Did you hear that? "There are different needs in here and they're all able to use Chromebooks."
In this video, Fairfield Elementary School 1st grade teacher Talor Kirk talks about how her 32 first graders have a wide range of needs. Her students morning routine consists of getting settled into the class and sitting at their desk before logging onto their Chromebooks to work on the posted activity. A difficulty for her implementing a digital based classroom was the length of time it took to train and explain how the platform works to the students. A great suggestion that Ms. Kirk gives as a time saver is to know your strong students, pick 4-6 of them to train first then they go back to their groups and train their peers.
Functions on the key boards like arrows and space bars can serve as functions to help complete a task. For example, adding proper punctuation while editing a paragraph. The video proclaims that when students are excited about what they are learning, they do not get bored and are less likely to get distracted. Ms. Kirk also sheds light on one of the main purposes for using google classroom is accessibility. It is easy to post, explain, complete/ submit, and provide feedback in a way that an individual student learns best. This can include digital worksheets where they can insert images for drawing an obtuse angle or providing feedback in a video upload to their submission because they like to listen to it multiple times if they do not have a strong memory. As "Chromebooks| Google for Education" article suggests, students stay engaged in a personalized online environment where they have options and multiple ways to interpret/ express information. The inexpensive Chromebooks have auto save and auto updates with parental controls. In the context of accommodations/ modifications to the curriculum and meeting the students needs, learning preferences, of all learners Chromebooks are a very useful resource.
Using my professional judgement from past experiences, there are limits to the accessibility of a Chromebooks function. These limitations may include: no printing, difficult to have compatible with other devices i.e. smart board, projectors, or speakers where other accessories are usually needed, students cannot customize the tool bars or functions of the computer itself (must be on wifi to use google apps), limited storage and can be slow as it does not work without a strong wifi connection. Also, there are no photoshop or video editing programs.
From a 2021 in depth comparison of Google's Chromebook and Windows 10 (PC/ laptop) processors, some of these limitations have been noted.
I am a Chromebook user myself as I believe they are a discrete and fun way to create meaningful learning experiences for all students, especially when you have a class with students that are working from a grade 2- grade 7 level. I am grateful enough for my school to provide them for students who cannot bring their own device. With that said, I do empathize with concerns regarding the practicality of Chromebooks being the main source of learning given varying socioeconomic positions of students and their families or lack of support to access this program. This will have the opposite effect and cause the student to become more shy and distanced from learning because they are unconfident with their work.
Facts:
"Globally, more than 1 billion people need 1 or more assistive products.
With an ageing global population and a rise in noncommunicable diseases, more than 2 billion people will need at least 1 assistive product by 2030, with many older people needing 2 or more.
Today, only 1 in 10 people in need have access to assistive products.
Assistive products maintain or improve an individual’s functioning and independence, thereby promoting their well-being."
These facts are directly from "Assistive Technology" 2018 World Health Organization article.
Do you feel that the benefits of Chromebooks as assistive technology in the classroom outweigh its limitations? Share your thoughts below!
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