As the school year winds down, it seems that teachers and students alike have adapted quite well to Chromebooks. Despite initial skepticism, as well as controversy over issues such as Chromebook “hacking” that pervaded the early months of the school year, most classes have found this new technology surprisingly effective, especially when used in conjunction with tools such as Google Classroom. As students find themselves continuously using their devices, however, rough use and accidents are beginning to make their mark. Cracked screens and missing keys have become a common sight on many Chromebooks, while missing screws, faulty trackpads, and occasional system crashes spring up as both major and minor annoyances. To what extent have our school laptops benefited the school, and will they be durable enough to withstand future use in the coming school years?
Currently, Chromebook repairs are handled by a combination of students and IT staff at IHS. The students, working under the title of Chromebook Club and led by the librarians, handle most of the system errors (often marked by a “Chrome OS not found” on the screen) that pop up from time to time, usually when a Chromebook loses power in the middle of an update. “We’ve had considerable success with the club,” said IHS librarian Michele Barr, who started the club with the help of Mr. Trumble and Code Red Robotics students. “We’ve even had Luvelle Brown come in and see us at work.”
IT staff, meanwhile, handles serious physical damage inflicted upon the laptops, the most frequent of which are cracked screens. Around 400 Chromebooks have been turned in for physical repairs, while a similar amount have been sent in for digital repairs. The general rule for repairs seems to be that devices will not be tossed unless absolutely necessary, for example, if one comes in completely smashed to pieces. Impressive effort has gone into thinking of more sustainable ways to keep a Chromebook running. The glass screens of the school laptops damage easily, but purchasing from a third-party company has allowed the school to replace these screens with more durable plexiglass covers. Perhaps the greatest aid in maintaining Chromebook durability is the introduction of a new model altogether. Compared to the sleek, flat design of the majority of Chromebooks present in the high school, some are more bulky and sturdy, able to withstand more punishment. Although no plans have been made to completely switch to this other model, unusable Chromebooks will likely be traded off for these as time passes.
A question often asked is whether students will retain their Chromebooks during the summer, Librarian Armin Heurich said. As of now, the issue is undecided. A definite advantage of turning in the laptops is that they can be safely organized and repaired for the next year. After all, with the district wanting Chromebooks to remain in circulation for the full span of their estimated three-year lifetime, the best way to account for all devices would be to keep them under lock and key. On the other hand, such a decision could cause an economic strain. The tech department, as with all others, has a certain annual budget it cannot exceed, Heurich said. Putting in the resources in an attempt to fix all Chromebooks over the summer could prove troublesome during the actual school year if more problems arise. The library will also find itself inundated with students requiring assistance. As the go-to place to have a faulty Chromebook fixed, the first few months will be hectic ones as unexpected crashes and breakages greet the returning students, whether they turn in their devices during the summer or not. All these factors have led to a back-and-forth debate on the issue.
This year, Chromebooks have at least helped alleviate some prominent problems of the past. One such problem is the generation of paper waste. Although administrators could not be reached for exact data, many students claimed their classes have seen a significant decrease in paperwork, with most assignments being turned in electronically. Heurich remarked how the main recycling bin for the school, which in previous years was often overflowing at the end of each day, was now barely a quarter full after school.
For IT and library staff as well, the laptops have somewhat alleviated the complexity of their work. In past years, as upperclassmen are sure to remember, the desktop computers found in the library and technology departments were untrustworthy, slow, and prone to dozens of possible errors. From being unable to connect to the WiFi or printers to frequent freezing when starting up or shutting down, diagnosing a problem included a great deal of frustration for both students and staff. The Chromebooks offer a solution for these problems. “The problem is going to be network, physical damage, or your account. That’s it,” said Heurich, who finds the switch into Chromebooks excellent, having pushed for greater computer integration for years. And with each of these problems usually requiring little more than a few resets, upkeep has become a less arduous task overall. “Chromebooks have allowed me to do a lot less troubleshooting [computers] and more time being a librarian,” Heurich added cheerfully. The future of Chromebooks seems to be a promising one, and will hopefully fully integrate itself with the ICSD community in the upcoming year.