Rhode Island SD Implements Software to Cut Student Distraction

The Warwick School Committee in Rhode Island unanimously approved the implementation of a software called GoGuardian Teacher to curb student distraction while using technology in the classroom. The software, described as a “Chromebook classroom management tool,” will cost the district about $120,000.

GoGuardian allows a teacher to monitor every student’s screen in their classroom. It will show the current website the student is viewing, as well as other tabs that are open and a history of sites that have been accessed during the session. Teachers are able to close tabs that are off task and direct message with each student.

Technology director Doug Alexander told the Warick Beacon that he hopes the software will “provide data-driven insights into how students stay on task and how many go off task, as well as help teachers observe and optimize their students’ use of technology within the classroom.” He wants teachers to view the tool as a way to boost engagement with students instead of a disciplinary tool.

The software will be used in secondary schools during school hours and only works when using the school WiFi.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • DFW-Area District Opens New Replacement Middle School

    The Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District near Fort Worth, Texas, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new replacement middle school campus, according to a news release. The new facility for Wayside Middle School, originally established in 1964, was built on the site of the former district administration building and funded through Bond Proposition A in 2023.

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.

  • Full Sail University Announces First Student Housing Facility

    Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., recently announced that development has begun on its first student housing community, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Nvision Development for construction and long-term management of the facility, which will stand five stories and have the capacity for more than 570 beds.

  • blurry image capturing students navigating crowded hallways between classes

    How Human Behavior Data Is Reshaping Campus Facilities Management

    The ebb and flow of students, faculty, and administrators across a campus have a larger impact on maintenance, cleaning, and sustainability than many realize.