“Having technology in our classrooms that students also have at home allows us to expand what we teach and how students collaborate,” said Elise Hattem, health teacher at Concord Road School.
"For example, students are learning how to use Google Drive, a file storage and synchronization service that enables cloud file sharing and collaborative editing. Using this technology, students can work in small groups, share research documents and combine all their ideas into one presentation simultaneously," she added..
"As students work, teachers can review their work and provide feedback onto the shared document so groups can revise and easily continue progress," she said. “It is great to see students pool their ideas, share resources with their peers, and help each other much more freely and effectively. It is amazing to see them teach each other best practices.” Chrome books also open the door to a breadth of learning tools and interactive websites not previously available in the classroom such as kidshealth.org, brainpop.com and many, many more. Classes can log into a schoolwide subscription of “Choices” magazine and access current or archived issues. Embedded in the articles are quizzes that students can self-score, close reading and critical thinking questions, and links to related kid-friendly websites. More than 320 Chrome books were added to the school’s WiFi campus and existing infrastructure of iPad carts and desktop systems this year. Although being used primarily for research and collaboration, by using other digital content and tools, teachers are better able to teach, drill, practice and assess comprehension.
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