Chromebook and blended learning strategy

At Mascalls, we have responded to the demands of the modern working environment demanding flexibility, adaptability and convenience with our exciting digital strategy to prepare students for life beyond the academy.  All students in years 7-13 benefit from a Chromebook for use during the academy day and at home. The Chromebook is theirs to use whilst they remain at the academy and a protective case should be purchased to ensure the Chromebook is fully protected from any knocks or spills during travel to and from school and around the site. 

Our blended learning approach means that students can access resources and key information when they need it.  Blended learning literally means the boundaries between face to face and learning at home no longer exist ensuring we maximise the best of both aspects to achieve greater personalisation .  It also sees an increased dialogue and communication between the students and the teacher providing feedback.  Collaboration through Google suite also sees students working together effectively on documents and projects to produce outstanding results supporting each other with success.

Students must bring their Chromebook to school every day as part of their expected equipment and have them fully charged; the charge on them lasts all day.  Students will not necessarily use them for the entirety of a lesson or even in every lesson, but they will be used when appropriate to enhance learning in the classroom.   We continue to prioritise knowledge acquisition and understand that without knowledge, the ability to find and select further information is limited.  We teach knowledge explicitly alongside the skills to appraise the validity of sources of information.  We want our students to question, justify, compare and evaluate.

When a student joins Mascalls they are given a Google account which gives them access to a wide range of Google applications.  From simple documents, spreadsheets and presentations, to Jamboards, Forms and Google sites, we have opened up the digital environment to give access to the latest collaborative and educational software to everyone.  Students will be shown in school how to use these applications during advisory and within lessons and we provide videos and information for our parents/carers so they can support themselves from home. All staff have completed their level 1 Google educator exam, with a small group of staff also qualified level 2 educators. This enables us to fully support your child when using their Chromebooks and the Google applications, whilst ensuring we utilise Google in the best way to develop your child’s progress.

Students will also be a member of a virtual Google classroom for every one of their subjects, there is also parent/carer access to these classrooms so you can see work that is set, complete and how much progress is being made. Homework tasks, class material and knowledge organisers are posted in the classrooms. By having access, it enables you to support your child in completing work at home and also see any outstanding work they have to complete. You can also receive weekly summaries by email from each subject if you wish.