Librarians to get Web Snoop Software

Submitted by platypus matt on October 2, 2002 - 07:30.

Fresh from cnet.com: Librarians and other school officials are now being asked to snoop on students' web habits with the new LanSchool Monitor property. This property allows teachers or lab monitors to see up to 64 thumbnails on their screen--enough to snoop on a fairly large computer lab. Students logging in to a LanSchool Monitored lab would be notified that they are being monitored. Lanschool argues that this method is more efficient than proggies like NetNanny because these programs block potentially useful sites.

I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want some of the librarians and computer lab monitors from my old school to be peering over my shoulder! However, I do have to agree that this system trumps the cyber-nanny type software.

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Re: Librarians to get Web Snoop Software

Submitted by jrice on October 2, 2002 - 08:39.

Great. Why not have students read 1984 and then go use the library!

Typical assignment:

Write about how 1984 has become reality in this school you are studying in.

Discipline and punishment, baby.

cel4145's picture

Re: Librarians to get Web Snoop Software

Submitted by cel4145 on October 2, 2002 - 09:21.

Is this really much different in principle than the computer class room setup advocated by those of us in computers and writing: setting computer stations around the perimeter of the room so that the teacher can see what students are working on?

Clancy's picture

Re: Librarians to get Web Snoop Software

Submitted by Clancy on October 2, 2002 - 15:48.

I teach in a computer lab designed that way. Everyone calls it "the Panopticon." There's also a program called NetSupport School (http://www.netsupport-inc.com/NSS/Netsupport_School_overview.htm) that some profs at my former institution were/are using. The professor can at any time see what is on the screens of his or her students, which some argued could be useful if students are using a wireless network and might go to another building or room with one of the laptops. Also, the professor can "freeze" a student's screen if he/she doesn't like what they're looking at. The professor can display what is on his/her screen on the student's machine--so the student has to look at whatever the professor wants him/her to see.

Perhaps I should be using the word "telescreen" here for jrice's benefit. Doubleplusungood, huh?