We all anticipated that being in a 1:1 environment, we would be facing kids being off task on their Chromebooks. And we were correct. I know I have talked all year long with teachers who get frustrated with kids being on their Chromebooks when they're not supposed to be, being on websites they aren't supposed to be, or playing games when they should be working (among other off-task behaviors). None of this means the kids are bad or that the access to the technology is bad. This is just an expected consequence of a connected generation having access to a technology device all day. But that isn't much comfort when we are exhausted after a day of racing around the room trying to keep kids focused on the task they should be focused on while online. It sure would be easy if we could just keep the kids off all the unnecessary, time-wasting websites. But as we all read in the email, that isn't going to happen mostly because it can't. There are millions of websites out there that the kids don't need to be on during school hours -- it would be impossible to block them all. Some teachers have inquired about monitoring software, but that has been nixed, too, since that solution can be quite costly. So that leaves us with the task of having to manage a sometimes frustrating situation.
So I'd like to offer some ideas for how to do this. I'm certainly not holding myself up as some sort of classroom management expert, but I did face this problem regularly when I taught computers. So here are some things I did and some things inspired by what I did:
- If you can't beat 'em, give 'em what they want -- sort of. Kids always wanted to play games, so I added a page to my class website with pre-approved games they were allowed to play when they had down time. Most of them were somehow academically based (word games, math games, trivia, strategy games). They may not be Roblox or Fortnite, but they're an option. Once the kids had games they knew they could play, controlling their access to games became much more manageable.
- Use proximity. Walk around the room often. Kids who are off task will quickly scramble to close a tab as you approach. They are good at giving themselves away like that :-) If you suspect a kid has been somewhere they don;t belong online, you are completely within your rights to grab the Chromebook and open a new tab, then right click on the tab to select "Reopen Closed Tab" to see what they scrambled to close so fast. Once kids know you will be doing this, they will be less likely to be off task because they're going to get found out.
- Use really close proximity. If a student is consistently off task, have that student come sit right by you to do his or her work. This is an easy way to keep a close eye on the student.
- Use direction. If you feel the problem is really rampant, for the task the kids are working on, have them rearrange their desks so all their screens are facing the same direction. Now you can stand behind them so you can see all screens at once.
- Subtract. There is nothing wrong with having kids put their Chromebooks on a shelf somewhere in the room when they don't need them. They don;t have to remain on kids' desks where they can prove too great a temptation for some students.
- Make the call. For kids who are frequent flyers, don't hesitate to talk with your building principal for guidance or reach out to parents to help you reinforce the message that the Chomebooks are learning tools, not toys.
Hopefully, some of these ideas will work for you and your students as we head into the last weeks of school, a time where both kids and adults find themselves easily distracted. I'd love for you to share your thoughts on this as well as any strategies you use that you'd be willing to share. I'd love to give away some more Google or Google emoji stickers to 3 more people this week :-)
Good post Renee, this one really hit home for me... just today. I do have a website with games and links for the kids to use, of course there are always those who stray. I usually react to this by taking their chromebook for 24 hours, informing and informing their parents via remind. Only problem is this sometimes requires more work on my end having to make copies of everything kids are doing digitally, or come up with a replacement activity to those who have technology taken away. I guess it is frustrating b/c it rarely occurs with me (or gets caught), I use proximity, rearranging the room isn't feasible with the space in class. The newest fad with the kids seems to be twitch (Fortnite is the fidget spinner of 2018). I just don't see an educational purpose for it, and wonder why it isn't just blocked.
ReplyDeleteI get it -- teachers are already strapped for time, so managing this can feel like it's "one more thing". Hopefully some of the strategies here will work for you,and the ones you are already using will be effective as time goes on and students learn their off-task behavior is noticed and will be addressed. Thanks for sharing -- I know many teachers are also feeling the same way you feel. It helps to hear how other people manage the Chromebooks in their classroom.
DeleteThank you, Renee! I wasn't aware of the "Reopen Closed Tab" little trick. I'm wondering if you guys would mind putting together a little document with a list of these tricks for us. I know I would love it!
ReplyDeleteSure! I could add a page to my website with tips/tricks like this that teachers can access any time. I'll get working on that!
DeleteWe talked about this at length in our faculty meeting yesterday :-) I think most of your ideas came up as good options! I particularly like the idea of pre-approved games they can use during down time that are education-focused. This is something I can pull together with teacher input and we can post online and maybe even in a poster format in the library or other area in the school. - Sarah H
ReplyDeleteGood idea. It helps if the students understand that the expectations are the same across the board -- all teachers, all grade levels, all classrooms. The consistency will help curb the off-task behaviors.
DeleteWe also discussed that the different options work for different situations. No single strategy will be 'the' solution. Teachers will need to employ multiple strategies to manage the appropriate use of the chromebooks.
ReplyDeleteNothing in education is "one size fits all". Teachers definitely need to find what works for them and their students, which can also change throughout the year. Teachers are good at developing toolboxes. With the addition of the Chromebooks and the 1:1 this year, teachers are now looking for new tools to add!
DeleteThanks for your post, Renee!
ReplyDeleteI have been stewing about the tone in the email we received. As if it's just so simple a task to monitor. I hate to request sites be blocked because it's our job (along with parents) to teach these kids how to navigate the world and the web is a major part of that in 2018. However, there is so much more to the situation than one child playing games instead of doing his or her work. It's a constant issue!
I've been using the method you mentioned of keeping the child's Chromebook on my desk when it is not needed. I plan to include all of my students in this starting Monday.
I use proximity, but I'm excited to know about the "reopen closed tab" technique!
I'm glad I was able to share something new and useful to you! I know that this is an issue that more than one teacher has expressed frustration over, but the best thing to do is keep those expectations high and be vigilant in enforcing the rules until kids know you mean business. You also need to make sure to take advantage of the allies you have in this -- your building principal and the parents! Kids who chronically misuse their Chromebooks need to know it's not going to be ignored :-)
DeleteI think each age group will have different things that work best, too. For me with 8th graders about to enter high school, I feel that they need to learn how to manage their time wisely and the consequences of making poor choices now. Maybe I am a bit more lenient in my classroom, but if they are keeping up in class and doing what they need to, then I don't mind what they do with their time. If they are making poor choices and it's affecting their grades, it gives me a prompt to discuss with them individually about making better choices to be more successful in the future.
ReplyDeleteOne trick I really like, especially during some tests, is I tell them to close all other tabs when working on something, then I circulate the room to make them show me that it's the only tab & window they have open. The 'frequent gamers' will whine because it's closing their game, and then it gives me a heads up about who to keep a more vigilant eye on during the class period.
Yes, asking them to close all other tabs is a good idea, and a clever way to find out who your "big gamers" are! It is very true that each grade level and each teacher needs to do what works best for their kids and classroom. Glad you've found something that seems to work well for you and your students!
ReplyDeleteWhat an important topic. I have to say that even as an adult I have to watch myself from getting sucked into wasting time on tech- checking emails, going down the rabbit hole of Pinterest, or checking my phone. If it's difficult for us as adults to sometimes self-monitor, I can only imagine how hard is is for impulsive kids. I would add to the list that we adults have to be role models as well and not spend too much time at our own devices or on our phones during class time. It's something I know I need to work on personally as well.
ReplyDeleteVery true! It is easy for me to get sucked into other things, too, like Twitter or my email. Empathy goes a long way in trying to help our students!
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