Stoneware, LanSchool Merge Systems

"In a bring-your-own-device environment, as these devices come into the classroom, it makes teaching more challenging," said Greg Tan, chief marketing officer for Stoneware. "'How do I teach?' is not [something] controlled by the school anymore." He said that integrating the two products delivers classroom management capabilities through the cloud. As a result, schools will not need to install an application on each student's personal computing device. "It only runs when they are logged into the school network. Once a student logs out, the agent is no longer available," said Tan.

The school's network with a personal device

When students log onto the school's network with a personal device, "if they disconnect from or leave the school network, the device is no longer monitored or controlled by the software. [Students cannot] uninstall the software without the help of the school administrator," Knutti added.

Tan said funding individual devices is challenging for schools, and by making it easier for students to connect to the school's network with personal devices, schools can instead focus their spending on network and security infrastructure. "Typically, most students have access to some device that they can bring into the school. Because access is based on a browser and an Internet connection, you have access to resources and you lower the bar to what device a student must have," he said.

"When students bring their own devices to do assignments online, the teacher did not have the ability to see what the student is doing," said Steve Clemons, chief research officer and assistant superintendent for the San Diego County Office of Education. "The No. 1 downfall we had--the piece we've always wanted Stoneware to do--was classroom management."

To support the synchronous interactions that are becoming more vital in the learning community, those charged with deploying real-time online learning, collaboration, and professional development are able to choose from an array of innovation options. In this white paper, Blackboard Collaborate lays out the components that should considered when assessing these solutions. Read more...