Chromebooks Make Huge Impact at Lester Prairie Schools

This fall Lester Prairie Schools purchased an additional 76 Chromebooks.  The school's collection of 178 Chromebooks are housed in mobile carts which can be moved throughout the building for access by students and staff.  Currently, Chromebooks are used by students in grades 4-12.

With Chromebooks students can quickly access many Google Apps including Drive, Docs, Sheets and Slides. Google Apps are cloud based so all of the work a student creates and shares is stored in their Google account in the cloud. Cloud based documents allow students to share and collaborate on projects, with the option for multiple student having access to edit the same document at the same time. Students are not limited to Google Apps on the Chromebooks. They can use them to access internet, resources and educational websites as well as for standards testing.

Several teachers at Lester Prairie School use Google Classroom to create and share assignments electronically with their students. Teachers can post announcements and assignments, and share documents with students. Students can keep track of what’s due on the Classroom Assignments page, access assignments and turn in their completed work.

Chromebooks have several advantages over other tech devices. The relatively low cost and easy management make the devices appealing to schools. Chrome management offers a secure environment for students to work and learn. Unlike tablets, Chromebooks have built in keyboards making them better devices for typing reports and papers.

When asked, students responded that they found the Chromebooks helpful in completing assignments and appreciated being able to access relevant and updated information quickly during class.