Fast forward three years to 2014, and I cannot see how we would operate without them. Schools have beefed up their wireless infrastructures and almost all have moved to a cloud-based productivity solution so that saving to hard drives is no longer needed. Additionally, the long battery life and quick start-up and shut-down features take away several obstacles, such as students tripping over power strips, and loss of valuable class time while computers are booting up and shutting down.
Something I really like is the ability for students to personalize their learning based on their interests and needs. There are so many apps and extensions that are available! Students can choose the ones they wish to use for each situation. Almost all of them are free, so the price is right.
As a person who supports teachers as they use technology in their classrooms, Chromebooks have energized me and my colleagues. Students and teachers now have the ability to use productivity tools with built-in collaboration capability. The instructional implications are huge. So not only are Chromebooks convenient, but they tend to nudge educators to teach in different ways. Students are the benefactors.
I recently discovered Intel's new website that has Chromebook tips and ideas for those who want to learn more about using Chromebooks in the classroom: Intel.com/ChromeEDU. You'll find helpful articles written by Erin Klein, Vicki Davis, and Leslie Nielsen. Also, they are running a contest. Those who follow @IntelEDU and tweet about their favorite Chromebook feature with #IntelChromebooks will be entered to win their own Intel-powered Chromebook! Intel is known for its high quality teacher professional development, so this new community is worth checking out.
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