Lanschool Technologies has designed a software that helps classroom teachers monitor their student's computer activity and eliminate computer-based distractions. They also have a Lanschool Home version that can be used in homeschools.
This software allows the teacher to:
- monitor the students' computer activities
- limit access to the internet or other applications
- remotely access the students' computer to help with problems
- show your screen to your students
- view your students' screen
- monitor several students at once
- send and receive messages between computers
- blank your students' screens to get their attention
- view students' internet history
We have very few computer-based lessons in our homeschool, and for the few that we have, our students work in the living room, where it is easy to monitor their activity. We installed the Lanschool software to test it, anyway. It was very easy to install on my computer, and on the children's computer.
It was nice to be able to peek at what my daughter was doing when she was supposed to be working on her Spanish, without having to get up so she'd know I was coming. But, when I was viewing her computer, or had her viewing mine, it slowed our computers down. I had to remember to "stop viewing" before I tried to open or save anything on the computer. That is probably because our computers are older and we don't have a lot of available memory on the kids' computer.
It was fun to be able to blank the screen if I caught them playing rather than working, but I couldn't completely limit their internet access because their software requires web access. (My daughters did not appreciate Lanschool at all, and accused me of putting evil spyware on their computer.) We tested the ability to send each other messages, but more often than not, we just called out to each other across the room.
This program is probably a life-saver to classroom teachers who have 15-30 students all working on their own computers. I'm sure it's also a blessing to homeschool families who use computer-based curriculum and have their children working in different parts of the house. But in our own family, it isn't really necessary. For us, it's just cumbersome.
The Lanschool Home version sells for $99.00 and allows the parent to monitor 3 student computers. There is a 30 day free trial version, which you can download to test in your own home. You can also download a brochure to learn more about the product.
This item was provided free for our review as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew. We received no other compensation, and this review is our honest opinion. Visit the TOS Homeschool Crew blog to read more reviews on this product by other Homeschool Crew members.
Trusting In Him,
April
