Managing classroom computers.

Managing classroom computers. ACCORDING TO according toprep.1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians.2. In keeping with: according to instructions.3. THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU Noun 1. Census Bureau - the bureau of the Commerce Department responsible for taking the census; provides demographic information and analyses about the population of the United StatesBureau of the Census , 14.2 MILLION COMPUTERS WERE INSCHOOLS ACROSS THE country in 2005-2006, a ratio of one for every fourstudents and more than 20 times the number in schools in 1984-1985.Along with the tremendous opportunities for student learning afforded bythis trend comes the risk of distraction and inappropriate use ofcomputers and the Internet by students. Classroom management softwarewas developed to address these concerns and to help teachers maximizethe instructive in��struc��tive?adj.Conveying knowledge or information; enlightening.in��structive��ly adv. Capabilities of classroom computers. The first program was created by LanSchool in 1986, and as thenumber of classroom computers has increased, so has the number ofcompanies offering their own programs and features. Classroom managementsoftware gives teachers complete control over every computer in theirclassroom or lab, as well as a variety of presentation and collaborativetools. Nearly all are able to show thumbnail A miniature representation of a page or image that is used to identify a file by its contents. Clicking the thumbnail opens the file. Thumbnails are an option in file managers, such as Windows Explorer, and they are found in photo editing and graphics program to quickly browse multiple images of everystudent's screen and to allow teachers to block or allow programs,or lock keyboards and screens to command attention. More recentinnovations include features such as chat functions between teachers andindividuals or groups, shared Web browsing between teachers andstudents, remote installation of software from one computer to many, andseamless integration An addition of a new application, routine or device that works smoothly with the existing system. It implies that the new feature or program can be installed and used without problems. Contrast with "transparent," which implies that there is no discernible change after installation. with student information systems and otheradministrative programs. Here are some of the many programs on themarket to consider using in your district. NETOP NETOP Network Operator Vision6, Starting at $35 per computer Administrative software maker Netop acquired GenevaLogic in 2008,adding the company's Vision classroom management software toNetop's lineup of communications, management and instructionprograms. Vision6 allows teachers to share screens for demonstrations,share and collect files, and take remote control of individualcomputers. Available plug-in programs broaden its capabilities andinclude Surf-Lock, which controls and monitors Internet access See how to access the Internet. ,App-Control, which blocks and allows access to applications, andVision@Hand, which transfers teacher controls to a wireless PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) A handheld computer for managing contacts, appointments and tasks. It typically includes a name and address database, calendar, to-do list and note taker, which are the functions in a personal information manager (see PIM). . [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] www.netop.com NETSUPPORT NetSupport School, $1,200 for 25 computers This classroom management program from NetSupport provides thecapability to power on or off all computers in a classroom, generate andstore student attendance records, create interactive lesson plans, viewthumbnail images of student screens, and monitor and controlapplications or Internet use. Unique features include student journalfunctions, printer management capabilities, real-time keyboardmonitoring, and Internet co-browsing, which allows teachers to accessand scroll To continuously move forward, backward or sideways through the text and images on screen or within a window. Scrolling implies continuous and smooth movement, a line, character or pixel at a time, as if the data were on a paper scroll being rolled behind the screen. See auto scroll. through Web pages while displaying them on each studentscreen. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] www.netsupportschool.com SMART TECHNOLOGIES Sync, $799 per classroom Most famous for its interactive whiteboards An interactive whiteboard is a large interactive display that connects to a computer and projector. A projector projects the computer’s desktop onto the board’s surface, where users control the computer using a pen, finger or other device. , SMART Technologies hasintroduced Sync, the eighth and latest version of the company'sclassroom management software, formerly known as SynchronEyes. Inaddition to the classroom control and monitoring functions of previousversions, Sync includes new features such as a redesigned userinterface, an Administrator tool that stores important class informationsuch as student names and ID numbers, and a redesigned secure chatcapability that works with individuals, groups or an entire class. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] www.smarttech.com APPLE Remote Desktop 3 $299 for 10 managed computers, $499 for unlimited For Mac users, Apple's Remote Desktop provides sophisticatedcapabilities for managing classroom machines. Teachers or administratorscan distribute software, guide students through tasks, and createdetailed hardware and software reports about just the machines in aclassroom or about an unlimited number of Macs across a school ordistrict network. Other features include an Automator tool to set any of30 system preferences on all computers, screen sharing screen sharing - Audiographic Teleconferencing with a"curtain view" to block students from viewing teacher actionswhen necessary, and a variety of remote system status indicators. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] www.apple.com