The Benefits of Chromebooks in the Classroom
Mon 09 September, 2019
In an ever-evolving world, educational technology and tools must adapt to meet the needs of both students and teachers. Chromebooks are becoming increasingly popular as they offer a wide range of educational tools, the ability to collaborate in a secure environment, and more. In this article, we explore the top five benefits of using a Chromebook in the classroom.
1) Access a range of education tools with G Suite for Education
Chromebooks enable instant access to Google’s suite of educational apps and tools. This includes a classroom version of Google Docs, Sheets and Slides, as well as Google Classroom, a free web service which enables the streamlined creation and distribution of assignments.
This opens up a whole host of learning opportunities for students, granting them access to applications that support the development of skills such as video production, coding and podcasting.
Apps are accessible from any Chromebook device and in any location, both online or offline, so students can log in at home and access the same information with the same settings. A variety of learning enhancements are available for students who require additional support, such as voice typing, visual and audio aids, and additional trackpad and typing inputs.
2) Promote collaborative learning
As Google’s suite of educational apps is hosted online, the Chromebook opens up a huge opportunity for collaboration and teamwork between teachers and students. Tools such as Google Docs can be accessed by multiple users simultaneously, allowing students to work together on projects that have the added benefit of saving automatically as they progress. Features such as locked mode and kiosk mode provide students with a solo environment when greater focus is needed.
An added benefit of the apps and tools being hosted online is that there is very little load time as the device is predominantly cloud-based. This helps save valuable minutes in the classroom!
3) Adapt to your budget and educational needs
Google have partnered with multiple brands to bring consumers Asus Chromebooks, Acer Chromebooks, HP Chromebooks and Dell Chromebooks, resulting in a wide range of products and prices to meet different educational institutions. Models with slightly less functionality are therefore more accessible to schools with lower budgets, while schools requiring specific design features can opt for models with tailored capabilities.
Chromebooks are highly durable and can survive a fair amount of wear and tear. This makes them ideally suited for environments where they will be handled by multiple students, each of whom can log in with individual profiles on the same device. For this reason, Chromebooks can be far more cost-effective than traditional laptops or tablet devices.
4) Give administrators and teachers greater control over usage and security
With a Chrome Education Licence, it is possible to manage hundreds of student devices (school-issued or student-owned) from one central interface. This gives school administrators, teachers or IT support teams the ability to oversee large groups of students and educators within a safe and secure environment.
Chromebooks are built with multiple security features which are automatically updated regularly and comply with the Student Privacy Pledge. Schools can also layer on controls and restrictions to ensure their pupils are safeguarded from harmful content.
Bespoke resources and training are available to ensure you have the knowledge and skills you need to manage your network of Chromebooks effectively and securely.
For more information and advice on cloud security, you can view our e-safety page.
5) Installation and maintenance support available from IT providers
As Chromebooks continue to grow in popularity, the majority of school IT providers have experience and expertise in setting up Chromebook networks.
At Soft Egg, we will support every step of the way to ensure your set-up is as smooth as possible. We will work with you to integrate your Chromebook devices within your school’s infrastructure, set-up your Chrome Education Licence and ensure your staff have the training they need.
In addition, we will monitor your set-up on a regular basis and carry out checks to ensure your devices remain healthy and secure with specific support packages for Chromebooks.
To find out more about Chromebook installation and how we at Soft Egg can help, get in touch with the team today.