Running Header: IMPACT OF CHROMEBOOKS ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

The Impact of Chromebooks on Student Achievement

A Grant Application Narrative

Erin Ziems

Bowling Green State University

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Introduction

Student achievement is often trumpeted as the most important thing to look at in a

school system. What is often overlooked is the methodology to get there. I have a vision

that one day technology will be available to every school district in America, and that

technology will help teachers to create deeper richer content lessons that help to boost all

student achievement. One such way is through a one-to-one chromebook program. The

research question for this project I would like to investigate is would a one-to-one

chromebook project be capable of impacting 5th grade student learning within my school

district in a positive way? My hypothesis is that such a program would positively impact

student achievement (as measured by not only classroom grades, but also state scores and

indicators in science, math, and reading and writing), and thus be a solid example and

methodology for high student achievement.

Literature Review - Clarification

First, clarification is needed on precisely what a one-to-one (or a 1-to1) chromebook

program is. A one-to-one chromebook initiative, or program, is one in which every student

is given a personal chromebook or laptop to utilize in their education. Normally, the

chromebook has things such as virtual copies of textbooks, various programs like

GarageBand, iMovie, etc, Internet access, and other resources available for students to

access. Most of the time, this allows for very flexible lessons, and can be done at home or in

school, without the worry of students missing a lesson because they dont have a program

available to them at home. This eliminates the need for paper textbooks, and allows for

teachers to become more creative with lessons. It can lead to ideas such as flipped
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classrooms (where the students do the lesson at home at their own pace and class time is

used to correct any misconceptions or answer any questions the students have), project

based learning, simulations of minute phenomena (a tour through a cell, for example), and

other concepts. Many districts have created these 1-to-1 programs, such as Perrysburg

High School in Perrysburg, Ohio.

Second, student achievement must be defined. According to the National Conference

of State Legislatures, student achievement usually refers to a students performance in

academic areas such as reading, language arts, math, science and history as measured by

achievement tests (Cunningham, 2012). My research question for this grant wishes to

investigate if the use of a one-to-one chromebook initiative program would positively

impact such achievement the proof would be to see a rise in scores on state testing and

indicators, or else in the classroom grades.

Literature Review - Benefits

As far as benefits go, one study conducted by graduate students at Saint Xavier

University in May of 2013 reported that, after creating a technology-supported learning

environment, they saw a 9% motivation and engagement increase in their students, noting that

After presenting that data from the Student Survey post-documentation . . . it was evident that

students were more likely to engage in classroom activities when technology was used

(Godzicki et. al, 2013). A second similar study of different technologies incorporated into the

classroom agreed with the first studys results, seeing a 5-10% increase in student motivation and

engagement when technology was involved as compared to traditional parallel lessons. Banitt,

Theis and Leeuwe noted that increased engagement should translate to improved attitude and

motivation in the classroom, which should then in turn improve student achievement (2013).
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The idea of increased motivation and engagement, however small, through incorporation of a

technology-supported learning environment should be reflected in higher student achievement.

Thus, one benefit to having a technology-supported environment (as a student would have in a

one-to-one chromebook program) is increased motivation and engagement, which in turn would

help to positively impact student achievement.

A second benefit to using a one-to-one chromebook program (or utilizing more

technology in general) is the resources that are available to students through these devices.

GarageBand, Audacity, iMovie, and others are incredibly useful for podcast or movie projects

that could fit into any project based learning curriculum. There are applications that function as

tours for historical sites, space, and other places that normally students couldnt visit. Schoology,

Study Island, and other school wide sites can host students as they go through content, providing

study guides, games and other resources for student use. There is plenty of open-source software

for student use, and hundreds of different tools for students to create dynamic presentations or

complete assignments in ways that will make learning interesting. Further, virtual versions of the

textbooks can be stored on their individual chromebooks. If these resources are available to

every student, then every student stands on more equal footing in terms of being able to succeed

because of the tools they are given. These resources also allow for teachers to more effectively

differentiate lessons to cater to specific student needs (such as students who have IEPs, or 504s)

and learning styles (visual, logical, kinesthetic, etc). With the amount of resources available for

student use, as well as what these resources would allow in a classroom, student achievement

would grow in a positive direction.

A third benefit of a one-to-one chromebook program is that it aligns with a lot of the 21st

Century Skills framework. For example, although the chromebooks would belong to the school,
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students would own the chromebook during the school year. As such, digital skills such as

caring for the device properly, along with skills such as personal responsibility, would be

developed. The use of online tools such as Khan Academy would develop specific skills such as

critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, adaptability, initiative, etc. In

addition, information and media literacy skills would be developed the more time they utilized

their tools and were given direct instruction and training in such skills with these chromebooks.

