Are your students using Chromebooks this semester? If so, it’s important to understand which pieces of iCEV's HealthCenter21 and Business&ITCenter21 curriculum will and won’t work on Chromebooks.
All HealthCenter21 and Business&ITCenter21 playlists will work on Chromebooks. However, some lessons require additional software to be installed on the devices your students use in order to complete the assignments within the lessons.
On Chromebooks, this may pose a challenge because not all Chromebooks are able to download native apps or desktop apps, such as the Microsoft Office software.
In this article, we’ll walk through whether your students will be able to complete their assignments on Chromebooks, based on which curriculum you use: HealthCenter21 or Business&ITCenter21.
NOTE: The information in this article only applies to HealthCenter21 and Business&ITCenter21 playlists, and not other portions of the iCEV curriculum.
Related Article: Technical Requirements for Using iCEV
Does HealthCenter21 Work on Chromebooks?
Students will be able to access and complete all lessons under the HealthCenter21 tab when using Chromebooks.
However, the Job Seeking Skills lesson in HealthCenter21 does require the use of Microsoft Word for students to create a sample resume.
In order to complete the objectives of the Job Seeking Skills lesson, your students will need to open the lesson attachment Word documents using Office Online.
Office Online is a free version of the Microsoft suite that your students can easily access from their Chromebooks.
Once your students have created an Office Online account, they will be able to complete the necessary documents for the Job Seeking Skills lesson!
Does Business&ITCenter21 Work on Chromebooks?
The playlists found on the Business&ITCenter21 tab are all optimized for viewing on any screen or device.
However, some Business&ITCenter21 lessons require students to use the Microsoft Office desktop applications to complete the assignments.
This can cause compatibility issues because Chromebooks are not able to run the desktop version of Microsoft Office.
NOTE: These compatibility requirements only apply to the Business&ITCenter21 curriculum and not to other parts of the iCEV curriculum.
Why do some lessons require students to use the desktop version of Microsoft Office?
The Business&ITCenter21 lessons for Microsoft Office were developed using the full features found in the desktop version.
We made this decision because the desktop version is what students need to use for the MOS certification exams and what we see most commonly used in the workforce.
If students are unable to use the desktop applications on Chromebooks, what can you do instead?
One option is to use the online version of Microsoft Office. Office Online is a free web application that can be used on any device with internet access and a browser.
However, Office Online is not a complete solution and will have limited features available compared to the desktop version.
Because of these limitations, some Business&ITCenter21 lessons won’t be compatible with Chromebooks—even if your students use Office Online.
To determine if the modules you’ve assigned are compatible with a Chromebook, consult the chart below:
Chromebook Compatibility for Business&ITCenter21 Lessons That Require Microsoft Office*
*Note: Any lesson not listed above does not require the use of Microsoft Office and is fully compatible with Chromebooks.
In summary, the most challenging part of using Chromebooks with Business&ITCenter21 is teaching Microsoft Office applications.
If your classes don’t require you specifically use Microsoft Office to teach word processing, spreadsheets, or presentation software, we recommend you assign the Google Applications lessons instead.
The Google Apps lessons in the Business&ITCenter21 tab teach the same general concepts and skills as the Microsoft Office curriculum and are 100% compatible with Chromebooks.
If you’re still unsure about how your students will work through these Business&ITCenter21 playlists on Chromebooks, contact iCEV for help:
