebook

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

Last May, Google announced that you would soon be able to run Android apps on your Chromebook. Well, okay, maybe not your Chromebook. If your Chromebook is like mine, it is several years old and will most likely not know what it is like to run Android apps. But if you happen to have a newer device, then it may just be possible.

You should know, too, that just because you go buy a new Chromebook at Walmart, Best Buy, or Amazon, that doesn’t mean that it will run Android apps. Be sure to look on the Chromium Projects site to see a list of those that are capable of running the apps. According to the Chromium Projects, starting this year, all Chromebooks that become available are supposed to work with Android. Even if you don’t see your Chromebook on the list, it will still receive updates until its Google-determined end-of-life, which should be about five years after it debuted.

Enabling Google Play Store on Your Chromebook

So, you’ve checked the list to identify a Chromebook that runs Android and you are ready to purchase it and use it in your classroom. Right? Wrong. You need to also check with your Google Suite for Education domain administrator to make sure Enable Google Play not enabled screenshotthat the option to access the Google Play Store on your Chromebook is enabled in the dashboard. You can check your Chromebook by going to Settings. Scroll down until you see the Google Play Store (beta) section. If the option is greyed out, then you’ll need to bake a batch of cookies to take to the domain administrator and ask if they can enable the feature. (Giving cookies increases the chances of having this feature enabled by 64 percent.) If you log in with your personal Google account on the Chromebook, you’ll notice that it is already enabled. But you do NOT want to use your personal account with your students and other teachers. For safety reasons, you always want to use your district account, even if that means bribing the domain administrator or waiting a few days for it to be enabled. Google Play option is available imageOnce the option to enable is made available, you’ll be able to enable it in Settings and manage Android preferences (similar to if you were setting Android preferences on an Android phone or tablet).

Google Play Store betaYippee! You have it enabled. So where it it? Click on the Launcher icon which, by default, is the icon on the bottom left on the shelf. You will now see the Play Store (beta) icon. This beta Play Store is currently a stipped down version of the Play Store you would see if you accessed it through the browser. And yes, you will need to use the beta Play Store to install Android apps. When accessing the store via the browser, your Chromebook will not be an option in the dropdown list of compatible devices. Once you click on the beta store, you will recognize the various categories to help you narrow down what type of app you are looking for. If the developers have not completely finished updating the app in question, it may be available as a beta version. When I spot checked several of the Android apps I have on my phone, almost all were available and ready in the Play Store. You might even find that some app developers have made their product available as a Chrome app (that you install via the Web Store) and an Android app (that you install via the beta Play Store). Either way, once installed, they will appear in your launcher window.

Finding Android Apps

Now that you have that feature enabled and you can access the beta Play Store, let’s talk about finding Android apps for your Chromebook. If you are wanting educational games or drill-and-kill apps, those are fairly easy to find; just search the store for the content area and/or skill you are interested in. Always be sure to install and play with the app before recommending it and allowing students to use it. Besides checking that it meets the content standard(s) you are reinforcing, you will also want to pay attention to any advertisements that might pop up.

If you want to be on the cutting (or bleeding) edge, you can try new Android apps before they are officially released; just click on the Early Access button in the beta play store. Remember that apps in the early access area are experimental versions and are not ready for prime time.

Here are a few open-ended apps that can be used for a variety of content areas. At this time, no web address is provided when looking for Android apps. So you’ll need to search for the name of each; an icon has been provided to help you more quickly identify the correct app.

autodesk sketchbook app iconAutodesk SketchBook – Whether it is illustrating, diagramming, or sketchnoting, you’ll find this to be a simple app to use. When done, save the image to your Chromebook.

trello app iconTrello – More than just a to-do list app, Trello can help you keep track of projects. You can work alone or collaboratively with classmates to keep track of project-based learning activities.

trading cards iconTrading Cards – This isn’t your traditional trading card maker. Templates provided include fictional person, real person, fictional place, real place, object, event, and vocabulary. Once you enter information on the front and back of the card, you can share it as a photo to your photo gallery.

pic collage iconPic Collage –  Share your message with pictures! Pic Collage lets you start by selecting your photos and then adding them to a grid with templates (start with a themed background) or freestyle (begin with a blank slate and add to it). You can also easily add text and search for photos on the internet to add to your collage.