One could even argue that global awareness could play a part, because with the right instruction

and tools on the chromebook, students would be able to communicate with other students or

people around the world and thus broaden their horizons. One of Wildwood Environmental

Academys primary focuses is conservation efforts through community projects and education of

the environment for all students. By connecting to conservation efforts that are going on around

the globe, the learning becomes much more tangible and real for students, in addition to raising

their global awareness. Thus, students are developing necessary skills for todays world, and

skills that align with the 21st Century Skills Framework. How does that relate to student

achievement? Creativity, problem solving, critical thinking, literacy in both information and

media sources, communication, and the other skills, as they develop, all help students to absorb

and apply the lesson content learned in school to both testing situations and in future classwork

to a much higher extent. Thus, lessons tend to stick with students because their foundation is

stronger due to their well developed skills. This means that students are more likely to

demonstrate a higher mastery of content, which is measured through assessments in the

classroom and by the state.

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Literature Review Challenges

However, as with all projects and research, there are some immediate challenges facing

the project. The first challenge in implementing a one-to-one chromebook program is cost. Cost

does not just refer to the money needed to buy the chromebooks, although that is a part of it. It

also includes the price of maintenance, tech support, and the cost of any programs that might be

placed onto the chromebooks. According to a spreadsheet on Google titled Chrome Devices for

Education Prices, the cheapest device is still $279 for one chromebook. Perhaps a set would

come with a slight discount, but in order to fulfill a one-to-one initiative cost starting with fifth

grade, the total cost would run to be around $9,207. That is a lot of money, especially for a

school like Wildwood, which is both a very small public charter school and one that does not

have that kind of money to just give away. Fortunately, many grants are available for people

willing to take the time to apply. Thus, the first challenge can be conquered by applying for

grants and scholarships.

The second challenge that can be foreseen with a one-to-one chromebook initiative is the

teacher. As amazing a resource as a Chromebook is, it is only a resource. It is not a replacement

for a teacher, who would plan the lesson and train students in the use of the programs, or who

would offer assistance if a student was struggling with understanding the content. However,

many teachers in todays day and age may not be familiar with the use of chromebooks,

especially the older teachers. Students are used to utilizing many different types of digital

devices that is their generations normalcy. Many teachers are not part of that and may struggle

with integrating the chromebook as more than a notebook or virtual textbook. This challenge can

be addressed with proper professional development and training. For example, in an article on

educationworld.com, Nicole Gorman reported on a district that implemented a three-year pilot

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version of a one-to-one chromebook initiative for their grades 6-8. The teachers attended

sessions over the summer that trained them in the use and care of the devices; further, each was

assigned a individual technology integrator (2015) to help them understand how to use the

device in the classroom to create a more dynamic learning environment. Teachers were also

included in the shopping process so that they were informed and knowledgeable about the device

that was being brought into their classrooms. Handling the challenge in such a way that teachers

grow and become better educators will help to thwart the problems before they start. Also, at

Wildwood, the 5th and 6th grade teachers are considered a band, and there are teams/committees

that handle individual tasks at the school (such as a wellness committee, a community outreach

committee, etc). This means that there are already ideas in place that could facilitate discussion

or checks to ensure teachers are working to integrate the one-to-one program in a proper manner.

A third challenge facing the idea of a one-to-one chromebook initiative at Wildwood

Environmental Academy is the community and the socioeconomic status of the community. I am

personally aware that a number of students have electronic devices they bring to school,

including phones and gaming devices, but I do not know what their home life is like. Many of

our students come from significantly disadvantaged backgrounds, or have other guardians than

their parents, or spend time being shuffled between two different homes. The concern here is that

while they may have this amazing resource, if there is no Internet access at home, many of the

programs that could be utilized on such a device (Google Docs, for example, to avoid licensing

fees, or Khan Academy for mathematics lessons) are removed from the equation. Thus, one of

the first things that would need to be undertaken would be a community survey. In the same

educationworld.com article, Gorman reported that the district who had implemented the one-to-

one chromebook pilot surveyed parents to determine how much of the district did or did not
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have access to the internet (2015). The results were that more were equipped than was expected.

The same thing could happen here perhaps despite the connotations that come with a poor

background, many students do in fact have Internet access at home and thus would be able to

continue accessing their lessons after school.

The Idea

As previously mentioned, I wish to research if chromebooks in a one-to-one initiative

would provide a positive impact on student achievement. My hypothesis is that such a program

will offer positive impact and that I will see the growth in student achievement, as is measured

not only by both state tests and indicators, but also by classroom scores. The ultimate goal is to

find the methodology that will help Wildwood be a successful charter school in terms of student

achievement. Thus, I apply to the NEA Foundations Student Achievement Grant for $5,000, in

order to pursue this research.

