With the dawn of a district-wide 1:1 Chromebook program comes questions of monitoring student usage. Is it an invasion of privacy? Is it truly necessary for high school students? Thankfully, the Warren Hills administration has made the wise decision to implement GoGuardian.

GoGuardian is a web-filtering and classroom management tool built specifically for Chromebooks. Warren Hills currently uses their products, “Admin” and “Teacher”.

“Admin” ensures that students are visiting only appropriate and academic sites with filtering technology powered by artificial intelligence, while “Teacher” gives instructors the ability to view and control their students’ activity.

GoGuardian eliminates the need for teachers to be walking around while an assessment is being taken – they can see everything from their own computer screen.

Teachers have the option to lock screen activity and open or close tabs on an individual student’s device.

While most teachers have basic skills and understanding when it comes to technology, and had often used computers in class before the start of the 1:1 program, the influx of so many new devices can be overwhelming. GoGuardian gives teachers, and especially those less comfortable with technology, a sense of control over the classroom.

With this new 1:1 program, students have the opportunity to take their Chromebooks home with them. These school-provided computers should primarily be an academic resource, even at home, so web-filtering that works outside of the school network is crucial – and the Admin product provides just that.

Some argue that this type of monitoring is an invasion of privacy. However, Chromebooks are district-provided devices, intended solely for academic use. As the guardians of the technology, Warren Hills has the responsibility to put measures in place that ensure students are making use of it properly.

Additionally, in most districts, GoGuardian is implemented solely in middle and elementary schools. Some view this fact as evidence that such a monitoring and filtering tool is unnecessary in the high school environment, populated by supposedly more mature and responsible students.

However, GoGuardian only amplifies the ability of Chromebooks to enhance education, and works as a safeguard to prevent any potential misuse. It in no way negatively affects the ability of students to use their Chromebooks for academic purposes, and there is no reason that its many benefits should not be made available to teachers and students alike.

GoGuardian is an essential companion to the 1:1 program at Warren Hills. It keeps students on task, ensure they are using their Chromebooks properly at home, and gives teachers better control of their updated classrooms. Implementing this tool was the right choice.