Running Android apps on your Chromebook definitely increases the productivity value of Chromebooks in the classroom and allows students to be more creative in their learning and sharing. So if you have a Chromebook that can run Android apps, try one of the apps shared above and let us know what you think. If you have installed other Android apps on your Chromebook, we’d love to hear which ones you’ve found engaging, helpful, challenging, or just down-right fun.

 

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Google update
ChromebooksGoogle Tips and Tricks

The Latest Google Update

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

Google announced a number of very nice updates to their products in February 2017, and you’ll definitely want to start using them. Here’s a quick look at what’s now available:

  • Android apps are now easily available on all Chromebooks launched from this point on (source).
  • Administrators will soon be able to manage Android apps on Chrome devices (source).
  • New features for the mobile app versions of Docs and Sheets are now available, including headers and footers; drag-and-drop text; resizing, moving, and rotating images; and more (source).
  • Insert videos into Slides from Google Drive (source).
  • Administrators now have privileges for managing custom templates in Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms (source).
  • Google Arts and Culture now includes a comprehensive U. S. presidential history (source).
  • Google Sites now supports dividers (source).
  • Meet by Google Hangouts, a new video conferencing app for business, has been launched (source).

If you want to learn more about Google, be sure to check out our other blogs on the topic by typing “Google” in the search box at the top of this page. Or join us for an in-depth, free-to-members monthly webinar that will really help to ramp up your Google skills. And take a look at our other Google-icious resources available here.

 

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ChromebooksESL/ELLiOS Tips and TricksMicrosoftOnline Tools and Apps

Visualizing Our Understanding: Graphic Organizers

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

“The use of graphic organizers,” says the El Campo ISD’s Intervention Warehouse website, “is a powerful tool that is easy to integrate into daily instruction.” The ECISD site then goes on to share access to several sources for graphic organizers for visualizing learning.

Graphic organizers are teaching and learning tools; when they’re integrated into classroom experiences, students are better able to understand new material. Creating a strong visual picture, graphic organizers support students by enabling them to literally see connections and relationships between facts, information, and terms.
Source: Teaching Graphic Organizers

As a writer, I often skip outlining and note-taking as ways to organize my writing and notes. Instead, I create graphic organizers to capture ideas and map out my writing. When taking notes, I capture powerful research concepts using a graphic organizer instead of laboriously writing out page after page of notes This approach helps me build a gestalt of the ideas presented.

The Problem with Graphic Organizers

Imagine that when someone says to you, “Could you read this technical text and summarize it?” you could ask yourself, “Well, which graphic organizer should I select?” Then, after some deliberation, you would pick the appropriate graphic organizer and use that one. You wouldn’t be limited to the default spider web graphic organizer with a main concept in the middle. Instead, you would just use the right one for each task.

Unfortunately, that has always been my problem with graphic organizers. Although I know there are different types (e.g. Problem-Solution, Fishbone, Time Order, etc.) for various functions, I never know which one to rely on. To this day, I still rely on the easiest graphic organizer: the spider web with main topic in the middle and ideas radiating out from the center. Also, drawing graphic organizers by hand can be cumbersome since mistakes are tough to correct.

Solutions for Visualizing Our Learning

“To know” goes the old constructivist saying, “is to know how to make.” When teachers pre-print graphic organizers for their students, they inadvertently do several negative things. Those things include:

  • Modeling the use of a graphic organizer appropriate to a text, and thus:
  • Removing the responsibility and ownership of selecting the correct graphic organizer appropriate to a text from the learner

Obviously, if students have less of a say in exactly what graphic organizer to use and when, their long-term use of this tool may suffer. This is because graphic organizers are visual representations of what we store in our brains. This can lead to challenges in comprehension. That’s pretty profound, isn’t it? That’s why it is so important to get students to create their own graphic organizers.

