Chromebook Classroom Day 1

Last week we had the first trial of using Chromebooks in class. Since we were not sure if the WiFi network would handle fifteen devices connecting at once, we kept it simple.

The lesson started with an introduction to the Chromebooks. I explained what they were, expectations for how they are to be used, and explained briefly about the Google for Education accounts that pupils would be using. We had one device between two, and desks had been cleared off everything else. Bottles were moved to the sides of the class, and it was explained that children would not be able to drink from their bottles unless they asked permission to leave their seats. I also explained that some things, like Gmail, would not be available to them. We have a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) with blogging, messaging, forums and more so there is no need for the Google services to duplicate that.

I had been thinking for some time about the best way to introduce pupils to the Chromebooks and their Google for Education accounts. In the end I decided to get them on to Google classroom quickly, because it made sharing links and files much easier, and show them some file sharing and simultaneous editing of a document as I figured they would get excited about this and find it engaging.

Logging in to the chromebooks and getting on to Google Docs was quick and easy. Each pair added a maths revision tip to their file then saved it. They then shared their file with another pair. This proved slightly trickier as it required them to be very accurate with email addresses, but they quickly got the hang of it. They did indeed find it quite exciting to be able to share work this easily.

Next I got the pupils signed up to Google Classroom. This was so intuitive that some had finished joining the classroom before I even said anything about it - just from the URL and class code I wrote on the board.

I then shared an assignment linked to a single document they could edit. The idea was that they would each add their own tips to the file so we could build a collaborative maths revision tips document. However it soon became clear that fifteen pairs of primary school pupils ask simultaneously editing the same document with no structure is a recipe for disaster. Lots of people are trying to write on the same line (with interesting results), people were deleting and overwriting each others work, and before long a seemingly random line of characters in different fonts, sizes, and colours filled the page.

Some things I need to investigate or deal with:
Adding multiple teachers to a class
Hiding teacher first names
Restricting Logon times
Emphasising the importance of using standard simple fonts for schoolwork
How to create and use templates
Create a written agreement of rules for use of the Chromebooks, for pupils to sign