Insight is software designed to monitor student activity on the lab desktops and integrate that with the instructor’s lesson. The software is a non-invasive means of ensuring students are following with lectures and labs as instructed to do so, in addition to being capable of administering tests, collecting files, casting student votes, restricting application use, and limiting web access. Often, professors in the iSchool conduct hands-on laboratory sessions, and Insight helps ensure that students are following with the exercise. Also, electronically administered exams take place in the laboratories, and professors can heavily restrict internet access and browser capabilities, in addition to monitoring the screens of each student in one easy to view dashboard in real-time.
Insight links all of the workstations in the lab to a dashboard display screen for the instructor to monitor. Since the professor can simply view all of the workstations in the lab they can ensure students are paying attention to the lesson, and following academic integrity policies during exam periods.
Launching the Program and Basic Monitoring
Insight is available only on the teaching stations in the basement labs of Hinds Hall. To launch the program open the Start Menu and type "Faronics Insight Teacher" in the search bar, as shown below. Don't Worry if Faronics doesn't launch.
Now Faronics Insight is running; to access the dashboard and interface of the program click the upwards facing arrow in the bottom right corner of the primary display, highlighted by the green box, then select the blue owl quick-launch icon, as shown below and highlighted by a red box.
Once the program is launched the primary screen, which displays all of the workstations in the lab, will be viewable to the instructor, as shown in the image below.
This screen provides the instructor with an overview of the computer activity happening on all of the workstations within the lab, for easy and holistic monitoring that does not disrupt a students work.
Viewing an Individual Student’s Workstation
To view one of the specific computer screens you need to highlight the workstation by clicking on it once which will create a red border around the workstation, as shown below.
Once the workstation is highlighted the instructor can select the “Control” button from the main ribbon at the top of the screen to view the workstation in full screen, as shown below or double click the students display.
Once you hit “Control” the selected workstations desktop will be displayed in full screen in Insight, as shown below. While using the “Control” function the instructor can navigate the students workstation, including moving their mouse, opening files, and running applications remotely, as shown below.
Taking Screen Shots
To take a screen shot of the students screen while in “Control” mode click “Snapshot” at the top ribbon, as highlighted below.
A box to save the .JPEG screenshot will appear, and simply select the file destination to save the screenshot.
To return back to the primary screen with all of the workstations being displayed hit the “Control” button and the program will return to the primary display of all students.
Locking Screens
At the primary screen click “Blank Screen” located on the top ribbon.
Note - A custom message can be created on the screen by clicking the arrow next to the icon and selecting “Configure Blank Screen Message” and then typing the specified message in the pop-up box, as shown in the screenshot below.
Projecting the Instructors Desktop to All Students’ Screens
To show the teachers screen to all students click the drop down arrow next to show. Then select full or windowed and the teaching station display will be projected onto all of the workstations in the lab. Note if full is selected the students will not be able to use the computers for anything other then viewing the teachers display.
This function allows instructors to project their screen onto all of the lab computers, giving students a better opportunity to follow through demonstrations and instructions to understand the components of the exercises being conducted.
Projecting a Students Display to All Students
To show a students screen to all other students select the students display to project to all the other screens. Then navigate along the Faronics ribbon and click the show student button.
Limit Websites
To limit websites used by students click the down arrow and click "Configure Web Limiting...".
You can allow for certain websites to be blocked or accessed. To block all websites except blackboard, first check the circle next to "Allow only the following web Sites:". Then click load as depicted below.
Click "Limit Web" to starting limiting websites on Student Computers. The function can be used to limit website accessibility for testing and other classroom applications.
