Potosi High School has been holding classes since 1959 in this building. Over 65 years, multiple changes have occurred, including personnel, building design, and most importantly, teaching strategies. In the 60s, the materials used included chalkboards with chalk, hardcover textbooks, and wooden desks. In today's world, we use Chromebooks, which are laptops that hold all of our textbooks, homework assignments, and other online resources. Between then and now, there was a transition period from paper to Chromebooks.
When Keith Oyen (IT director) was asked how having Chromebooks is such a big advancement from paper, he stated, “It’s easier for teachers to create certain things, they’re able to work like your IXL and your math, some of those programs like Excel. From another perspective, though, the paper and pen, you still need; you still need to be able to write, draw, and jot that stuff down.” Similar opinions are known throughout the country. It was stated by the California Public Interest Group that Chromebook sales increased by 300 percent around the country. Along with that, 90% of American schools showed that they all use a 1:1 ratio with a learning device for students in middle and high school.
In classrooms around the US, there are Chromebooks constantly in use, but some teachers show negative feelings about the lack of social growth happening. For example, both staff members who were interviewed here at Potosi had the same opinion on the question. Keith Oyen said, “I don’t see as many group projects; you don't see the creativity or physical connections.”
Mr. Fry added, “When they have finished reading the material or text, they immediately begin writing their responses on their Chromebooks, rather than take time to discuss their ideas and challenge each other to deepen their understanding. I also see students with even a few minutes of 'free time' immediately go to play games. I see it as another presence of a screen which can be or is used as a distraction more often than not. This takes the place of talking to our peers for those five minutes at the end of the class period.” It is not a coincidence that both staff members work with separate parts of the technology, but still have the same opinion on the topic. This shows that there are many factors that go into using technology that most people may not see.
Fry has noticed that his students were finding tasks difficult on Chromebooks that were easier on paper, tasks like being able to physically highlight phrases and write notes in the margins of the paper. He says this idea is, “coming directly from students in the last few years, they want me to give them everything on paper, a vast majority of them for it. I assume that that's because they feel like they're even able to do better on these things if they have it on paper.”
As a student at Potosi who has been using Chromebooks since I transferred here in fifth grade, Chromebooks have been a massive help with certain topics. Typing is the biggest advantage to using Chromebooks because without them there would be no quick way to write out assignments. Using paper is always a good backup when you need something, but I would rather type out an essay than write one, and several senior students agree with me. As Mr.Fry explained, students also feel that asking for paper, reading, and annotating papers is believed to be easier on paper than it is on Chromebooks and I agree with that statement.
An article published by The New York Times talks about the strain that blue light has on your eyes and that blue light glasses could be a solution. Students in school all day are looking at some form of screen, whether it be a computer, a tablet, a phone, or the main smart screen up front. Sometimes it is nice to get a break from those screens and look at a physical piece of paper.
Overall there are pros and cons to each strategy. For every student who likes to physically mark their paper, another student likes to have it on their computer. Some teachers like to have written lesson plans, while others may want a presentation slideshow. Everyone has different opinions and styles on how they teach or learn; it can be visual, auditory, or physical, but there is no right or wrong way. Over time, using technology has become increasingly helpful and it will not be going away any time soon.