Increased Access to Technology
With a 1:1 program, every student has access to their own device, eliminating the need to share or take turns using limited technology resources.
At Hasmonean Trust, all students are required to bring their own Chromebook to school starting in Year 7. This is similar to many other schools in the UK, where students have access to technology at all times to support their learning. This has many benefits for both students and teachers alike and they can greatly enhance the learning experience for students, providing them with the tools and resources they need to succeed in the digital age
Here are our Top 10 advantages of implementing a 1:1 Chromebook program in across the Trust:
Educational apps & web apps used across Hasmonean Trust
We use a wide range of educational apps in lessons to promote collaboration, independent learning, gamification and extended learning. Apps and resources can be accessed through the home screen on every Chromebook via the Hasmonean Hub. The Hub provides direct access to our most used resources and makes it easy for teachers to keep students on task during lessons.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do the Trust schools use Chromebooks in the classroom?
Chromebooks are commonly used in classrooms as a tool to aid teaching and learning. They can be used for various purposes such as online research, digital note-taking, interactive activities and educational games like Kahoot and Blooket. Teachers use online assessment tools to give quizzes and tests and provide immediate feedback to the students. They also use online resources to expand their lessons and give students access to a wide range of information and multimedia. With the ability to access their devices from anywhere, students can continue their learning even if they can’t attend class in person. Students can create digital portfolios of their work using apps like Google Drive, which makes it easy for them to share and display their work with their teachers and classmates.
Are the Chromebooks used every lesson?
The use of Chromebooks during lessons varies based on the teacher and subject. In many cases, the Chromebooks are used as a tool to support the learning activities that are presented in Google Classroom for easy assignment and submission. In other lessons, the Chromebooks may be used for online research. The usage is determined by the learning objectives and teaching methods, rather than being solely based on the technology itself.
How do you ensure students are on task during lessons with the Chromebooks
Teachers have the ability to use the management tools on the Chromebooks to keep track of how students are using the devices, set restrictions on internet access, and solve any problems that may come up. The school also uses multiple filtering systems to prevent students from accessing inappropriate websites and harmful content. The school also monitors student activity on the devices both through digital means and by staff, and if any students display concerning behaviour, they will be reported to the appropriate school administrators.
How safe are Chromebooks when used at home?
To ensure that the Chromebooks are used only for educational purposes, the Hasmonean Trust has implemented several measures. The devices have built-in filtering to prevent access to inappropriate content, and the trust also monitors their usage at home. Additionally, students are only allowed to use their Hasmonean account on the Chromebooks as the trust cannot guarantee that other devices, such as Windows laptops or Apple iPads, will have effective filtering in place.
What if I have an issue - like a harmful or inappropriate website or the Chromebook itself?
For the effective use of Chromebooks in learning, it is important for families and parents to be actively involved in the process. If a family member comes across a website that they believe should be blocked, they can use the “Report a website” button on the school’s website to inform the school. The school will then review the website and update their filtering list accordingly. If a family member has a technical issue with the Chromebook or needs to factory reset it, they can use the “Request Chromebook guidance” button on the school’s website to get assistance from the school.
As a parent, how can I monitor Chromebook usage both at home and in school to ensure learning is the priority?
There are three main ways for parents to monitor internet usage and check their child’s progress:
- Access to Lightspeed’s parent portal: Every parent is given access to the Lightspeed filtering system’s parent portal. They will receive an email every weekend that lists the websites that have been accessed. By registering and logging in to the portal, parents can see more detail and turn off the internet when needed at home.
- Access to their child’s Google Classroom login details: All parents have access to their child’s Google Classroom login details, which can be found on MCAS. Parents are encouraged to log in to the Chromebook and check the browsing history as students are unable to clear it.
- Check Google Drive on the Chromebook: Parents can check their child’s Google Drive on the Chromebook to see what work is being completed as part of their learning.
As a parent can I turn the internet off on the Chromebook managed by the Trust?
Yes and it only takes a minute! By logging into the Lightspeed Parent Portal from any device (including your smartphone), you can toggle ‘Pause web browsing’ for 1 hour, 3 hours or until the next morning. For more details on how to do this, please head over to Parent Portal for Parents for a detailed guide.
Who is responsible for monitoring student websites and online activity?
Monitoring is managed daily in line with KCSIE requirements using a combination of human and AI monitoring.
What failsafe protocols are in place to ensure Chromebooks are securely locked down in the event of an intrusion or other security breach?
Should there be an issue, all Chromebooks can be instantly disabled with a clear on-screen message providing the reasons for doing so.
