Tamborine Mountain College
The Challenge
Managing Digital Distractions in a Safe Learning Environment
The Solution
Teacher Assist
Since implementing Teacher Assist in February 2023, Tamborine Mountain College has been able to significantly reduce off-task behaviour and ensure that students stay on track with their learning. Teacher Assist empowers teachers by giving them the ability to monitor and manage students’ devices in real-time.
“Teacher Assist allows us to supervise student tabs when needed, review their browsing history, restrict per lesson what websites are available (or not), and empower teachers to easily push websites to all students in the class. It also allows our School Principal and department heads to digitally visit classes and stay in touch.”
Olger Diekstra,
ICT Manager
Key Features Driving Success
Tamborine Mountain College leverages several key features of Teacher Assist that have contributed to improved classroom management and student engagement:
- Real-time Screen Monitoring: Teachers can monitor student screens in real time, identifying distractions and guiding students back to their tasks when needed.
- Browsing History Review: The ability to review students’ browsing history has been invaluable for identifying potential off-task behaviour and addressing it promptly.
- Website Management: Teachers can open, close, and block specific websites during lessons, ensuring that students remain focused on educational content.
- Push Websites/Resources: The ability to push relevant websites or resources directly to all students’ devices has streamlined lesson delivery and increased the efficiency of teaching.
The Impact
Improved Focus, Increased Productivity, and Safer Digital Environments
Since deploying Teacher Assist, Tamborine Mountain College has seen significant improvements in classroom dynamics and student behaviour:
- Reduced Digital Distractions: Teachers report fewer instances of students engaging with non-educational content during lessons, such as gaming or social media.
- Increased Task Completion: Students are more focused during lessons, with fewer distractions and interruptions.
- Easier Classroom Management: Teacher Assist has saved valuable time for teachers by reducing manual monitoring, class disruptions, and reducing the admin burden of digital classroom management, allowing them to focus more on teaching.
- Safeguarding and Support for Pastoral Teams: The ability to track students’ browsing history has provided vital insights to support pastoral or safeguarding teams in investigating online behaviour and ensuring students’ well-being.
“We’ve had a few incidents where a teacher spotted students quickly switching tabs and asked IT to investigate. The browsing history was very helpful in identifying what websites students were browsing and for how long. It’s also crucial for safeguarding, and with the integration of GAT Shield, we’re able to block inappropriate websites and monitor gaming or other distractions.”
Olger Diekstra,
ICT Manager
A Collaborative Approach to Education Technology
In addition to Teacher Assist, Tamborine Mountain College also uses GAT Shield and GAT+ as part of its core digital safety strategy. These tools, together with Teacher Assist, allow the school to ensure that both the teachers and administrators are equipped to create a productive and safe learning environment.
“The GAT+ and Teacher Assist solutions are now core to our setup,” says Olger. “Each adds essential capabilities to Google Workspace that we couldn’t live without.”
The Future
Continued Commitment to Innovation
Tamborine Mountain College plans to continue expanding the use of Teacher Assist across the school, ensuring that all teachers are equipped with the tools and knowledge to create the best possible learning environment for their students. As a school that prioritises the safety and engagement of its students, Teacher Assist has become an indispensable part of its approach to classroom management.
Conclusion
A Strong Recommendation
Olger and the team at Tamborine Mountain College would highly recommend Teacher Assist to other schools using Google Classroom. The tool has not only improved classroom management but also enhanced the overall learning experience for students by providing teachers with better control and insight into their digital behaviour.
“We’ve seen improvements in focus, task completion, and fewer distractions. “Teacher Assist has truly empowered our teachers and helped us provide a safer, more effective learning environment for our students.”
Olger Diekstra,
ICT Manager
Discover how GAT Labs can help your school manage your Google Classroom
- What challenges did Tamborine Mountain College face in managing Google Drive and IT resources effectively?
- What risks are associated with external file sharing or mismanaged permissions in a school environment like Tamborine Mountain College?
- What tools or features from GAT Labs helped the school secure file permissions and monitor sharing? Which features were most impactful?
- How can automation (e.g., real-time alerts, bulk ownership transfer) reduce administrative workload and enhance data security?
- Why is compliance with education data protection laws (such as COPPA and FERPA) critical, and how does oversight of file sharing support this?