student monitoring software benefitsWith advancements in learning techniques, technology has become an integral part of the learning equation in global classrooms. Many of the school administrations are following the 1:1 trend, or one device per student, to facilitate effective learning. Students are often provided with individual systems, such as laptops and tablets that offer text messaging services and good internet connectivity. However, unsupervised access to these devices can distract students in multiple ways in the class. Teachers often struggle to manage the use of digital resources by students who are mischievous and smart at the same time. It is not uncommon to find such students spending most of the classroom time in watching movies, playing games and messaging other peers.

While the introduction of technology in classrooms may seem as a barrier to effective teaching, it is important to acknowledge that eliminating the same will affect the tech-oriented abilities of the students in the long-run. In order to integrate technology into the school network, teachers can use effective student monitoring software solutions. This would help create a transparent classroom environment for students to learn faster and better.

Adding Student Monitoring Software in the School Network: 5 Key Benefits

Bringing the right kind of student monitoring software within the digital classroom setting can create outstanding educational opportunities for students and teachers alike. While many educators have already recognized the role of classroom monitoring software in creating collaborative learning environment, some are yet to accept and adopt the same. However, the benefits mentioned in the following section will make you think again. Here are the 5 key benefits of using student monitoring software in a digitally-enabled classroom:

1. Increased Visibility of the Class

In a classroom environment with multiple devices running, it becomes impossible for teachers to micro-manage each student’s online activities. Walking around the classroom and manually checking every student’s screen is quite an ineffective method of classroom monitoring, as it is time-consuming and disrupts the flow of the lecture.

An effective classroom monitoring software can help teachers in monitoring what each student is doing with their devices in real-time from their own computer. It provides a comprehensive view of each student’s screen as thumbnails, which helps teachers supervise all live events taking place in those devices. This helps them monitor the usage patterns of websites and applications by each student and take appropriate measures. If any student is found to be browsing inappropriate content, their web activities can be immediately restricted. Teachers can also help students initiate the lesson if they are found to be struggling with the given instructions. Thus, student monitoring software can provide teachers with greater control over the online behavior of students.

2. Keeping Students Focused on the Lesson

keep student focused on lessonApart from keeping an eye on the ongoing activities of students, teachers need to create a digital classroom setup in which students have access to class-specific applications and web resources only. Classroom monitoring software makes it easy for teachers to predetermine the applications and websites that students can access during a particular session. Selected applications can be launched on students’ screen once they log in to their individual devices. Teachers can also create a list of authorized websites that students can visit, and limit their access to the rest. This effective feature of student monitoring software helps teachers ensure that students are always on-task while eliminating the possible sources of distraction.

3. Creating a Collaborative Classroom Atmosphere

At times, shy or introvert students fail to express their opinion or to voice their doubts. This can affect their ability to think creatively and affect the overall cognitive development. It is now a widely acknowledged fact that students take more interest in studying when they are appreciated and rewarded. Also, students are able to retain any knowledge grasped through discussion with other students for a long time.

A robust classroom monitoring software comes with screen-sharing facilities that can help teachers share the screen of a particular student with the rest of the class when he/she is doing well. This enables students to work on different projects in collaboration with each other, which, in turn, enhances participation. Educators can also choose to broadcast their own screen to all students’ devices in the class, to help them with a problem. It enables teachers to encourage active student participation in the class, and implement peer learning methods and strategies for better outcomes.

4. Better Monitoring of Student Progress

Conventional assessment methods allow teachers to provide feedback to students on their progress after a considerable period of time. Most of the time, there is little chance of taking any remedial measures when feedback is gathered. In order to increase the efficacy of teaching, educators need to analyze the assessment results faster and deliver prompt feedback. With the aid of student monitoring software solutions, teachers can quickly conduct a test by pulling out questions from an existing assessment bank or creating their own. Assessments like quizzes and multiple-choice questions help teachers to evaluate the results quickly and determine whether any student is lagging behind or need remedial classes. It also helps the teacher modify lecture content accordingly.

5. Effective Instructional Methods

Every student has their own learning styles and preferences. Teachers have to bring constant changes in the lecture content and instructional strategies to effectively cater to the varied learning needs of students. A student monitoring software can provide teachers with avenues to better communicate with each student and identify their different learning patterns. Teachers can encourage students to get into a brainstorming session on a critical concept by utilizing the group chat facility. They can also reach out to any particular student and provide additional assistance through the one-to-one chatting option. This enables students with poor academic performance to learn at their own speed, and help the teacher to provide equal attention to each pupil. If required, teaching methods can be modified per the requirement.

By integrating collaborative classroom monitoring software into the classroom setting, teachers can help students develop skills that are essential for living in the 21st-century society. Classroom monitoring software like Faronics Insight plays the role of a digital assistant to teachers, helping them develop modern learning atmosphere that encourages collaboration, problem-solving, and critical thinking among students.