Chromebook launch coming to middle school Monday
Middle school tech club students have already started checking out their new Chromebooks, which they will begin using Monday as part of a pilot program at Bellwood-Antis.
February 27, 2015
Chromebooks will be given to 13 selected eighth graders from the Leadership Program to collect data about how Google apps can be integrated into the classroom.
“This pilot program is going to test using the Chromebooks in comparison to the laptops we currently have. We’re going to use the data collected from teachers and students to assist in the development of a technology plan for the district. We feel that it’s important for the students to have access to electronic devices,” said Ms. Forshey.
Originally, only ten Chromebooks were available for the students. But, thanks to the Bellwood-Antis School District Foundation, Ms. Forshey and Mr. Partner were given money to buy two additional chrome books.
The B-A Tech Club created a video for the Foundation, thanking the members for giving Ms. Forshey $600 for two extra Chromebooks.
Mr. Partner is going to run point on the program, so he’s the lead teacher in the initiative. He will be using the Chromebooks with the students in his fourth and seventh period classes.
They students will have the Chromebooks with them all day and will be taking them home. The devices will be managed through an administrative console similar to how the laptops are monitored.
“The goal is to see if this is what we want to do on a wider scale,” said Mr. Partner. “Some of the applications that we would be using include Google docs for collaboration. This means that a few of the students could be working on an assignment at the same time, bouncing ideas off of each other, both in class and out.”
Mr. Partner will be using Google presentations he created over the summer when he made the transition from the high school to the middle school. He’s going to take all of those presentations and convert them from a Powerpoint and put them to a Google presentation. That way, students will have access to those presentations.
The pilot program will run for at least a month.
“We’re both very excited. The administration, especially Mr. Wagner and Dr. McInroy have been very supportive,” said Forshey.