Let’s explore three tools you and your students can use to create graphic organizers via digital devices.

Hand-Drawn Graphic Organizers with OneNote

If you’re not familiar with OneNote, it is a phenomenal mobile app that makes digital ink a reality for those with touch-screen computers or Surface Pro/Android/iPad tablets. With digital ink (that is the ability to draw on the tablet screen with a stylus or fingertip), students are able to finally create graphic organizers that are representative of their own visualizations.

Computer/Browser-Based Tools

If you have access to a Windows, Mac, or Chromebook, then tools abound for creating graphic organizers. Here are my top two favorite free tools, but there are many more available, also known as “mind-mapping tools.”

  • Draw.io: Looking for an easy to use, browser-based diagramming or graphic organizer creator? Look no further than Draw.io! It works in your browser, but allows you to save to whatever cloud storage system you prefer, such as Dropbox, OneDrive, or Google Drive.
  • yED Graph Editor: yEd can be installed on your computer (Windows, Mac, GNU/Linux) and works fantastically well. You can create graphic organizers using its simple layout. It also scales up to meet the needs of grades 9-12 and adult learners.

Conclusion

I still remember my first copy of Inspiration graphic organizer software. I was amazed at what I could create to represent my understanding of a process, a concept, or a text. Learning how to use graphic organizers, short of learning to read/write and use technology, remains one of the best lessons my high school teacher taught me. How are you teaching your students to use graphic organizers?

Get 80 Graphic Organizer Templates

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Announcements/Important DatesChromebooksGoogle Tips and Tricks

New Chromebook Features

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

On January 24, 2017, Google announced some powerful enhancements for Chromebooks available for education, both for educators and students. These features (available in devices from Acer, Asus, HP, Dell, Lenovo, and Samsung) enhance the Chromebook’s versatility. With more than 20 million teachers and students employing Chromebooks, both will soon have access to devices that rely on “apps, stylus, and increased touch capabilities,” as well as USB-C charging (source).

For Teachers

For teachers, Chromebooks will come with world-facing cameras. This enables teachers, as well as students, to capture videos and photos from all directions. Teachers will also have access to many Android apps, as well as specially designed cloud apps. These include Adobe Creative Cloud apps (such as Photoshop Mix, Lightroom Mobile, Illustrator Draw, Photoshop Sketch, Adobe Comp CC, and Creative Cloud Mobile). Teachers will be able to combine these intelligent enhancements with Chromebooks. They can use just-announced Google Classroom notifications for better assignment management and tracking with the new models.

Chromebooks for Students

Students, in addition to a greater variety of bundled Android apps, will be able to enjoy access to creative applications:

    • Explain Everything: An incredible, robust presentation, digital whiteboard app, and video annotation tool that is indispensable.
    • Soundtrap: This web-enabled audio editing and podcasting tool is a much needed addition for Chromebooks.
    • WeVideo: A browser-based video editing solution that, like audio editing, remains in high demand in Chromebook environments.

All these solutions are available at discounted pricing for schools.

Even more exciting, especially in math and other classes where drawing is involved, students are able to take advantage of the inexpensive, high-quality stylus. This is an advantage when using the Google Classroom Android app. Styluses can be shared or easily replaced if lost since they do not require charging or pairing with a Chromebook.

Thanks to Google for continually listening to educators about the needs of the Chromebook-powered classroom!

