Room 20 researched and created persuasive letters to convince Mr Harris to buy some Chromebooks for the school. We have just found out that we will be trialing two initially with the possibility of getting more depending on how the trial. Well done Room 20!
Mr Harris commented on how persuasive Keanu's letter was so please have a read and learn a little more about Chromebooks. We will keep you up-dated with the trial.
Keanu Panapa
6b Foxs Terrace
Arrowtown
Robin Harris
Principal
Arrowtown School
9 Chalmers Place
Arrowtown
9302
Wednesday 28 May 2014
Dear Mr Harris,
Do you have to share your laptop with 20 other people? No you don’t, but we do. As our community relies more and more on technology, it is essential that students have regular access so we learn how to use it in the best way. At the moment we share five macbooks between 56 students which is despicable. I work better on a device because I’m not a fast, neat writer. We have found that using google docs is awesome. It is everything in one, twenty books in one email, in one space. We can continue to use google docs if we all have a device each. This device should be a Chromebook. This is because they are very cost effective so all students could have them, they will enable all students easy access to google docs and they help students stay up to date with how to use the latest technology.
My first point will hopefully grab your attention. The price. At the most Chromebooks cost $350 so think about it, how many $350 chromebooks go into one $1,700 mac book. Yes, about four-five. Don’t get me wrong macbooks are fantastic, they offer more than chromebooks but they actually have more than what we need and are too high in price. Mac books end up having photobooth, music, fire fox, garage band, but we don't need that - all we need is google chrome with smooth internet connection. Chromebooks have that with low price and we can download any apps we need on google store which are free.
My second point is that it is the internet. It is google chrome and google docs. Chrome books aren't for downloading games or personal use, the only things you can download on google store. Its for school work only and we’ve never used any apps on mac books when we have google chrome. Chromebooks are clearly for google chrome, its in the name. Google docs is all about collaboration. We did our World War One exhibit on google docs. Our presentations were good - if we had 56 chromebooks they would’ve been great. Some of the kids muck around because they don’t have have a laptop but if they did have a laptop there would be no excuses.
Lastly, having a class set of Chromebooks enables ALL students to have access. This is not only fair but very beneficial as the world is becoming more and more reliant on technology. Students need to know how to use it well. Many careers will require people to be excellent users of technology. We can best prepare our students for the real world by providing regular access. If we don’t students will be left behind and unable to “Go for gold”.
Chromebooks are the most cost effective way to provide all students with access to the internet and technology that they need to learn and produce the quality of work that they have the potential to produce. The New Zealand curriculum states that schools should be helping students to be ‘confident, connected, life-long learners’ - it is through Chromebooks that this school can help do this.
Yours Sincerely
Keanu Panapa
