Technology Enhances the School Experience

By Jaydon Pfab

Chromebooks. You love them, I love them, they are very helpful for everyday learning. How much do they really help us learn though? Kids using their Chromebooks for watching football highlights and shopping for clothes is becoming a normal sight.  Walking around, I saw teachers and students using technology and asked them what they thought of the possible distractions. Have Chromebooks helped increase productivity or have they distracted the kids of Potosi High School?

The view of Mrs. Brunton is an interesting one. She believes that Chromebooks are the next wave of learning. Kids often have trouble paying attention, and the use of old technology doesn't help. Writing things down doesn’t keep most kids’ attention, and schools needed a way to integrate technology that kids are familiar with, while still keeping the theme of learning. Brunton feels that Chromebooks are a good mediator between the two. There are a large number of restrictions that can be placed on the Chromebooks, along with the ability to monitor actions that students make on them. With the combination of the ability to block certain dangerous websites and make available only educational ones, Chromebooks are the school’s best tools for learning. For Mrs. Brunton, this means a perfect tool for researching wildlife, and an online notebook for her students to take notes on. She has her students use Chromebooks to take notes because some kids have a hard time keeping up with writing the notes, but with kids’ involvement in technology these days, a keyboard is much more familiar for them. With the introduction of personal Chromebooks, classes have been able to take notes without having to ask the teacher to go back ten slides. Another thing Mrs. Brunton likes is the addition of Schoology for her online classes. The ability to put all of her assignments online for her distance learning students who don't go to Potosi is very handy. She can assign tests and quizzes online without having to go through another teacher at another school. Mrs. Brunton approves of the use of technology in the school and is excited to see the next step of technology in the learning environment.

Mr. Lynn sees technology similarly. He thinks that Chromebooks increase the quality of work and allow students to work faster. Mr. Lynn has noticed an increase of kids turning assignments in on time with the transition to Schoology. He says that teaching is easier not having to spend every second of his day chasing students and trying to get their late homework. “Kids always want an easy way,” Lynn said when asked why he thinks kids turn in homework more online. It is much easier to turn in a paper by clicking a button instead of walking 50 feet to turn the paper into a basket. He uses Chromebooks to teach as well. Kids use Chromebooks to take tests but can ask for a paper test if they prefer it. He makes his lesson plans online and has never done them on paper. It is much easier to access lesson plans that are online instead of taking a lesson plan book around with you that you can lose. Mr. Lynn also thinks that kids are lucky with the technology they have today and that they take it for granted. Kids have always had technology and think that they deserve it, when in reality, it is a privilege that can be taken away.

How do students feel about the use of technology in school? Jason Oyen says that Chromebooks, although useful, are also annoying. He says it is very handy not having to lug large textbooks around, and turning in homework is much easier knowing that he won't lose it. He said that he dislikes the fact that since he isn’t writing things down, it is harder for him to remember some topics. With access to most of the internet, it is hard to stay focused at all times, but Jason says that he doesn’t have much trouble with getting distracted. He likes the addition of Schoology and says it is a good way to sort all of his upcoming tests and assignments. The one major drawback, he says, is the fact of always having to have it charged and ready to go. “Teachers expect you to always have it ready to use but it is hard to remember to charge them at your house. Plus some teachers won’t let you charge them during class,” he said.

Elliot Haverland likes the personal Chromebooks as well, but brings his own laptop to have more personalization. He says that it is nice to just know that his Chromebook will be there if he ever needs it. Having internet in school doesn't distract him often he says, but gets really distracting when he tries to do homework other places, such as his house. Elliot says that Schoology, while handy, can be very confusing based on the teacher using it. He never had to worry about caring for the Chromebook because he would charge it once a week and it would last for that week. All around, Elliot thought that Chromebooks have only really helped with the learning around Potosi High.

As a general consensus, teachers and students alike seem to like the addition of Chromebooks in the school setting, as well as the addition of technology in general. They say it helps with productivity and, even though it can be distracting at times, it increases workflow in the long run. Most teachers said that they would rather the kids keep the Chromebooks and continue the work online.