Five Chromebooks, computers that use Google Chrome OS operating system, have been ordered for the library to see how the new computers will help students learn.

The Chromebooks will be available after winter break for both students and teachers.

Technology Coordinator Jana Branisa said Chromebooks will be good for research because of what the computers offer.

“We are experimenting with collaboration tools. One of the things that Chromebooks is really good at is connecting to Google Drive and all the Google Apps and doing research,” Branisa said.

Librarian Suzan Stutzman and Branisa want to see how they will help the students at PHS.

“We’re seeing what need they might fill here and how they could possibly be used,” Stutzman said.

The Chromebooks are not meant for large projects but are more for in-class research.

“It’s like a small computer but it’s not meant for image manipulation or file manipulation,” Branisa said. “There’s no video, so these are collaboration tools in the classroom or just working in Google Docs in the classroom in the future or for doing research.”

Branisa said the money to purchase the Chromebooks did not come from the technology budget.

“Mr. Kitchens was able to find us the money by making magic so we can see how they will work for the high school environment,” Branisa said.

Stutzman and Branisa agree that the Chromebooks were bought for a good price.

“They are normally $249 and we got them for $199 plus the $30 management fee and tax so they are about $250 out the door,” Branisa said.

Branisa said that the school is looking for ways to replace heavy textbooks but not with iPads because iPads are not good for the high school environment. iPads do not have the right equipment to be used for research at the high school level.

“We are looking for some way for students to not have to carry the 50 pound biology books around or the 50 pound math books,” Branisa said.

If the Chromebooks are liked by students and faculty in the library and if there is the money sets of Chromebooks might be ordered for classrooms.

“This is more if we had a class set of Chromebooks what would that look like and what kind of activities could a teacher with a class do,” Branisa said.

Sophomore Anton Orban said that he wants to use the new Chromebooks for his school work.

“They will make the internet faster so you can study more efficiently,” Orban said.

Like Orban, junior Erica Peterson said they will make researching easier.

“They’ll be faster and easy to use to write research papers,” Peterson said.

Stutzman said that PHS is going to a Google district, which means all students and teachers can use and communicate through what Google offers such as gmail accounts, so it makes sense to use Chromebooks.

“The idea is that we are going to a Google district, all of the kids have Google gmail accounts and we are teaching kids how to use Google docs, so it makes sense to experiment with Chromebooks,” Stutzman said.

The process for students to check out and use the Chromebooks is uncertain.

To avoid the Chromebooks from being stolen the computers will only work at school.

“We are connecting them to this network only, so that they only work when they are connected to the Piedmont wifi, and they won’t work at home,” Branisa said.

Orban said he is in the library frequently during lunch using the computers.

“I’ll use the new Chromebooks for turnitin.com and to check my school email,” Orban said.