 

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ChromebooksGood TeachingGoogle Tips and TricksiOS Tips and TricksMicrosoftSpecial Needs

Dystopian Learning No Matter the Device

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

“You’re just a shill for Google,” a district colleague joked when I shared I had been selected to participate in the Google Certified Innovator program in 2010. I laughed for a moment. If that moment was funny, the fact that I became a Microsoft Innovative Education (MIE) Expert in 2016 must generate a few more chuckles. And some wondered at my efforts with a 1:1 Apple iPad classroom. Work in education, you soon find yourself avoiding a dystopian, technology singularity.

The Big Three, which includes Apple, Google, and Microsoft (let’s refer to them as AGM going forward), are competing for space in today’s classrooms. Each boasts new, powerful software, hardware, and online spaces that bridge the learning gap for educators around the world. From Apple’s Distinguished Educator (ADE)  to Google Certified Trainer to Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Trainer, each program connects you to a vibrant community of educators.

AGM’s respective efforts involve getting educators to adopt education versions of their consumer technologies. While claims of classroom transformations must be taken with a grain of salt, there are real benefits. Let’s explore some of the benefits below.

Drink the Kool-Aid!

“Have you drank the kool-aid?” When you drink the kool-aid, you suspend your cynicism of AGM’s intentions. Instead, you embrace problem-solving with the technologies at your disposal. The more active the AGM-affiliated educator community, the better off you are. These communities connect via various social media, email lists, and face-to-face gatherings. All are focused on helping you bring the power of their technologies to bear on overcoming learning challenges.

Solving Learning Challenges

How would you approach the problem below?

Students need to adapt propaganda techniques seen in presidential candidate advertising. After analyzing those techniques in several video segments, students must create their own version. The version will connect to their reading of TIM, Defender of Earth, a dystopian novel featuring a dinosaur in a world-saving battle with nanobots.

How would you approach this from your particular AGM perspective? For fun, let’s jump right in and see (in alphabetical order):

Apple

Students could collect video clips, recording relevant clips using the iPad’s built-in camera. They must provide a brief analysis of the propaganda techniques in the video, then transition to their application of the techniques to a TIM, Defender of Earth main character. They could use one of these free apps (Shadow Puppet EDU or Touchcast) to create narrated video clips and then stitch the production together in iMovie ($4.99), Videocraft ($3) or Pinnacle Studio Pro ($13). Videos would be turned into the class Seesaw account (free), appearing on the Class Seesaw Blog after the teacher approved them. Students in other groups could offer feedback via the Seesaw app on their iPads.

That’s one approach to solving this challenge using Apple. Let’s take a look at another way.

Google Suite

After reviewing YouTube versions of commercials and advertisements, students decide to use video annotation tools built into YouTube. They annotate parts of the video, highlighting the parts that exemplify a certain technique. Upon completion, students organize a Google Slide featuring still images, incorporating a comic strip storyboarded in Google Draw, and a video they recorded to YouTube using either their mobile phone with the YouTube Capture or their Chromebook’s webcam with ClipChamp extension($49 per classroom per year). Other students incorporate audio into their Google Slides presentation by recording voice-overs using Nimbus Screenrecording extension (free). And others might use Adobe Spark (free) or WeVideo ($250 per classroom per year) online.

Microsoft

Students might create a OneNote notebook, providing a written analysis of several videos from YouTube and Vimeo. They can copy and paste the video link (a.k.a. embedding) into a OneNote page, the video appearing for viewing. Then they use their MS Surface Pro 4 tablets to record a video rendition of their advertising. They could blend propaganda tips into the video and then add their explanation of what they did. As a final step, they create a view link for their OneNote Notebook. This makes it possible for anyone with an Internet browser to view the OneNote Online. Their teacher can make a class Sway highlighting the published products and share it online via Docs.com. Students with special needs are able to interact with the OneNote Notebooks their classmates create using the Learning Tools add-in.

Conclusion

You may have seen several possible ways to overcome the learning challenges in the scenario presented. In fact, like most educators, you imagined ways for all technologies to co-exist and empower students. Settling on only one technology may lead to an unwanted dystopian learning situation. Consider blending technologies instead. With that in mind, what would your technology classroom utopia look like? Please share in the comments!

