Chicago School District 73 wants to go 1:1. That's a great idea. Cases for Chromebooks, as is part of their $354 per unit pricing, is a bad idea. I've taught in school districts with cases. Students hate them, abuse them, and take Chromebooks out of them whenever the teacher is not paying attention. The cases are big and annoying as they hog desk space. Because not all classes use only Chromebooks, students need to bring their backpacks, too, so there's one computer or backpack left behind in each class. Since the cases do not fit well in the backpacks to take them home, students either cram them in or have to carry two cases home. Added to all this, cases make monitoring what students are doing on their Chromebooks more difficult because the sides hide the screen more from teachers. Plus, the case always gets in the way of basic keyboard functions.
Once these cases are purchased, it's too late to go back, so staff will try to make it work. When a friend of mine was developing a better solution, I asked my middle school students what they thought of the cases, and not one of them liked them. Not one. I have a $150 Chromebook that does just fine for what most students need. I added an under $20
Cranium Chromebook Cover and Whiteboard by Educabana
to protect it. I throw it in my backpack and go. The whole unit is the size and weight of a small textbook. The Chromebook is actually fairly sturdy, excepting the flexible screen. With the Cranium, I don't worry about the screen. I'd recommend that the folks in charge in District 73 take a look at what will serve students and taxpayers best.
Get more information about the Cranium at
Educabana.
to protect it. I throw it in my backpack and go. The whole unit is the size and weight of a small textbook. The Chromebook is actually fairly sturdy, excepting the flexible screen. With the Cranium, I don't worry about the screen. I'd recommend that the folks in charge in District 73 take a look at what will serve students and taxpayers best.