After providing Chromebooks to every student attending Loudoun County Public Schools, the amount of time spent digitally has significantly increased.  While some may see this as a much easier way for students who cannot afford a computer to finish work, others see the issues that come with this. What do Broad Run’s students and staff think of the integration of personal computers into schooling?.

Sophomore Juliann Jacobs sees the technological issues that have come with hundreds of Chromebooks all working at the same time throughout the school, such as the being asked to confirm you aren’t a robot and the school wifi being slow at times.  

Another Sophomore, Greg Hyatt, has noticed students are able to procrastinate on other websites rather than doing what they’re supposed to. He also believes the funds that were used to buy chromebooks could have gone into something better.

Others see the distribution of Chromebooks as a way to stimulate student participation in learning.  Sharon Paulovich finds that Chromebooks have made lessons for students more engaging and promoted collaboration between them. She also believes Chromebooks have made students more organized as all information is stored in one place.

Some teachers believe with the provided technology, Broad Run may eventually go entirely paperless. While this seems like an environmentally friendly alternative, trusting students to bring their Chromebooks everyday to class can be a large responsibility.  

“I believe that teachers are placing too much reliance on Chromebooks for their lesson plan, and if your computer dies or you forget it it is hard to catch up,” said sophomore Eric Johnson.  

Almost every person who is currently in high school has grown up in a digital world.  Computers, Promethean boards, touchscreen devices, and more, all contribute to a large amount of screen time throughout the day.  This may seem harmless at first, but there are some side effects from this excessive screen time. While some symptoms from being online too often are obvious, such as eye strain and bad posture, others aren’t.  Blue light can interfere with the hormones released to fall asleep leading to a loss of sleep.

Overall, the distribution of Chromebooks has provided students with an enjoyable learning experience that allows students to think in creative ways and address real world problems.  It has given teachers an easier option for educating students.  While Chromebooks can provide students with endless amounts of information, teachers may want to consider placing all their trust on them as they can malfunction or be forgotten by students.