- Line up computers in your classroom with screens all facing the center of the room to make it easier to identify off-task behavior.
- It is hard to manage a room full of computers. To best manage the classroom, you need to be able to see all computer screens.
- If anyone is off task, immediately address the situation. The following suggestions would be useful.
- When you see students surfing the internet before they’ve finished the class activities, discourage them using one of these strategies:
- Sit next to the distracted student and say: “You programmed Gmail in 10 minutes? It took Google years to develop it.”
- Replace Gmail and Google with the relevant site and company for your situation.
- If your classroom has the technology to display any computer screen on the main projector say: “Quinn’s screen will be on the projector in 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1.”
- This gives them time to close the unauthorized websites and get back to the course material.
- This also lets the student know you’ve noticed they are distracted and reminds the whole class that this behavior is not tolerated or acceptable.
- When you see students surfing the internet before they’ve finished the class activities, discourage them using one of these strategies:
- Note: It is really important to develop a relationship with students that shows that you are respectful of their privacy, but have high standards for them focusing during class time.
- If you don’t have a good rapport with your students where they don’t see your respect of their privacy, this can be detrimental for student-teacher relationships and make students feel uncomfortable in your class.