In brief: Chrome OS is already a great operating system for educators, but it’s about to get even better: the OS is set to receive a host of new features designed to enhance the teaching experience for instructors and school leaders.
The bulk of these features could arrive as early as next month, with the most prominent arguably being the new built-in screen recording feature. Google hasn’t shared how the feature will be switched on, but once it’s active, instructors can record their entire screen or just a portion of it for as long as they like.
This could help teachers show their students how to, say, navigate an interface, draw a certain shape, or perform a certain equation. In other words, it’s a way to bring some hands-on aspects of in-person learning to the digital realm; all without needing to be on an active Zoom call. Teachers can record a lesson as many times as they like to make sure it’s perfect — no need to worry about making potential mistakes in a live session.
In addition to Chrome OS’ upcoming screen recorder, educators can gain access to Google’s Admin Console via the purchase of the “Chrome Education Upgrade.” According to Google, this will allow school leaders to manage “massive fleets” of Chromebooks from one centralized location — see how that works in the video above.
Finally, Google is rolling out enhanced accessibility features for all Chome OS users, students, and teachers alike. These upgrades mostly include ChromeVox (Chrome OS’ screen reader) improvements, such as seamless voice changing (based on the language of the text being read) and better tutorials.
Google says it’s committed to supporting educators and students moving forward, so we can probably expect to see more features like these hit the Chrome OS ecosystem throughout 2021.