At Moanataiari School, we use Chromebooks in Years 5, 6, 7, and 8 and recommend the same device for all our students.
In 2022, we embarked on a programme called ‘The Writer’s Toolbox’. For this to work, Year 4 and 5 students will need access to a Chromebook. We have a supply of school-owned Chromebooks, but we encourage parents to purchase one if possible.
Devices are required for class organisation, mathematics, writing, assessment purposes, and managed research related to topic work and reading. We know these devices are used in at least the junior years of High School.
Chromebooks run on a Google Chrome operating system. They are designed to be used while connected to the Internet, and most applications and documents live in the cloud. At Moanataiari School, we use Google Suite, which includes Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides, and Google Drive.
Our students have a school Gmail account, which gives them access to Chromebooks. The price range for Chromebooks is narrow, and they are a more affordable product.
Guidelines for buying Chromebooks for use at Moanataiari School.
We recommend your Chromebook has the following:
- 11.6-inch screen
- 4 GB RAM (Memory)
- Minimum 32 GB Storage (Most work will be stored online, not on the Chromebook)
- 11-hour battery life (We are going to recommend that power chargers stay at home and students charge their computers at home in the evenings)
- Two USB 3.0 ports – these are reasonably standard on Chromebooks
- HDMI output - these seem to be only on some. They are useful and good to have but not necessary
- 3.5mm headphone/microphone jack
- Hard shell case (Not a soft sleeve. Hardshell Protection when transporting)
Beneficial Features:
Meets US Military Standard 810G or similar. It has a corner shield and bumper keyboard surround protection. The keyboard is spill-resistant. (It is for handling daily use in the classroom.)
Headphones:
These will benefit students working with multimedia in the classroom environment.
Mouse:
It is not compulsory, but some students may find it easier to use them.
We advise against Touch Screen Chromebooks, as they are more expensive and unnecessary at this stage.
Avoid getting detachable keyboards and tablet mode. They tend to mean more complications in the classroom environment.