 

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ChromebooksGoogle Tips and Tricks

Chromebook Christmas: 14 Jolly Chrome Extensions

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Ready to explore some jolly Chrome extensions? This list of thirteen, fourteen extensions will get your holiday season off to a fun start!

You can view this document online, or get a copy, to access the links.

    1. Canva: Canva is an online graphic design platform. It offers free access to a wide assortment of design tools and options. 
    2. Chrome MP3 Recorder: This online voice recorder allows you to save your recording as an mp3 file. Simple and easy to use.    
    3. Extensity: Have too many Chrome extensions? Manage them with this Chrome extension.   
    4. Floor Planner: Create a 3D floor plan with this simple CAD-type tool. Great when practicing concepts such as area, circumference, perimeter, etc.   
    5. Kleki: An amazing, easy-to-use drawing/paint tool that includes image layers, and tutorials and is Chromebook friendly. This drawing tool allows you to create and save very nice-looking illustrations.  
    6. LightShot: This cross-platform, Chromebook-friendly screenshot and annotation tool are simple, powerful, and easy.  
    7. Loupe Collage: Easily create great looking collages with this tool. Upload photos from your computer, pull them from the web or get them from your online storage site. Confine your images to a chosen shape or place them in a grid.   
    8. Magnifying Glass: Need to magnify your screen?
    9. OneTab: It’s the end of the day, you have a million tabs open in your web browser. You need to keep them all for tomorrow, but how do you save them? OneTab is the answer to your question and helps you maintain your sanity.
    10. RecordCast: The best video screencasting and editing (that’s right, built-in video editor!) available. Stop wasting money on other tools, give this one a try.  
    11. Sketchpad: Mix photos, drawings, and words in shades of colors. This is such an amazing tool; it is a browser-friendly image editor.   
    12. Text Tools: Work magic on text with this Chrome extension. 
    13. TinyURL Shortener: Create short website addresses in a single bound. In fact, it’s used to create most of the links here.   
    14. WebCam Toy: This app allows you to take creative pictures with your webcam. Take it one step further by using this app and selecting an effect…then use a screencasting tool to create a video!

14 Jolly Chromebook Extensions

Thanks for exploring these extensions for your Chromebook. What others would you suggest?

Updated: This blog entry has been updated to reflect new links for December 2022.

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ChromebooksiOS Tips and Tricks

Merry 3D Printing from TCEA!

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

While some report that 3D printing isn’t a thing anymore, it remains one of the top tech trends for the foreseeable future. That may be because 3D printers are finding their way into classrooms and homes with startling alacrity. This blog entry shares a few choices for printers, design tools, and sources, as well as mobile device apps.

3D Printers for Home

Wondering what printers you can get for your home? Consider these three offerings, ranging from least expensive to most expensive. The Dremel IdeaBuilder packs a punch to your wallet, but offers the most flexibility and versatility in its options. The Mod T also has adherents who praise its small size as perfect for your office desk. Whether you’re looking for a home printer, or considering a small 3D printer for the classroom, there’s something available to match your budget.

Looking for 3D Printing Designs and Tools?

Look no further than Thingiverse and 3D Warehouse! They have literally thousands of designs already created and ready to modify or use as is. And if you want to design your own, consider these two programs for use on your device of choice:

  • Tinkercad – A wonderfully easy to use, web-based 3D printing tool.
  • SketchUp Pro – This $695 program for Mac and Windows computers is available at NO CHARGE to K-12 public schools! Click the link to find out more about TCEA’s offer.
  • My SketchUp – This browser-based version works great on Chromebooks and is available at no charge.

Also, check out this round-up of 3D printing apps for your mobile devices.

3D Printable Ornaments

Never worry about breaking glass ornaments again with 3D filament-based tree decorations. These curios are easy to design, modify, and print for home and office. More importantly, they make it easy to print take-home designs for students.