First, I plan to run a pilot of this program over two years time with the current fifth grade

students. I will collect and analyze the data not only from the science courses, but ask the

instructors of the English, social studies, and math courses to do the same. We will look mainly

at assessment data, as this is the usual standard by which student mastery and achievement is

measured. Unit quizzes and test, end of chapter projects, and state scores will all be part of this

particular data set. In addition, we will emphasize professional development so that all teachers

of the students are trained and capable of exploiting the device and resource to its fullest

efficiency and effectiveness. Finally, we will survey the community to ensure the students would

in fact be able to use the devices outside of school.

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In terms of sustaining the project beyond its first year, if the budget for textbooks can be

reallocated, then the cost of maintenance and upkeep on the chromebooks is relatively

inexpensive and should be covered by that money. IT support can be streamlined, especially if

the chromebooks take advantage of the cloud database feature prominent in Google. Other grants

can be approached and perhaps even the community at large could be asked to assist Wildwood

in its endeavor to find the right path that will lead to student achievement.

Wildwoods scores at the state level are, to be frank, abysmal. Hardly any indicators were

met at any grade level, if at all, though some came close to meeting their mark. In the classroom,

many students are actually ranked at a lower instructional level according to STAR testing data

in fact, much of my fifth grade class is at a 3rd grade 7th month level. I strongly think that a more

engaging and dynamic learning environment that can be tiered as necessary for the student to

learn at their own pace (or along with the class, same concept but learned in a different way)

would be extremely beneficial to their overall learning. As stated above, many of my students

come from disadvantaged backgrounds, and thus may not have a chance to learn on such a

device outside of the rare scheduled times in the computer lab. Further, there are so many

different environmental conservation projects or other environmental projects happening in the

world what better way to achieve a main staple of Wildwood Environmental Academys

environmental education than through contact with the real world?

This leads straight into the idea of activities. FaceTime and Skype can be useful

communication tools with professors at colleges or with environmentalists around the world who

could assist in demonstrating the important of specific environmental challenges. Khan Academy

is a great place to assist with mathematics. Google Draw uses Minecraft like tools and could be

used to create a replica of a tool used by ancient people in social studies. Inspiration and other
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graphic organizing software could assist students in keeping notes and reading organized by

creating idea webs to show links to each concept or thought. Other tools, such as graphing or

mapping tools, could be employed by students to problem solve for a place to put a solar panel

grid to turn Wildwood to green energy sources. In terms of teaching personal responsibility,

critical thinking, and problem solving skills, students could be trained to help troubleshoot both

software and hardware problems, such that they are the first line of response if something goes

wrong with the chromebooks; then if the problem is too advanced, it can be sent to the IT

department. There are numerous other ideas and uses that can be implemented and all would help

to not only develop 21st Century Framework Skills (which can then be applied to other subjects)

but also would, hypothetically, begin to display the growth in student achievement I seek to find

with this program.

The Budget

As of this moment in time, there is no allotted funding for this project. Listed below is the

breakdown of the individual costs, and then multiplied by the number of fifth grade students

currently attending Wildwood Environmental Academy. The $5,000 grant I am applying for

would go a very long way to getting this project off the ground.

ITEM COST

Samsung Chromebook (with Wi-Fi $249

capabilities)
Maintenance and support $30

Subtotal $279

Number of students 33

TOTAL $9,207
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References

Cunningham, J. (2012). National Conference of State Legislatures. Student achievement.

Retrieved from:

http://www.ncsl.org/documents/educ/CharterSchoolStudentAchievement.pdf

Godzicki, L., Godzicki, N., Krofel, M., & Michaels, R. (2013). Increasing motivation and

engagement in elementary and middle school students through technology-supported

learning environments. Retrieved from ERIC. http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED541343

Banitt, J., Theis, S., & Leeuwe, L. (2013). The effects of technology integration on student

engagement. Retrieved from: http://sophia.stkate.edu/maed/7/

P21 Framework for 21st Century Learning. (2007). Retrieved from:

http://www.p21.org/our-work/p21-framework

Google.com. (n.d.) [Table of individual chromebook prices including maintenance costs]

Chrome Devices for Education Pricing. Retrieved from:

https://www.google.com/intl/en_US/chrome/education/devices/pricing.html

Gorman, N. (2015). Educationworld.com. Educator gives tips for successful one-to-one

chromebook initiative. Retrieved from:

http://www.educationworld.com/a_news/educator-gives-tips-successful-one-one-

chromebook-initiative-1485207423