Choosing the Right Device for Online Learning

Donna Teuber, me, MaryAnn Sansonetti-Wood

This week, I attended the NCTIES Conference in Raleigh.  I entered the Raleigh Convention Center with a few goals in mind:

1. Choose a device
2. Learn how to engage our tech savvy children
3. Add new tricks to my bag of Internet skills

For me, the conference was a huge success! It seemed all the stars aligned for me when I came across "The Showcase Showdown: Choosing the Right Device for Student Learning" and the friendly Tech Integration Specialists from Richland County School District Two.   MaryAnn Sansonetti-Wood explained how her school district had test-driven iPads, Android Tablets, Chromebooks and laptops with VDI (Virtual Desktop Interface).  The winner of the Showdown...the Chromebook. MaryAnn explained the features of the Chromebook-it has a keyboard, is quick, light, and ready to be moved around from place to place. Added features: the Chromebook needs no tech support as it is run completely on the web-based ChromeOS and updates automatically.  Students and teachers are able to do everything they needs through Google Apps and all their stuff is stored in the Cloud, available anytime, anywhere with web access. The price point, about $500, is enticing, too.  Plus, the Chromebook is lightweight (about 3 pounds) and has a long battery life. Of course, it has its pitfalls, too. The Chromebook is entirely web-based which means nothing is actually saved on the device. Intrigued by all of this, I decided to join MaryAnn and her colleagues at their presentation "Chrome and Google Apps: Two Peas in a Pod" where I learned about apps that could satisfy all my picture saving, document making, and educational gaming needs.
Of course, I came home and did further research on the Chromebook. I found positive and negative reviews on TekGoblin and MIT's Technology Review.   
Feeling fully informed and ready to supplement my desktop with something I can browse while sitting comfortably on the couch, I've made my decision.  I'm getting one.