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what are the pros and cons associated with online textbooks or textbook-type resources like ck12?

What I learned:
Although I did not use online textbooks, I did assign articles via a website called Newsela during our case study as part of the blended classroom "menu". Students found it difficult to read the entire article on the screen, as they are very used to interacting with the text as they read. Upon doing some further research, I noticed that Newsela has a feature which allows students to highlight and make annotations in the article. Will attempt this soon!

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logistically, is it better to issue chromebooks to each student individually, or have a class set in every classroom? our school is currently debating this topic and seems very divided about the answer.

What I discovered:
Despite the fact that each student has now been issued a personal chromebook for use at home and at school, there are still challenges with implementing a 1:1 program. During our case study, there were a few students in every class section that did not remember to bring their chromebooks. Finding ways to keep them encourage, remind and hold them accountable for bringing their personal devices will be a future goal.

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what online programs and resources are available to support English learners?

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what role does technology have in narrowing the achievement gap for underperforming urban schools like the one I work in?

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how can technology help me incorporate more collaborative activities into my curriculum?

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how can I support authentic student learning experiences via problem based learning opportunities?

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Visualization Tools and Concept Map Making

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Visualization Tools and Concept Map Making

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how can programs like google drawing or other mind mapping tools be used to help students organize information in personally meaningful ways, make real world connections, and identify patterns?

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how would increasing the amount of technology used in my curriculum impact student engagement, especially with a diverse group of students, many of which come from a low socio economic background?

What I discovered:
Students (especially teenagers) crave autonomy and choice, and the blended classroom model (implemented via Google Classroom) better enabled me to differentiate based on the unique needs of each learner. They were offered a "menu" of options and were very inclined to complete two from the menu, as compared to me simply assigning two tasks.

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do virtual labs and or virtual field trips carry the same benefits as their physical counterparts?

What I discovered:
Virtual labs, while not suitable as a substitute for all labs, can help reinforce concepts using interactivity and animations, especially for topics that are micro or macroscopic and therefore cannot be observed directly with the human eye. The sophia genetics tutorial helped students  visualize how genes from parents can combine to form unique combinations in the offspring. This was also useful for EL students. An added benefit (compared to a physical lab activity) was that students could review and practice as they felt necessary on their own time.

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What is McGraw Hill Virtual Labs? | McGraw Hill Higher Education

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how can these tools be used to help students who are chronically absent and / or extremely behind academically?

What I discovered:
I noticed that students who had been absent appreciated having a single online place to go to find resources and assignments. Also, several students who have struggled to keep up for most of the year seem to be more inclined to keep up on their own terms using Google Classroom platform. They no longer need to seek my help or direction, they can simply go online and find whatever it is they are missing.