MONROE - Some Monroe High School teachers and administrators are searching for a technology device to help raise the bar for student achievement, and they contend Google's Chromebooks could be the best option.
The Monroe school board will consider several options, including a plan to purchase Google Chromebooks for every student at Monroe High School at its next board meeting Monday. Monroe Business Manager Ron Olson said one Chromebook and licensing is $265. Purchasing Chromebooks for every student at the high school would cost the district about $212,000. The board will also review an option to purchase 400 Chromebooks for next year's freshmen and sophomores for $106,0000 or to lease the devices through a three- or four-year agreement.
Dan Keyser, the district's director of curriculum and instruction, is a proponent of purchasing the Chromebook devices to use at the high school starting next fall.
While the device is more similar to a laptop than a tablet in appearance, its capabilities more closely resemble those of a tablet.
"The Chromebook is an Internet shell," Keyser said. "All it can do is connect to the Internet through the Google Chrome web browser. I think having a device in students' hands is critical for us as a society. Regardless of whether students go to the workforce, a tech college or a four-year university, they will be working in a digital world. There are not many jobs that don't require a digital device."
A group of MHS teachers along with administrators have spent more than a year studying various technological devices the high school could use in the classroom as part of the district's long-term technology plan. The high school teachers studied iPads, laptop computers, Chromebooks and various net books to use for a one-to-one technology deployment. Two years ago, the first phase of the technology plan was to purchase iPads for sixth-graders at Monroe Middle School. Last year, the district expanded the iPad deployment to seventh- and eighth-graders so every student at the middle school had a device. The district also updated the wireless capability at the high school.
Why use Chromebooks when the middle school is already using iPads?
"The big points are you can have multiple students working collaboratively on the same project and platform and the teacher can be a part of that," Keyser said. "They wanted that collaboration with their peers, a good battery life and something that is easy to manage."
Keyser said the district looked at other school districts including Milton, Baraboo and Fond du Lac that have completed similar tech rollouts at the high school level.
There are some drawbacks to the Chromebook. A student must have Internet access to use the device at home. If teachers give students assignments, those without Internet access may have to find resourceful ways to complete assignments or projects, whether it's going to the library, staying after school or finding a public area with Internet access.
"I think it levels the playing field for the haves and the have-nots," Monroe High School Principal Chris Medenwaldt said. "Other school districts have found that students have spent more time at basketball games, extracurricular events and after school to use the Chromebook."
The two Google apps Keyser said high school teachers have already started professional development on are Google Docs and Calendar. Google Docs is a word processing program students would use to write papers.
Chromebooks have an attached keyboard, making typing longer documents easier than on the iPad's touchscreen keyboard.
"At the high school level with longer papers and research projects, we definitely wanted to have an attached keyboard," Keyser said.
There isn't a lot of data that shows how standardized test scores are effected by using a technology device in the classroom, but there are companies and districts that are starting to track the progress. With an increased demand for technology devices to be used as an education tool in classrooms, some wonder if the textbook will fall by the wayside.
"There will still be a need for textbooks and novels for those classes that need them," Keyser said. "As we move more to an online style of blended learning, I'm sure some teachers will take advantage of that."
Cost is also a factor in the recommendation to go to Chromebooks. One Chromebook is about $185 cheaper than an iPad.
"Initially, a year ago, I wanted teachers to focus on how it would be used in the classroom and what we wanted students to accomplish with the device," Keyser said. "We certainly looked at it (cost). It wasn't the overriding factor."
The board will have to weigh what option best fits the needs of the high school and which one they can afford. The Colony Brands Foundation last year agreed to commit $100,000 a year for four years to support the technology initiative in the district to meet 21st century Common Core state standards.
Monroe School District Superintendent Cory Hirsbrunner said the district may be able to use some of the foundation funds to purchase the Chromebooks.
Board member Les Bieneman supports the Chromebooks proposal.
"I think we should get them for every student at the high school, even if we have to cut from somewhere else," Bieneman said.
Keyser said the district expects to see a savings in printing and toner costs, but he said it's tough to speculate what that savings would be.
Some high school teachers used Chromebooks last summer, and high school business and marketing teacher Sherri Hendrickson has piloted the Chromebook in her personal finance class this year. If the board approves a plan to purchase Chromebooks, Hendrickson is aware there will be a lot of training in the summer for every teacher to get up to speed.
