Instructor Manual: SMART Sync
SMART Sync is currently located on the teacher/host computer
in the following labs:
IC 102, IC 108, IC 103, and Academic 215, Russell 106, Nursing
Computer Lab, Smith Computer Lab.
SMART Sync is a software designed to allow teachers to monitor the screens of students during
lessons and/or testing. It also allows teachers to block certain websites during testing as well as
control the screens of the student computers. Broadcasting videos/files and writing on student’s
screens is also within the functionality. Select below to view a certain application of SMART Sync
Viewing Screens/Blocking
Internet
Blocking Certain Websites
Blocking Certain
Applications
Removing Students/Blocking
Certain Students’ Internet
Sending Announcements
Controlling Student’s
Computer
Broadcasting Instructor’s
Computer
Student’s “Vote”
Sharing a Website to
Students
Sharing a Video to Students
Locking Student’s Computer
Shutting Down Computers
Opening SMART Sync
After opening SMART Sync from the
desktop/programs within the computer,
the instructor may choose to open the
“default” class labeled under “default”
teacher or the name of the room. The
instructor can create their own class but it
will not have all the settings (for internet
blocking) preloaded.
Internet block icon
Computer number and username
Viewing Students Screens/Blocking All Internet
Each student’s screen will appear on the host station’s screen. The computer number as well as the username will
appear underneath the screen. Student will receive a message on the screen (bottom right corner) indicating that
they are being monitored. (They will also receive a notification in the bottom right corner indicating if internet is
blocked, etc.)
From the top navigation bar, the instructor can choose to block the internet from students. The browser will attempt
to load when opening it, but eventually timeout. The instructor will see the internet block icon at the top of the miniscreens.
Blocking Certain Websites
By choosing “internet” from the bottom left corner of the menu, instructor can choose to block only certain webpages or block all
webpages except for a few. To do this the instructor can select “add new” from the top menu and add the specific webpages. A default has
been set to block all but the Gordon homepage and Desire2Learn (the instructor will just need to check that feature.)
Blocking Applications
Instructors may also block certain applications from being opened by students. (ie- Students cannot open a MS Word document saved onto
their H drive during an exam.) To block these, the instructor should choose “applications” from the left side of the menu and choose “Block
Microsoft Office”, “Block all except Microsoft Office”, etc. The instructor can “add new” to only block certain/other applications. When the
instructor checks to apply the application rule, a notice will appear stating that open documents on the student’s desktop will be closed
based upon this feature. (If students have a document open, it will be closed).
Removing Students/Blocking Certain Students’ Internet
When a student logs off of the computer, a “no response”
sign will be displayed on the teacher’s mini-screens. To
removed this, the instructor can right click on the individual
screen and “remove”. Also, by right clicking on the individual
screen, the instructor can block all internet access for just
that one student.
Sending Announcements to Students
The instructor can send an announcement
to the students which will appear as a
popup on their screens. The instructor will
need to select “announce” from the top
menu and type the announcement into the
textbook and select “announce.”
Student View:
Controlling a student’s computer
The instructor can control/write on a
student’s computer by double clicking on it
within the mini-screens. A new toolbar will
appear allowing the teacher to:
-Control the computer screen
-Broadcast their screen to the other
students’ screens
-Capture an image of their screen and save
it
-Pen- Write on their screen
-Stop- Return back to the mini-screens of
all students.
Broadcasting Instructor’s Computer to Students’ Computer
From the “Thumbnails” view on the left menu, select “Broadcast” and then open the application on the instructor
computer. The instructor can use the application as well as return back to the menu area to stop the broadcast.
Formative Feedback/Allowing students to “Vote”
By selecting “vote” from the main menu at the top of the screen, the instructor can provide a yes/no question to
be answered by students. The students will see the popup on their screen. They can select and submit their
answer.
Student View:
The instructor will then see the vote
(check for “yes”, “x” for “no”) to
determine how each student answered
the question. To turn off the “vote” the
instructor will click “vote” again from the
top menu.
Sharing a Webpage
By selecting “send web” on the top menu, the instructor can send all the students to the same webpage at the
same time.
Sharing a Video
By selecting “share media” from
the top menu, instructors can
load a video to be viewed by all
student from the instructor
computer. (Students will not
have controls to move
forward/pause, etc. A notice
may appear as video loads).
Locking a student’s computer
The instructor may “lock” a student’s computer by selecting it within the thumbnails view and choose “lock”. The
teacher may lock all computers by choosing shift + select all thumbnail screens and “lock”. The student screen will
become black and read “Eyes to the Front Please.”
Shutting Down Student Computers
The instructor may shutdown, restart, logoff
all computers by selecting “shut down” from
the top menu and selecting the appropriate
designation in the popup.