The future is here. Warrenton High School for the first time this year has assigned a personal, portable computer to every single student to carry and take home at night.The computers are a type of small laptop produced by Google, called Chromebooks. They’re designed to be relatively inexpensive by coming with less physical hardware and relying on internet-based programs and information storage (although an internet connection isn’t required to use one). The devices cost an average of $220, depending on how they are purchased.School district officials refer to the Chromebook deployment as having a “one-to-one” assignment; one computer for every one student. Officials say the availability and affordability of the computers open up new ways for students to learn and collaborate. They aren’t replacing textbooks, just expanding on what textbooks offer.High school Principal Dr. Loraine Raziq said Chromebooks or similar devices have become standard learning tools for students in many school districts. They’ve been present in R-III schools for a number of years, but the high school only recently acquired enough to have one for every student, Raziq said.The change gives some high school students access to learning tools they might not have had outside of school, she said.“(Students) can access the internet from just about anywhere. That opens up an entire world,” Raziq commented. “You’ve got online learning resources. ... You’ve got YouTube, where you can literally learn anything in the world that you want to learn about, or if you don’t understand something, somebody else can explain it to you. There’s just so many things now at their fingertips.”The Chromebooks come installed with Google document software that function like traditional office programs. But the “Google docs” can be viewed and edited by multiple users over the internet, creating new opportunities for group collaboration and information sharing. Raziq said teachers also can distribute learning materials and assignments through an online hub, now that they know every student has a computer to take home.To prevent mischief students might get into on an internet-capable device, every Chromebook has a strict firewall installed that prevents inappropriate usage and allows school staff to remotely deactivate the computers. The firewall isn’t infallible, but Raziq said students who somehow bypass it can have their device taken away.As far as entrusting students with the responsibility of caring for a valuable electronic device, Raziq pointed out that the textbooks assigned to students all together cost far more. Most people just don’t realize how expensive the books are.Computers in the classSome classes have been using Chromebooks stationed at the school for several years, while others are just beginning to fully adopt them.Math teacher Jason Koper said he is one of those who is now thinking of new ways to help students learn. He’s begun giving start-of-class review problems to his students through the devices, as well as sharing class notes and online resources to help students practice what they’ve learned.Koper said his approach to teaching will probably change as students and teachers get used to having the devices.“Trying to find ways to use the Chromebooks every day, it’s just going to be a learning process. My first thought in math was ‘I’ve got to be more creative’ on how to do this and how I can use them,” he commented. “I think it’s great for our school district. ... We have this resource that kids get to take home, that not all of our students may be able to afford.”Like with any technology in the classroom, Koper said he sees potential for Chromebooks to become a disruption for students. But he explained that teachers have the ability to monitor what students are doing with their devices and keep them on track.Long-term goalR-III Superintendent Dr. Gregg Klinginsmith said Chromebooks have been in use at the district’s middle school and elementary schools for years as well. Those schools might also adopt a one-to-one program as they build up their stock of devices over time, he said.Klinginsmith gave credit for making the one-to-one program possible to the school district’s technology department. They’ve been able to keep the Chromebooks in good working condition so the district can steadily bring in more than it’s having to replace.The Chromebooks have become a regular part of the school district’s technology budget, Klinginsmith said. Doing one-to-one distribution at the high school won’t have much impact on the existing budget for the devices.“It really won’t be any different than it has been in the past. It will just be that now we’re giving them to kids instead of holding on to them. The budget line itself hasn’t changed much,” Klinginsmith explained.On top of helping students, Chromebooks have also become a tool the school district provides for its teachers, the superintendent added.Teachers and administrators can collaborate to develop virtual courses that any teacher can use to guide their class and prepare for standardized assessments. They can also provide class tests and homework through a program that will automatically grade multiple-choice answers.That will leave teachers more time for broader analysis of where their classes are doing well and where they need help, Klinginsmith said. Eventually, he hopes to build up a system where teachers get data-based feedback on how their students are progressing toward learning goals.And someday down the line, the Chromebooks might become another kind of learning opportunity. The district is interested in creating a class where students learn to repair broken devices themselves, Klinginsmith said.“We don’t have that set up yet. That’s pretty standard — most districts that are one-to-one have a class where kids do this. We’ll probably get there, we’re just not there yet.”

Warrenton High School students work on assignments using Chromebooks in their health class Sept. 3. The computers are supplied in protective cases. The high school this year provided one Chromebook to each student. 

Record photo/Adam Rollins