LanSchool Features
User-friendly interface
Remove distractions
Screen broadcast
Communication
Student assessment
Monitor students
User-friendly interface
LanSchool was designed with ease-of-use in mind. The instructor’s interface, otherwise known as the Teacher Console, is both intuitive and simple. Simply clicking the appropriate button in the Teacher Console allows you to use most of LanSchool’s features.
Remove distractions
There are a few ways instructors can use LanSchool to limit in-class distractions. They include screen blanking, application limiting, and web limiting.
Blank Screen
A student’s computer screen can be locked at any time. Each computer locked will become unresponsive and display a message telling the student to redirect their attention to the front of the classroom.
Limit Apps
LanSchool can limit applications two different ways: you can specify the applications to block or the applications to allow. By clicking on Limit Apps, any application specified by the instructor can be kept from launching on student computers. If the application is already running on a student’s computer, it will close immediately and then will not launch again. Specifying any application is as easy as typing its name onto a list.
Limit Web
Almost identical to Limit Apps, Limit Web has an additional “Block All” option.
Screen broadcast
An instructor can quickly and easily show his or her screen on each student’s computer with LanSchool. It is ideal for both instruction and demonstration.
A click of a button opens a window displaying the instructor’s screen on each student’s screen. Students can resize the window to their preference and easily read small text.
Communication
Communication is a very important aspect of the classroom. LanSchool offers the instructor two ways to do it, Messages and Chat.
Messages
Designed as a more general form of communication, they can be sent to one or multiple students for quick responses and general instruction. Any message sent is automatically saved and available to send later. Messages are fast and easy, allowing class to flow smoothly and avoiding interruption.
Chat
Chat takes a one-on-one approach to communicating with students. It is intended to be more personal and specific than Messages. An interactive chat session can be opened with individual students to answer their questions or explain further if necessary.
Questions
Students have the ability to ask the instructor a question at any time, without interrupting the lecture or class. Any question asked will appear on the instructor’s computer and will remain there until the instructor has the opportunity to answer it.
Although nothing beats face-to-face communication, there are certain instances where it isn't ideal, or possible. Some students may prefer to ask questions via chat to avoid the embarrassment of raising their hands and vocalizing their questions in front of their peers, or you may want to address a specific student without interrupting the rest of class. You can use Chat and Messages as a way to work around those situations.
Student assessment
Two of the most innovative and useful features of LanSchool, Vote and Testing, can be used to quantify and record each student’s understanding of classroom content.
Vote
Vote is a much simpler version of Testing, and is a great way to get the classroom’s opinion on a topic or question. There is no wrong answer with Vote, it simply gathers each student’s answer. It can be used with True/False and/or Multiple Choice questions. LanSchool will save classroom statistics as well as each student’s answer as a .csv file that can easily be opened in Excel or any other spreadsheet application.
Testing
A much more detailed version of Vote, it allows the instructor to create and administer tests among his or her class. Tests can be created using True/False, Multiple Choice, and/or Essay questions. It also has options for different types of testing. These options include:
- Timed Tests
- Random Question Order
- Full-Screen Mode
Full-Screen Mode is particularly helpful when instructors wish to keep students from accessing any files or applications while they are taking the test.
Monitor students
LanSchool provides a couple ways for instructors to monitor their students during class: Screen View, and Show Student.
Screen View
One of two ways to view students in the Teacher Console, Screen View shows each student’s computer screen as a thumbnail. This allows an instructor to keep an eye on multiple students, and while not as accurate as Show Student, does update periodically and shows the current application running.
Show Student
Show Student allows the instructor to view a single student’s screen in real-time. The instructor is shown that individual student’s screen with much more detail than with Screen View.