Find more designs online with these apps at Thingiverse using their iOS app (free) , and 3D Warehouse using SketchUp Viewer for iOS ($14.99).

Updated on 12/1/2021 with new content.

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ChromebooksiOS Tips and TricksProfessional Learning

Fall 2016 Online Certification Recipients

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

Whether it is via a shared cart, 1:1, or BYOD, many teachers and students have access to iPads and Chromebooks to the extent that these are now common tools in their classrooms. Sometimes, though, it is easy to feel as if you know some of the basics, but not all that you need to really start using it as a powerful instructional tool. TCEA has developed two self-paced, online certification programs to help build these skills: the iPad (Level 1) Certification and the Chromebook (Level 1) Certification. These certifications are designed to help busy educators who don’t have time to attend optional after-school training, but do want the knowledge and skills to be adept users of the tools while earning 18 hours of professional development credit.

Each certification consists of self-paced modules to gain basic understanding of the device, pedagogical considerations when integrating the device in various settings (1:1, BYOD, shared cart, etc.), and introductory tutorials of some of the basic tools/apps that can be used on the device to engage students across the content areas. As a capstone to the online certifications, each participant develops a lesson plan that is correlated to specific content standards and integrates the device and tools/apps.

We would like to congratulate the graduates of the Fall 2016 semester who have earned the iPad (Level 1) Certification and/or the Chromebook (Level 1) Certification.

Certification graduates include:

  • Kayla Burgoon of Lubbock ISD – Chromebook (Level 1)
  • Veronica Castillo Baca of Harlingen Consolidated ISD – Chromebook (Level 1)
  • Veronica Castillo Baca of Harlingen Consolidated ISD – iPad (Level 1)
  • Kizuwanda Christie of KIPP – Chromebook (Level 1)
  • Scott Firenza of Lubbock ISD – Chromebook (Level 1)
  • Laura Howard of San Angelo ISD – Chromebook (Level 1)
  • Jackie Johnson of Seminole ISD – iPad (Level 1)
  • Stephanie Trook of Lubbock ISD – Chromebook (Level 1)

Learn more about these certifications or contact Ashley Weiler at aweiler@tcea.org . Group discounts are available for districts/campuses who want to register a group of their educators as a cohort; contact Dr. Bruce Ellis at bellis@tcea.org for more information on group discounts.

 

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Chromebooks

Best Practices for Learning in a Chromebook Classroom

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

As we all have discovered by now, Chromebooks can be an amazing tool for students of all ages. But to make sure that they help kids learn what they need to, take a look at these best practices.

Best Practice #1 – Establish procedures before issuing Chromebooks.

“Figure out which toys your friends can play with,” I remember my mom saying to me before a sleepover with classmates. “And put the ones you don’t want to see damaged, lost, or stolen away.” It’s advice that I took to heart and shared with my own children before they had friends over.

Setting ground rules can certainly help you avoid trouble and heartache down the line. The advice is definitely worth taking when it comes to inviting students and staff to use any kind of device, even durable Chromebooks, in your classroom, library, or school. TCEA member Erin Laughlin (@MrsErinLaughlin) recommends that you consider your responses to questions like the ones below:

  • How will students be issued Chromebooks?
  • How should students be advised to transport Chromebooks?
  • What happens when there is a substitute teacher in the room? Will students be permitted to take advantage of the Chromebook?
  • What should be done when a Chromebook suffers damage?

In response to the last question, one teacher in Fairfield ISD during their Eagle Leadership Academy,pointed out that damage had occurred to a school-owned Chromebook issued to a student. “What did you do?” I asked, wondering if the student was to be forced to reimburse the district or forced to replace the device. “We made sure it wasn’t malicious and then just worked to get it fixed or replaced. No action was taken since this was an accident.” Erin also suggests having rules like these in place:

  • No food or drinks should be in sight when Chromebooks are out.
  • Carry Chromebooks with two hands at all times.
  • Do not get a Chromebook if teacher is out of the room.
  • Nothing should be on the desk except the Chromebook unless told otherwise.
  • Students should only be on websites assigned or approved by the teacher.
  • Have students and parents sign a statement saying they will abide by the rules.
  • Have reasonable consequences for students who aren’t following the rules; taking away the Chromebook should be your last resort.

