Provided by Andy Cawthray
The use of AB Tutor regularly will promote sensible use of computers during a lesson based in an ICT room.
By regular and confident use of AB Tutor pupils will get used to the idea of the teacher being in full control of what happens on the computers.
This can be done through several techniques whilst using AB Tutor:
- Locking screens to get attention/quieten class
- Demo/model work to be done in the pupil screens – show skills, or what you expect from the pupils
- Close programs – if student is not doing what they are supposed to be AB Tutor allows the user to close the program e.g. looking at the Internet when they should be working on Word – close Explorer/block explorer
- Log students off computers if not doing as told / or forget to log off
- Chat – teacher can chat to a student via a window on screen – can be useful to gently remind students to stay on task
- Questions – use polls to get feedback from students on whether they have met learning objectives
- Watch students screens – individually or all at once via a grid – can be useful to show the students this so they are aware that you can see their screens – this should stop students going on to software/looking at things on the internet that is not work related.
- Sharing screens – take over a student screen and model what they should be doing/or correct errors they have made whilst they watch on their screen.
- Showing example good work by a pupil on the whiteboard – take over student screen and move window to white board screen – discuss good features of the student work – other pupils get to see what others are doing.
Through regular use students become used to the teacher being in control of the computers, this helps with behaviour management and encourages all students to ensure they are working well during the lesson – they become very aware that the teacher can see their screens and will if necessary control their computers.
In the classroom 