Using a Chromebook as the only Device

I am the Director of Information & Instructional Technology at Union School District in San Jose, California. I am first and foremost a teacher – I have both a multiple subject credential and administrative credential, and I am the only administrator in the district who regularly teaches in the schools in our districts. (I teach Genius Hour on Fridays to 5th graders for six weeks at a time.)

Since the invention of Chromebooks and Google Workspace (G-Suite; GAFE; and all the other iterations that Google has used), I have been a huge fan of Google in general. They simplified the process of procuring inexpensive and, many times, free tools for students and teachers. That said, I do not work for Google, and I do not gain financial or any other benefit from Google being a fan-girl of their education and technology tools.

While attending a Google presentation with CDW-G and Amplified IT in Sunnyvale in October 2022, I saw some of the newer offerings of Chromebooks for teachers. I played around with the enterprise level Acer 714 Spin at that event, and I decided to order one and see if I could truly give up my Macbook Pro, my Microsoft Surface, my iPad, my Dell PC, and my Mac Mini – and only use a Chromebook as my primary and only device. I will basically blog this journey as I say what challenges and benefits I will face using only the Acer 714 Chromebook to do my daily work.