Blog post by Brian Friedlander

Chromebooks by Google may look like ordinary laptop computers, but appearance is where the similarities end. In fact, Chromebooks are extraordinary and totally unique devices that start up in seconds, come with leading Google products like Search, Gmail and Docs preinstalled, offer thousands of apps and extensions, allow for effortless collaboration, and back up your work in the cloud. All that, and they are affordable, too. It is no surprise then that more and more school districts are investing in Chromebooks. These schools need to plan for training teachers and professional staff on how best to utilize this new tool for classroom instruction. Teachers will need to incorporate a new set of skills and understand how extensions and apps can be installed to round out the experience for the student. With Chromebooks, teachers will have to make the switch from the word processors they are used to Google Docs. Rather than saving files on a hard drive they will need to store them in the cloud, in Google Drive, which makes them accessible any time from any device connected to the web.  Sharing files is as easy as accessing them. Working in Drive and Docs creates a collaborative work space ideal for group projects .

What happens, though if you are working with students with special needs and all your go-to apps are for the Windows and Macintosh operating system? This can pose a real issue with regards to a student’s I.E.P.  How are you going to put together a solution to match the student’s needs when working in this new environment? While working with Chromebooks can be liberating, until you know how to master this new tool, it can be a frustrating experience. This is why Mike Marotta and I developed this quick reference guide, Chromebooks in the Classroom: Changing the Landscape of Education. In six concise pages we explain how to best utilize Chromebooks in your classroom. It includes a list and description of apps and extensions to maximize your productivity and your students’ productivity and learning. In the guide we explain how to make the most out of your investment and how the Chromebook can be used across the curriculum in subjects to support reading, note taking, STEM, and executive functioning. We explain how you can extend your Chromebooks by connecting document cameras and scientific probes from some of the leading educational technology companies. So whether you are not the getting the most out of your Chromebook, or just need a resource to guide and supplement training, pick up a copy of Chromebooks in the Classroom: Changing the Landscape of Education from National Professional Resources. Order online by visiting the Chromebooks in the Classroom product page, or call 1-800-453-7461.

In the new 6-page laminated reference guide, Chromebooks in the Classroom: Changing the Landscape of Education, authors Brian S. Friedlander & Mike Marotta introduce teachers to Chromebooks by Google and review how they can be used in the classroom to provide universal supports across the curriculum to all learners, eliminating the need for specialized assistive technology devices for students with special needs.

Brian S. Friedlander & Mike Marotta, authors of Chromebooks in the Classroom

The authors, pictured here with an early draft of the guide, presented last week at the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) annual conference in Orlando, FL.

The guide is available for pre-order by calling (800) 453-7461. It will be be by February 1 available for immediate shipment and online ordering at http://www.nprinc.com/chromebooks-in-the-classroom/.