Posts with Tag: Students Archives - Modern Pen
Posting student videos on the web
November 1, 2015
Tags: Instruction, Internet, Policy, Students, Video, YouTube
Over the past eight years, School District 21, like many companies and institutions around the world, has relied on its own media streaming server to share video and audio files with others via the Internet. Information Literacy Coaches and principals in each school have access to upload video and audio files then to link to […]
Using Google Calendar as your Assignment Book
January 12, 2014
Tags: Calendar, Chromebook, Google Apps, Student Devices, Students
Within hours of eighth graders first receiving their Chromebooks in October 2013, students were discovering that their Chromebooks could serve as a more modern, more effective version of the traditional assignment notebook. We’ve identified multiple strategies for effectively using your Chromebook to keep track of your assignments and manage your time and work. In this […]
Using Google Keep as your Assignment Book
January 12, 2014
Tags: Chromebook, Google Apps, Google Keep, Student Devices, Students
Within hours of eighth graders first receiving their Chromebooks in October 2013, students were discovering that their Chromebooks could serve as a more modern, more effective version of the traditional assignment notebook. We’ve identified multiple strategies for effectively using your Chromebook to keep track of your assignments and manage your time and work. In this […]
Using Chromebooks without the Internet
October 24, 2013
Tags: 1:1, Chromebook, Student Devices, Students
You now have a Chromebook. What if you do not have the Internet at home? What if you are going somewhere in which there is no Internet and you need to do some work on your Chromebook while you are there? In either case, our Chromebooks have more and more functionality even without the Internet. […]
Settings: Writing in Multiple Languages
October 23, 2013
Tags: 1:1, Chromebook, Student Devices, Students
One amazing feature of Google Docs and Google Slides that has been discovered by CCSD21 staff members since we began using Google Apps is that Google is smart enough to know when you are writing in another language–even when your Google Apps language is set to English and when your computer is set to English. […]
Extending Chromebook Battery Life
October 23, 2013
Tags: 1:1, Chromebook, Student Devices, Students
The first set of Chromebooks purchased in School District are made by Acer. They have been purchased with a standard 16 GB SSD drive and additional RAM–4 GB. Most importantly, the extended six-cell battery has been purchased for all of these Chromebooks. This battery is estimated to provide 6.5 hours of power to the Chromebook […]
Chrome OS Apps
October 20, 2013
Tags: 1:1, Chromebook, Student Devices, Students
Chromebooks run the Chrome OS operating system developed by Google. Chrome OS is a version of Linux, and it’s primary function is to provide users with a connection to the Web and all of the services that one uses on the Internet. Chrome, the web browser, and Chrome OS both support an ever-increasing number of […]
Updating your Chromebook
October 20, 2013
Tags: 1:1, Chromebook, Student Devices, Students
One of the reasons that students and staff members selected Chromebooks as the student device to provide was because of the incredible ease of technical management. Like all operating systems, from time-to-time, Chrome OS will require updates. These updates are issued by Google directly to the Chromebooks. When the Chromebook receives the update, an arrow […]
Chromebooks: Help requests
October 20, 2013
Tags: 1:1, Chromebook, Student Devices, Students
If the Chromebook is physically damaged (i.e., broken case, cracked screen, etc.) or if it is not working and students and teachers have tried the basic troubleshooting steps, then, it is time to contact the Tech Center with a Help Request. Teachers can enter a Help Request online or call 6283 within School District 21. […]
Chromebooks: Basic troubleshooting
October 20, 2013
Tags: 1:1, Chromebook, Student Devices, Students
One of the great advantages of the Chromebook that students and staff members found during their review of a variety of different student devices was the incredible technological simplicity of the Chromebook. Basically, there is a checklist of three simple things to ensure that a Chromebook is working, and any student or staff member can […]

Each District 21 school is named after an American author, and learning and literacy is at the center of our Professional Learning Community. The Modern Pen provides a collaborative location in which District 21 teachers can come together to learn the skills that will enable their students to learn new skills and to understand concepts at an even different level than before.