As an educator piloting Chromebooks in a school district previously dominated by Apple products, I keep hearing over and over again how the Chromebook can’t do this, that, AND the next thing that are all possible on the iPad. While there absolutely are iPad apps that are not available for the Chromebook, in most cases, there are alternative applications available in the Chrome Web Store. No, they may not work the same way or produce the same exact product, but if they can transform learning for students, then does it matter if it is a different app????
Fortunately, I’m here to share ideas for making the most of your Chromebook(s) and I’m going to focus this post on the greatest Chromebook myths of all...“Students can’t create with Chromebooks.” Hmmm...ok, time for
- Video editing - Do you like iMovie? If so, let me introduce you to
- Not only can you perform simple edits of recorded video, but you can enhance videos with advanced features like green screen, voiceover, and music.
- Screencasting - Record what is happening on your device’s screen, which is perfect for how-to videos.
- Collaboration - Guess what, it gets even better! Since Wevideo is a cloud based service, it allows multiple users to collaborate and work on the same video project from different locations. Yes...you and your friend can work together while you each sit on your own couch at home.
- Explain Everything - How about using
. Say whaaaat??? Yeah, that’s right, it is available in the Chrome Web Store.
- QR Codes - How about
(Pssst...the little square is for QR Code Generator, which is available in the Chrome Web Store) Create or scan QR codes.
- Tellagami - Ok, so I don’t have a great substitution for this one that performs the same way (Hey, Tellagami Labs, are you listening here?!). However,
will allow your students a simple way to create fun, animated presentations.
- Creative Book Builder - The best alternative is
, which is a free service to use. However, pictures will NOT transfer to the ebook.
What other creative apps or ideas are you using with Chromebooks? Feel free to post a response and share.
A growth mindset is all about spending time on new or challenging tasks. By definition we find these tasks difficult and the doing is uncomfortable. Learning takes place when we reflect on the solutions we found and how we might improve on them even still.
ReplyDeleteTechnology is a game changer and try as we might we all find it hard to adapt to a new tool or a tool we don't yet understand. Thanks for sharing this information and reminding us that redefinition is not about which app you are using.