Lightweight alternative tech: a study of Chromebooks in the academic library classroom
ISSN: 0737-8831
Article publication date: 16 December 2019
Issue publication date: 29 September 2020
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate Chromebooks as an alternative to the traditional computer laboratory for library instruction in an academic environment. The results of this study could help inform the creation of a mobile instruction lab that students and librarians quickly construct inside any classroom with minimal effort and no software to manage.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey was distributed to student participants. The survey contained two demographic questions followed by seven user experience questions related to the in-classroom use of Chromebooks; most questions were quantitative in nature.
Findings
The majority of respondents (84 percent) strongly or somewhat agreed that Chromebooks were easy to use, and 15 percent of the respondents reported some difficulty accessing the university’s Wi-Fi system while using the devices.
Research limitations/implications
This introductory study was limited to a survey population primarily comprised of lower-level undergraduate students in their first two years of study. Additionally, Chromebooks were not tested in an educational environment using G Suite for Education, which could increase the opportunities for use in an academic setting.
Practical implications
The study’s findings, combined with the portability and long battery life of Chromebooks, make them a candidate for a mobile instruction lab.
Originality/value
This research seeks to explore the viability of Chromebooks as an affordable and easy to manage alternative to wired instruction rooms, using a light laptop technology that is becoming increasingly familiar to college students.
Keywords
Citation
Seyala, B., Burns, E., Richie, S., Deuink, A.L. and Lynn, V. (2020), "Lightweight alternative tech: a study of Chromebooks in the academic library classroom", Library Hi Tech, Vol. 38 No. 3, pp. 554-562. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHT-05-2019-0097
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited