District Administration - July 2010 - (Page 59)

Advertisement A Texas District Uses Software to Keep Focus on Learning NetSupport School is classroom management software that liberates the computer lab NetSupport School provides controlling features that ome things are just meant to roam free, like chickens in a farmyard. But students in a computer lab? Take monitor applications used, Internet sites visited, the printing 30-45 students, sit them in front of unmonitored activity of each student and IM usage, as well as full multimecomputers, and you get a free-range social club and an dia testing and instant surveys. A unique attribute is NetSupport’s Student Journal feaInternet café—not a classroom. That was exactly what was concerning San Angelo ISD, a ture. During a typical class, all items relating to the subject— district of 24 schools located in West Central Texas that serves teacher and student notes, lesson details, URLs used during over 13,000 Pre-K12 students. In 2002, the district began the lesson, classroom presentations, graphics and more—are using NetSupport School to monitor usage on its comput- automatically included in a PDF file for post-lesson review by ers. The result was that students quickly turned their focus the student. This feature allows the teacher to store a comprehensive digital record of the on instruction rather than their day’s work. social lives. Real-time audio monitoring NetSupport School is classallows teachers to know what room management software that students are listening to through allows teachers to monitor all their headphones or what’s being students from one central screen. said into their microphone. If It was designed to enhance the needed, the teacher can conduct teaching process by allowing a two-way chat with individual more one-to-one instruction, students without disrupting the which, in turn, increases student rest of the class. Important points proficiency and encourages betand details can be recorded for ter student participation. Eduplayback to the individual stucators monitor each student’s dent or broadcast to the rest of computer, and if necessary, take the class. control of that PC. Teachers can “All our users are very pleased with Mitchell says that the Interexhibit their own screen onto net locking feature gets considstudents’ computers to help NetSupport School. Many have erable use. “After setting Netdemonstrate a particular applibecome experts and take advantage Support up with new teachers, cation or to navigate through a I usually help them get started website. of all the features.” and give them a few pointers to As with any software, simget them going. Their first reacplicity of use is essential. Scott Mitchell is a computer technician in the San Angelo district. tion is always amazement and they certainly feel empowered, “It’s easy enough for anybody to use; the teachers love it,” he especially after locking down the Internet.” What’s most important is complete customer satisfaction. said. “All of our experiences have been positive. We started off “All our users are very pleased with NetSupport School,” said in 2002 with about 250 licenses and now have over a 1,000.” As the technician in charge of making sure the district’s Mitchell. “Many have become experts with it and take advanIT infrastructure is performing properly, Mitchell says he’s tage of all the features. The testimonies from the teachers are pleased. “It runs quite reliably. Once NetSupport is set up, it always positive and many repeatedly tell me they could not do requires very little attention. If [I] reimage a computer. I do without it.” it remotely and it usually takes less than five minutes.” NetSupport School allows considerable flexibility in setting up a For more information, please visit www.netsupportschool.com or call computer lab, making it quick and easy for the tech group. “At (888) 665-0808. times, I have performed deployments from my office without visiting the classroom,” said Mitchell. S www.DistrictAdministration.com July/August 2010 59 http://www.netsupportschool.com http://www.netsupportschool.com http://www.DistrictAdministration.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - July 2010

District Administration - July 2010
Contents
Advertiser Index
Letters
From the Editor
News Update
Sustainability Update
Technology Update
Curriculum Update
Administrator Profile
District Profile
The Golden State Loses Its Luster
Seeking Justice in San Francisco
The Push for Public Preschool
Gearing up for the New Assessment
Books
Products
Online Edge
Supervisor’s Insights
Crisis Response
Supervisor’s Opinion
Tech Disruptions
Professional Opinion
Professional Opinion

District Administration - July 2010