A story of going 1:1 with Chromebooks – Getting Started

For an Instructional Technology Specialist like me, going 1:1, that is one Chromebook for every student at my school, was a dream come true.  It was especially exciting since the division had teased us for many months with promises to deliver devices with no follow through.

Finally, teachers would no longer have to battle each other to reserve half-empty (or half-full) carts of old laptops that inevitably had dead batteries, missing keys, or operated at a sloths pace.  Finally, I wouldn’t have to be the verbal punching bag for all of these legitimate complaints.

Here are some of the ideas and resources that I provided to teachers who, for the most part, were about to teach in a 1:1 environment for the first time in their careers. 

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

By far, the #1 concern among my colleagues on the eve of this transition was managing the digital classroom.  How do you get students to stay focused on academics when they are constantly tempted to play games (content filters can and will be circumvented), watch YouTube videos, or chat online with their friends?

1. Build relationships – Not always, but in general, students won’t be as off-task with technology if they believe that the teacher knows them and cares about them.  If they deviate from the task, a quick admonishment will get them back on track if they know you are acting in their best interests.
   
   
2. Set norms and procedures EARLY – Layout your expectations regarding the use of technology early and often.  Perhaps have the students help write digital norms as a part of your class norms. Students want to know the boundaries and they should all be clear that technology is a tool for learning, not a toy.  Use this Traffic Light graphic posted in a prominent place in your room to indicate the appropriate times to use devices.  Also, use verbal cues to get students’ eye balls off their screens and back on to you.  I like terms such as “Pac-man your screen,” “clamshell,” “tip the top,” or “dock it” to prompt students to tip their screen down at a 45° angle so you can address the class with their full attention.  The key is to RESIST the urge to start talking before EVERYONE tilts down their screens.  If you talk before then, the students won’t think you’re serious about having their attention.
   
   
3. Monitor – There is no substitute for good old fashioned vigilance. Students who know you are always at your desk when they are on their device will get off task.  They will test the limits.  Try to always circulate the room even during independent work.  If you are working with a small group, position yourself or the other students so that you can see their screens.  For example, put desks along the back wall facing the wall for independent or paired work so you can view their screens from the front of the room.
   
   
4. Know your Chromebook – You don’t have to be a Chromebook expert to manage your students on their devices, but learning a few tricks will help you keep your students honest and enforce your norms.  Check out these Teacher Chromebook Tips.

WHERE DO I START?

Suddenly having students with daily access to the power of the Web sounds great to some, but terrifying to others who are more comfortable with using textbooks and worksheets to deliver and practice content, respectively. 

Managing Expectations

The first step is understanding that you don’t have to use technology all the time just because students have it.  During our first faculty meeting, my principal and I reassured teachers that they were not expected to use the Chromebooks all day, every day.  Balance, moderation, and having a clear purpose for technology integration are all keys to being successful in a 1:1 environment.  Balance digital and non-digital activities, moderate the overall use of technology based on the needs of each class, and always know why you are integrating technology.  Is it enhancing your student’s learning experience?  Is student learning improved by the use of the technology?  Many teachers put pressure on themselves to integrate technology too fast.  Unless you have significant experience doing so, it’s best to manage your own expectations and start slowly.

Start Small

Start integrating technology into your lesson plans with something simple and get comfortable with it before adding something else.  For example: 

• Use Kahoot! or Quizizz to game-ify a review of your lesson objectives.
• Use Padlet to hold a student discussion forum or curate resources
• Use Quizlet to help students study vocabulary or terms from your lesson.
• Use Answer Garden to create a student-generated word cloud.
• Use Socrative to ask a question or poll the class.
• Use a Google Form to get student feedback or give a quiz.
  

The goal is to avoid overwhelming yourself or the students with a constant barrage of new tech tools each week.  Most students enjoy using technology to learn, but too many tools can make them feel overwhelmed and frustrated as they have to focus more on learning and mastering the tool rather than the content.

Observe Others

The fastest way to learn how to effectively integrate technology in your classroom, by far, is to find experienced, tech-savvy colleagues to observe and talk to.  Watch their lessons, ask questions, pick their brains, get advice from these people and then build on what they do so you can contribute something back.  We are all on this journey of discovery together.  No one has effective technology integration totally figured out, so don’t feel inferior by asking for help.  Don’t let your pride get in the way of you getting advice from someone who may be younger and less experienced.  We can all grow at any age and in these times of constant changes in technology, we all MUST grow to keep up.

The only way to go wrong is to deny that change is necessary.  Going 1:1 opens up a plethora of learning opportunities for both you and your students.  Denying that fact does a disservice to you as a professional and to your students who won’t benefit from opportunities that more progressive teachers will offer to their students.  The bottom line is that you don’t want to be that teacher whose intransigence and willful ignorance holds your students back from achieving their potential.  As Maya Angelou said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

Look for future posts about how 1:1 Chromebooks have changed (or not) the way teachers teach and students learn.