As you might imagine, some common-sense suggestions include assigning a student to be in charge of the Chromebooks, ensuring monitoring of issuance and receipt of devices by class members. Consider including a Google Form to let students report how a Chromebook was damaged. Be sure to label your class Chromebooks so they will be easy to locate in case they leave your classroom. Finally, Kim from Fairfield ISD suggests that the teacher and students get in the habit of plugging in Chromebooks correctly so they are charged for the next group.

Best Practice #2 – Teach Chromebook basics along with digital citizenship.

“You can’t issue students devices until they’ve had digital citizenship lessons required by E-Rate.” These lessons also ensure that you can discuss important issues about caring for other people’s equipment.

In my experience, students often take great care of equipment issued to them when there is a culture of care cultivated in the school as a whole. Keys aren’t ripped off keyboards in classrooms where the teacher makes every effort to care for his/her technology and assigns students the jobs of cable management, removing dust from devices, and cleaning keyboards/screens.

Every device brings its own challenges, and Chromebooks are no different. Providing an overview of Chromebook and Google Apps tips ensure that students feel confident in using new technologies, rather than frustrated.

Best Practice #3 – Promote collaboration.

“My two favorite tools for a 1:1 classroom,” I shared at the recent Tots and Technology Conferences that took place in Galveston and Frisco this past summer, “include Nearpod.com and Seesaw.com.” Each provides tools for sharing your screen with students and collecting their work.

Nearpod serves as a presentation and eyeball management tool for you, pushing your screen out to all student Chromebooks. Seesaw serves as a digital portfolio that collects students’ digital and physical work in one virtual space that is easily shared but manageable.

Let’s quickly explore some other top tips for promoting collaboration:

  • Quiz tools: Other ways to engage students include quizzing tools like Quizizz.com and Kahoot.com. Quizizz allows students to log in with their Google account and all completed assignments are reported and available in Google Classroom.
  • Easy video assessment: Use tools like EdPuzzle and/or FlipGrid to take already existing videos from YouTube, Khan Academy, etc. You can also put your own online, adding your voice and questions to create an interactive video lesson. You’ll be able to see how many times your students watch the video or attempt a question, as well as the responses given.
  • Share web links with Google Tones: Facilitate the sharing of complex uniform resource locators (URLs) using Google Tone.
  • Take screenshots or record video screencasts: Use tools like the Nimbus Screenshot/Screencast extension for Google Chrome to quickly capture your screen for a flipped lesson or explanation.
  • Use Google Classroom to create a virtual classroom presence for students, blending in Google Calendar and YouTube videos to facilitate online learning.
  • Use badges in your classroom: TCEA member Joe Camacho (@CamachoEdTech) recommends setting up and issuing badges to celebrate student learning and sharing. Students can learn Google Apps tools such as Sites, Classroom, Forms, Docs, Drawings, and Slides, as well as other tools in use like DocHub, Flubaroo, Edpuzzle, Kahoot, Quizizz, creating screencasts, and Padlet.

Another neat tip for promoting collaboration and sharing comes from Erin Laughlin again. She suggests creating a “shark tank” in your classroom, having older students create products that are evaluated by younger students serving as “the sharks.” Older students pitch their solution to a problem using Google Hangouts, bridging the distance between their classroom at one campus and another. Of course, this activity can also be done at even greater distances. If that is of interest, consider the Connecting for a Cause website, where students create a Google Sites web presence that represents their cause.

Interested in learning more ways students can collaborate in a Google Apps-powered classroom? Drop me a tweet @mguhlin and request an in-person workshop.

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