02 Apr Building a Chromebook Community with Parent and Teacher Support
Creating an attractive image for your Chromebook program helps parents and teachers adjust to tech-savvy curriculum and fosters teamwork among faculty.
Regardless of who controls the budget, school faculty have the ultimate power to solidify or sink a Chromebook initiative by choosing whether to treat these devices as valuable educational tools or expensive paperweights. Similarly, a parent’s level of enthusiasm influences a child’s eagerness to excel and explore the computer’s technical capabilities. So, before devices arrive, administers should take every opportunity to market an upcoming Chromebook program and make the technology feel synonymous with the school community.
- Name Your Program
John Doe High School 1:1 Initiative is straightforward and to the point, but it doesn’t set your district or school apart from the thousands of other institutions sporting similar names. Choose a short, catchy, easy-to-remember title based on your program goals or school identity, such as Power2Learn or Tigers 1:1. Not only does an official name personalize your student portal but it creates a cohesive image in all of your communications and marketing materials.
- Create a Resource Hub
Rather than leaving teachers and families to find apps on their own, provide a resource hub with a ready-made bundle. Ask a member of your IT staff to record quick video demos on ways to use each apps, and make the website easily accessible to parents. Most importantly, send out an email to encourage families to explore the hub in their free time, helping parents familiarize themselves with the tools their children will be using every day.
- Alert the Media
If technological innovations are happening at your school, let everyone know. Reach out to the district community with newsletters and local newspaper coverage explaining the creative Chromebook projects going on at your school. Personalize the stories by showcasing tips and experiences from teachers and students involved in pilot programs, emphasizing how they’ve solved obstacles or discovered clever shortcuts.
- Organize Training Workshops
Many teachers involved in pilot programs valued the team effort displayed by faculty. Take advantage of the tech-savvy, enthusiastic members of your staff, and periodically offer optional Chromebook workshops for faculty and parents with less computing experience. Creating a learning environment among the adults can lead to improvements in curriculum development and ensure that teachers are putting the devices to effective use.
Content brought to you by Volume Cases, iPad and Chromebook case specialists for the education sector
No Comments