"To teach in an environment where everyone has a Chromebook and Internet access is something that will need a lot of professional development," she said.
The Monroe school board will consider several options, including a plan to purchase Google Chromebooks for every student at Monroe High School at its next board meeting Monday. Monroe Business Manager Ron Olson said one Chromebook and licensing is $265. Purchasing Chromebooks for every student at the high school would cost the district about $212,000. The board will also review an option to purchase 400 Chromebooks for next year's freshmen and sophomores for $106,0000 or to lease the devices through a three- or four-year agreement.
Dan Keyser, the district's director of curriculum and instruction, is a proponent of purchasing the Chromebook devices to use at the high school starting next fall.
While the device is more similar to a laptop than a tablet in appearance, its capabilities more closely resemble those of a tablet.
"The Chromebook is an Internet shell," Keyser said. "All it can do is connect to the Internet through the Google Chrome web browser. I think having a device in students' hands is critical for us as a society. Regardless of whether students go to the workforce, a tech college or a four-year university, they will be working in a digital world. There are not many jobs that don't require a digital device."
A group of MHS teachers along with administrators have spent more than a year studying various technological devices the high school could use in the classroom as part of the district's long-term technology plan. The high school teachers studied iPads, laptop computers, Chromebooks and various net books to use for a one-to-one technology deployment. Two years ago, the first phase of the technology plan was to purchase iPads for sixth-graders at Monroe Middle School. Last year, the district expanded the iPad deployment to seventh- and eighth-graders so every student at the middle school had a device. The district also updated the wireless capability at the high school.
Why use Chromebooks when the middle school is already using iPads?
"The big points are you can have multiple students working collaboratively on the same project and platform and the teacher can be a part of that," Keyser said. "They wanted that collaboration with their peers, a good battery life and something that is easy to manage."
Keyser said the district looked at other school districts including Milton, Baraboo and Fond du Lac that have completed similar tech rollouts at the high school level.
There are some drawbacks to the Chromebook. A student must have Internet access to use the device at home. If teachers give students assignments, those without Internet access may have to find resourceful ways to complete assignments or projects, whether it's going to the library, staying after school or finding a public area with Internet access.
"I think it levels the playing field for the haves and the have-nots," Monroe High School Principal Chris Medenwaldt said. "Other school districts have found that students have spent more time at basketball games, extracurricular events and after school to use the Chromebook."
The two Google apps Keyser said high school teachers have already started professional development on are Google Docs and Calendar. Google Docs is a word processing program students would use to write papers.
Chromebooks have an attached keyboard, making typing longer documents easier than on the iPad's touchscreen keyboard.
"At the high school level with longer papers and research projects, we definitely wanted to have an attached keyboard," Keyser said.
There isn't a lot of data that shows how standardized test scores are effected by using a technology device in the classroom, but there are companies and districts that are starting to track the progress. With an increased demand for technology devices to be used as an education tool in classrooms, some wonder if the textbook will fall by the wayside.
"There will still be a need for textbooks and novels for those classes that need them," Keyser said. "As we move more to an online style of blended learning, I'm sure some teachers will take advantage of that."
Cost is also a factor in the recommendation to go to Chromebooks. One Chromebook is about $185 cheaper than an iPad.
"Initially, a year ago, I wanted teachers to focus on how it would be used in the classroom and what we wanted students to accomplish with the device," Keyser said. "We certainly looked at it (cost). It wasn't the overriding factor."
The board will have to weigh what option best fits the needs of the high school and which one they can afford. The Colony Brands Foundation last year agreed to commit $100,000 a year for four years to support the technology initiative in the district to meet 21st century Common Core state standards.
Monroe School District Superintendent Cory Hirsbrunner said the district may be able to use some of the foundation funds to purchase the Chromebooks.
Board member Les Bieneman supports the Chromebooks proposal.
"I think we should get them for every student at the high school, even if we have to cut from somewhere else," Bieneman said.
Keyser said the district expects to see a savings in printing and toner costs, but he said it's tough to speculate what that savings would be.
Some high school teachers used Chromebooks last summer, and high school business and marketing teacher Sherri Hendrickson has piloted the Chromebook in her personal finance class this year. If the board approves a plan to purchase Chromebooks, Hendrickson is aware there will be a lot of training in the summer for every teacher to get up to speed.
"To teach in an environment where everyone has a Chromebook and Internet access is something that will need a lot of professional development," she said.