A Friendly Guide to Using GoGuardian Teacher
Introduction
Hook: Imagine this: You’re in the middle of a lesson, explaining a critical concept, and you notice several students staring blankly at their screens. You suspect they’re off-task, but how can you confirm it? This is a scenario many teachers face daily in our increasingly digital classrooms.
Brief Overview: Enter GoGuardian Teacher, an innovative tool designed to give teachers control over their classroom technology use. It allows educators to monitor student activity, manage classroom behavior, and ensure students are focused on their tasks.
Thesis Statement: By leveraging GoGuardian Teacher, educators can create a more controlled and engaging learning environment, ensuring students remain on task and benefit from a distraction-free educational experience.
What Is GoGuardian Teacher?
Definition: GoGuardian Teacher is a classroom management software tool that enables teachers to monitor and control students’ online activities in real-time. It’s designed to help educators maintain a productive classroom environment.
Key Features:
- Classroom management: Organize and control classroom activities efficiently.
- Student monitoring: Keep track of students’ screens and online activities.
- Real-time interventions: Intercede when students go off-task with messages or screen locks.
- Reporting and analytics: Generate detailed reports on student behavior and activity trends.
Purpose: The primary goal of GoGuardian Teacher is to help educators create a focused learning environment where students can thrive without the distractions of the digital world.
Setting Up GoGuardian Teacher
Step-by-Step Guide:
Account creation and setup
To get started with GoGuardian Teacher, follow these simple steps:
- Visit the GoGuardian website and sign up for an account.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to enter your school information and create your teacher profile.
- Verify your email address to activate your account.
Adding students to your classroom
Once your account is set up, you can start adding students to your virtual classroom:
- Navigate to the “Classrooms” section in your GoGuardian dashboard.
- Click on “Add Classroom” and fill in the necessary details, such as the class name and subject.
- Use the provided classroom code to invite students or manually add their email addresses.
Configuring class schedules and settings
Configure your class schedule to ensure GoGuardian is active during the right times:
- Go to your classroom settings and select “Schedule.”
- Set the start and end times for your class, as well as the days of the week it meets.
- Adjust any additional settings, such as screen sharing permissions and alert configurations.
Daily Use in the Classroom
Monitoring Tools:
Live screen views
With GoGuardian Teacher, you can view students’ screens in real-time:
- Navigate to your classroom dashboard during a session.
- Click on “Screens” to see live thumbnails of each student’s screen.
- Click on a thumbnail for a detailed view of a student’s activity.
Activity timelines
The activity timeline feature provides a chronological view of students’ activities:
- Go to the “Timeline” section in your classroom dashboard.
- Review the list of websites and applications each student has accessed during the session.
- Identify any patterns of off-task behavior that may need addressing.
Intervention Options:
Sending messages to students
If you notice a student is off-task, you can send them a direct message:
- Click on the student’s screen thumbnail or name.
- Select “Send Message” and type your message.
- Click “Send” to notify the student.
Locking screens
For more serious distractions, you can lock a student’s screen to regain their attention:
- Select the student from the dashboard.
- Click on “Lock Screen.”
- The student’s screen will display a message indicating it has been locked by the teacher.
Engagement Features:
Sharing resources directly with students
You can share educational resources with your students directly through GoGuardian:
- Click on “Share Link” in the classroom dashboard.
- Enter the URL of the resource you want to share.
- Choose the students or the entire class to send the link to, and click “Share.”
Providing real-time feedback
Provide immediate feedback to students as they work:
- Monitor their progress through live screen views and activity timelines.
- Send messages of encouragement or constructive feedback based on their activity.
Advanced Tips and Tricks
Customizing Filters and Alerts:
Setting up custom website filters
To ensure students stay on task, set up custom filters for inappropriate or distracting websites:
- Navigate to the “Settings” section of your GoGuardian dashboard.
- Select “Filters” and add websites to the block list.
- Set specific rules and categories for filtering content.
Receiving instant alerts for inappropriate content or behavior
Set up alerts to notify you of any inappropriate content or behavior:
- Go to the “Alerts” section in your settings.
- Configure the types of activities that will trigger an alert, such as visiting blocked websites or using inappropriate language.
- Choose to receive instant notifications via email or within the GoGuardian dashboard.
Utilizing Data Reports:
Generating reports on student activity
Generate detailed reports to review student activity and behavior:
- Go to the “Reports” section in your GoGuardian dashboard.
- Select the type of report you want to generate, such as individual student activity or overall class behavior.
- Set the date range and specific parameters for the report.
- Click “Generate Report” and review the data.
Analyzing trends over time
Use the generated reports to identify trends and patterns in student behavior:
- Analyze the frequency of certain activities or behaviors.
- Identify any recurring issues that may need to be addressed.
- Use the insights to adjust your classroom management strategies.
Addressing Common Challenges
Managing Resistance from Students
Some students may resist the monitoring and control aspects of GoGuardian Teacher. Here are some strategies to manage this resistance:
- Communicate the purpose of GoGuardian Teacher to your students, emphasizing how it helps create a productive learning environment.
- Involve students in the setup process, allowing them to provide input on classroom rules and expectations.
- Reinforce the benefits of staying on task and the positive impact it has on their learning experience.
Ensuring Student Privacy
Maintaining student privacy while using GoGuardian Teacher is crucial. Here are some tips to ensure privacy is respected:
- Be transparent with students and parents about how GoGuardian Teacher is used and what data is collected.
- Follow your school’s policies and guidelines regarding student data privacy.
- Only monitor student activity during class time and avoid accessing personal information unrelated to school activities.
Conclusion
In summary, GoGuardian Teacher is a powerful tool that can transform the way educators manage their classrooms. By providing real-time monitoring, intervention options, and detailed analytics, it helps create a focused and engaging learning environment.
Additional Resources
Approving YouTube Videos:
https://support.goguardian.com/s/article/Policies-Filtering-Youtube-Content-1629769372357
Go Guardian Support: