In the past, schools would have been hesitant to allow students the prevalent use of mobile devices for learning in digital classrooms to limit the risks associated with the misuse of devices.

Presently, and in part due to the pandemic, mobile devices are becoming more and more commonplace for learning within the classroom environment. This transition has increased the need for MDM software in order to mitigate the risk of misuse by students.

By providing educators with restrictive software, teachers gain the ability to restrict access to inappropriate or distracting content and applications, and monitor, as well as manage, the activities of students on their devices.

Focused Learning in Digital Classrooms

However, with the rapid and continued advancement of mobile device management software (MDM), schools and decision-makers appreciate the untold benefits that devices bring to the classroom and how crucial the management of mobile devices is.

The use of such software in schools enhances the learning experience for students and, as importantly, makes the teaching experience easier for teachers.

In addition to mobile device management software, classroom management software is also required to ensure that not only are devices monitored and restricted but that teachers have access to a solution that provides features that empower them to drive learning in their digital classrooms.

In combination, classroom management and mobile device management software provide teachers with the tools they require to drive learning in digital classrooms.

In this article, we’re going to explore some features that drive learning in digital classrooms around the world.

1. Visibility of Student Device Use with Live Screen Views

Understanding whether your students are focused and on the right task during class in the digital classroom is not always possible.

Students can find distractions at any turn, and a clear view of student screens is not always possible when navigating online learning or from the front of your classroom.

Live Screen Views enable teachers to easily see what students are working on during class.

This allows teachers to ensure students are all on the same page and identify those who are not focused on the lesson. Live screen views enhances learning within the classroom with this ability to monitor students' screens and ensure students are focused on the work at hand and not distracted by YouTube or games.

Keeping students on task is hard enough without them having access to mobile devices which makes live screen views a fantastic feature for making sure your students are concentrating on the right thing when in class.

Let’s discover more about viewing students' screens during an online class.

2. Clear Presentations with Screen Sharing

Screen-sharing technology is an innovation that has paved the way for enhanced and engaged learning environments within the digital classroom.

Screen-sharing increases engagement from students during class presentations or explanations. Furthermore, when providing students with an opportunity to present their work to the class, they are able to improve their presentation skills which in turn positively impacts their confidence in their work.

Teachers can use screen-sharing to easily explain to the whole class a tricky topic or answer a good question from a student.

Find out more about clear presentations with screen sharing above.

3. Distraction-Free Instruction thanks to Eyes Up

Eyes Up is a tool developed from feedback received from teachers' experiences of distracted students in their classrooms.

Eyes Up allows teachers to lock the screens of all their students in the class simultaneously.

This is useful as it improves the flow of classes. Students don’t have to close their devices, with some of the devices going into sleep mode and precious class time being wasted.

Eyes Up is a simple and easy-to-use tool, activated with the click of a button. It is a great way for when a teacher wants to gain the attention of the whole class or they want the attention of the class on a student's presentation, for example. Then, once a teacher or student has completed presenting to the class, the teacher can just as easily grant access to students' devices.

Let’s discover how to Stop Distracted Instruction with Eyes Up.

4. Understand Device Use in Class with Activity Timeline

Activity Timeline helps teachers understand the online behaviour of their students.

With a clear visual report of how students spend their time online, Activity Timeline provides insight into device usage in class.

Teachers then understand how their students are using their devices in their classes. The visual report provides an easy to understand comparison of application usage.

Activity Timeline makes device-centric decision making much easier through extensive data on the websites and applications used by students.

Jump in and learn more about Understanding Device Use in Class with Activity Timeline.

5. Communicating with Students with Student Messaging

Direct student messaging is a great tool for clear and healthy communication with students.

Student messaging allows teachers to instantly message a single student, all students, or selected students. Whether students are distracted or require direction, a simple message can make a world of difference.

Students will receive a notification from their teacher instructing them.

Discover more about Communicating with Students with Student Messaging.

6. Create Uncheatable Exam Environments

Modes is a stand-out feature for digital learning environments.

Combining our web filter with classroom management tools, Modes allows teachers to create focused, distraction-free learning environments. This powerful and easy-to-use tool will make exams uncheatable!

Teachers can determine exactly what content is accessible during their class, with all other content blocked automatically.

Any Modes created prior to, or at the start of the lesson, can be applied at the click of a button in order to streamline lessons. Modes can be instantly actioned at any time during a lesson, which allows teachers to easily shift between a regular class environment and a Mode. With a preloaded test Mode that can be applied for quizzes during lessons or tests, a class can quickly transition from explorative to focused.

Teachers can limit student access to specific apps and URLs during a lesson. Ensuring they remain on-task and focused. Mobile Guardian's Modes allows teachers to run lessons the way they want to run them, with ease.

Let’s jump in and discover how to Create Uncheatable Exam Environments.

7. Safe, Cloud-based Learning

Web Filtering in education is a necessary yet powerful and dynamic way of keeping students safe and focused online.

Whether during a lesson or after school, Mobile Guardian’s web filter offers schools a comprehensive yet simple way of filtering undesirable and harmful online content.

Cloud-based and completely independent of onsite technology, Mobile Guardian’s web filtering tools ensure your students remain safe while learning and browsing online, regardless of their location. With more than 10 billion URLs intelligently categorised, to restrict and limit harmful content with ease, Mobile Guardian web filtering tools offer a comprehensive web filtering solution for educational environments.

Cloud-based web filtering means you can have peace of mind knowing thatstudents are protected from harmful content whenever and wherever they use their mobile devices. Find out more about the benefits of safe, cloud-based learning here.

8. Focused Learning with Video

The use of YouTube in the classroom is undeniable.

However, sometimes the amount of distracting content on YouTube seems equally unavoidable. This can result in the use of YouTube in classes causing a lot of stress for teachers, IT admins, and even parents as they try to figure out how to keep their students focused and away from inappropriate content. All the while,  without denying access to the variety of useful educational videos hosted on YouTube.

Mobile Guardian’s YouTube filter is a fantastic tool that enables schools to integrate YouTube videos into their class activities without worrying about harmful exposure.

Mobile Guardian’s YouTube filter allows teachers to filter specific YouTube URLs, channels or even particular YouTubers. Our extensive database categorises YouTube so you can rest easy knowing your students are protected and on task.

Let’s discover more about Focused Learning with Video.

Elevate Learning in Digital Classrooms

Mobile Guardian’s Campus solution provides all the features mentioned above in an all-encompassing solution designed and priced for education.

With Mobile Guardian’s Campus solution, teachers have access to classroom management tools that will greatly enhance your digital learning environment.

Find out how Campus can drive learning in your digital environment by booking a demo with us.

Onwards,

Michael Rosenthal

Team Mobile Guardian