Times table craze sweeps Highland schools due to Chromebook rollout

Improvements in learning, as a result of using Chromebooks have been highlighted by Inverness pupils from Inshes and Raigmore Primaries to Members of The Highland Council’s Care, Learning and Housing Committee.

Such is the pupil enthusiasm for using Chromebooks that a craze for learning times tables (with the use of an App) has swept through the 2 associated primary school groups (ASGs) of Millburn and Dingwall Academies.  The craze sweeping the schools in Primaries 4 - 7 is directly improving the speed that children know their times tables. And pupils and teachers are delighted that they can monitor their learning progress.

Vice Chair of the Care, Learning and Housing Committee Cllr John Finlayson said:

“The use of Chromebooks is energising teaching and learning in our schools and we appreciate the extremely good work that is going on.

“We are seeing major improvements in pupil learning.

“The Chromebook rollout is creating great leadership opportunities for pupils through the creation of digital leaders. Pupils and teachers are now able to track their learning attainment, and they are improving their awareness of e-safety which is something we are all concerned about at this time.

“I congratulate Highland Council in showing the way in education with the use of Chromebooks and setting the lead across Scotland.”

Digital Leaders (pupils) from Inshes Primary Riley MacKintosh, Krisha Aryal and Raigmore Primary Anna Watson and Mackenzie Smith gave an impressive presentation to councillors on their experiences of using Chromebooks while demonstrating their skills of using Google Slides.

The pupils explained how using Chromebooks made learning fun. Their use of various Apps helped them with their classwork; allowed them to communicate between schools; improved their spelling, numeracy and literacy; and saved them time by not having to ‘put their hands up to ask and wait for help from teachers’ when assistance from spell checkers and voice typing provides independent learning support.

They also explained how colour-coded reports help them assess their progress in learning and highlighted - with help from their teachers - where they could make improvements.

The rollout of around 22,000 Chromebooks is on a phased basis over 2 years, across the Council’s 29 associated school groups.  To date, Chromebooks have been rolled out to Millburn and Dingwall Academies ASGs, with the rollout to Portree ASG currently underway.  The next phase of schools remains according to the Council’s plans, starting with Kinlochleven ASG.