Grade nine students get Chromebooks in some high schools

Hundreds of grade nine students in the Thames Valley District school board will be sporting more than new clothes this fall. They'll each be getting their own Chromebook, a laptop computer that works exclusively with the internet.

It's part of a two year pilot project involving eight high schools that will cost the Thames Valley board $409,461 in the first year.

Saunders is one of the schools participating, and vice-principal Travis Kartye strongly advocated for them.

He told CBC's London Morning "it's critical to (have) students engaged in their learning " and involved in new models of learning.

Kartye said teachers will decide how the Chromebooks are used in the classroom, but the former math teacher gave one example. Instead of teachers manually creating graphs to demonstrate the mapping of equations, as was the case in the 80s, students will use Chromebook apps to create their own graphs.

"It's going to allow the student to dive much deeper into what the actual graphs mean," he said.

When asked how teachers will prevent students from doing others things with their Chromebooks, such as looking at Snapchat or Instagram -- when they're supposed to be doing math – Kartye said it will be a challenge for students -- and teachers -- to have the technology in their hands all day.

He said teachers will create expectations for students in the computerized classroom, like they always have.

"There are going to be times when the teacher is going to say: 'Today is not a day for your technology. I need you to put it away, because we're going to be (doing an activity) that is not going to require your Chromebook."

Students get Chromebooks in November

The project will have a phased roll-out. Teachers will get their Chromebooks this week and will be participating in professional development in September and October, to give them time to get used to the device.  Grade nine students will receive their Chromebooks in November.

Participating schools are: 

• Glencoe District High School in Glencoe (Middlesex County)
• College Avenue SS in Woodstock
• Central Elgin Collegiate Institute in St. Thomas
• West Elgin SS in West Lorne
• Saunders SS in London
• Westminster SS in London  
• Sir Frederick Banting SS in London

The devices work only with the Internet, and Kartye acknowledged that a lack of access to WiFi at home could make it difficult  for some students to complete their homework. But, he noted, that WiFi has become increasingly prevalent in the community, at places such as fast-food outlets and coffee shops.

Kartye said the board will develop a model that works for all students.

"Teachers aren't going to say: 'All your work must be done on the Chromebook, just like now we differentiate our instruction" for students with different abilities."

Kartye conceded there may be some growing pains, but he's convinced the experiment will be a success. He predicts putting a computer in the hands of every grade nine student will leader to higher EQAO scores and better engagement with students .

"It's not going to be a game-changer. It's going to be something that allow us to have another … tool in our toolbox"  to reach students and improve student learning.