Lightspeed Classroom - GoGuardian Replacement
When our district replaced Securly with Lightspeed as our content filter over the 2023 summer, they chose to go with their Classroom Management tool that gives teachers powerful insight and control into what is happening on their students' devices. You can view student screens, share content, and manage web access.
Step 1: Google Classroom
Lightspeed Classroom syncs with your Google Classroom rosters, so first make sure you have created Google Classroom's for each class that you teach, and that you have invited (or given the students the code) to join.
Step 2: Go to Lightspeed Classroom Management
Log in at https://login.lightspeedsystems.app/ with your Google account
Step 3: Dashboard
From the dashboard, choose the class you'd like to monitor, or click "Add class" to create a custom class.
Add students to custom classes by entering in their email addresses, or invite them with a code or link. Merging two classes is a feature request coming soon, but for now you can create a custom class and have students join it with an invite code.
Step 4: Start a Session
In order to monitor a class, your class must be in session. Click "View schedule" or click the ⚙️ gear to enter class settings, and choose between:
Ad hoc: Time intervals when needed
Chooose duration
Click Start
Bell: Choose a set period (for certain buildings)
Custom: Create your own schedule for this class by choosing days and times.
Step 5: Monitoring a Class
Once you've started your session, you'll be able to monitor your class. You will see active students grouped in the "My Class" category, inactive students grouped as "Offline", and students who were being monitored by another teacher with an active session still running are grouped as "Available to add." You can:
Change available students to add into your monitoring session
Turn off browsing for the entire class with "Pause internet"
Set Web Rules with Allow and Block lists
Rize Thumbnails (display size of student screens)
View students screen in Full screen mode
Toggle view from screen to details
Change settings
View the timer
View "All students" options
Lock screen unlocks automatically after 5 minutes
Available to Add
Students who are being monitored by another teacher with an active session still running are grouped as "Available to add." Simply add them to your class to take over monitoring and filtering.
Step 6: Understanding Web Rules
Select Allow mode to limit student browsing to only websites you permit.
Select Block mode to allow students to browse all district approved websites except those you block.
Create lists for each mode and easily toggle them on and off. In the example shown here, I am only allowing students to use GSuite to visit Google Classroom and HMH.
In advanced options, check to "Allow single sign-on (SSO)" to enable students using their Google accounts to sign into other platforms.
Step 7: Creating Groups
You can easily create groups that give different groups of students different Web Rules. Once you've selected a Class, hover over "My class" on the left and click "Create group." Name your group, drag students into that block, and setup their Web Rules. (The Web Rules applied to a group will override Web Rules applied to the class.)
To remove students from a Web Filter when they finish an assignment:
1) Create your Web Filter > Allow List for your assignment/test for all students.
2) Create your "Unfiltered" group to drag students into when they finish.
3) For the "Unfiltered" group, set a Web Rules > Block List with "www.poker.com"
4) This activates the new policy with something already blocked.
5) When students finish, drag them into the "Unfiltered" group.
Step 8: Monitoring a Student
You can also monitor a student and their use in a lot more detail by clicking on their screen. From there, you can:
Look at and close any open tabs
View their browsing history
View recordings
Use any of the "All students" options for just this student.
Or remove the student from the class
Step 9: More resources
Check out their resources on their Teacher Training page, or contact your Tech Coach to setup a meeting.
Troubleshooting Options
1) What if students' screens are not showing?
If a student is on a new open tab, "thumbnail unavailable" may appear.
If a student does split screen tabs, you will only see their first window.
Reset Ad hoc schedule, then refresh your screen.
Check with IT Technicians to make sure configuration is correct.
2) What if custom schedule does not start automatically?
Go to Class Settings > Custom, check time settings, and click Save Settings.
If needed, switch to Ad hoc
Reset Schedule, add re-add
3) Can I add a second custom schedule to the same class for the same day because I see the same group of kids more than once (ie Tiger Time and WIN)?
No, unfortunately a custom schedule can only be utilized once per class per day.
Schedule the one during the busier part of your day and use Ad hoc for the other.
4) Can I check to see if Lightspeed is going to block something for my students?
If you want to check to see if something you want to use will be blocked by Lightspeed Filter, use the Lightspeed AccessScan Agent which has been added to your Google Chrome Extensions. It will tell you if the page or video is allowed, and what links are blocked.
To use the AccessScan Agent, click the light blue hyperlink icon in extension bar of your Chrome Browswer (you must be signed in with your Google Account). Enter any student's email address, and click "Scan page."
If you need a site allowed or blocked, create a ticket in IncidentIQ (see below).
5) What if something educational is blocked by Lightspeed Filter that I want to use?
If you find a site that needs allowed, or a site that needs blocked, fill out a ticket in IncidentIQ:
New Ticket > Software/Online Systems > Lightspeed Filter > Filtering Issues:
Sites are blocked that should not be
Sites are not blocked that should be
Web Traffic not Moving
6) Is there a quicker way to get Youtube Video unblocked?
Yes, as a teacher you can create a playlist and share the playlist link with us. Then, any videos you add to your playlist will be automatically unblocked for your students. Find out more information and how to do this here.
7) What if something is blocked for me?
Teacher permissions are different from students. If you visit a website and receive the error on the LEFT, the Lightspeed Agent failed and your computer needs to be shut down completely and turned back on.
If you get the screen on the RIGHT, the site is blocked for teachers. If you believe this site should be unblocked, request it to be allowed (see above).
8) Why are students being blocked from websites after they leave a class?
1) The "Custom” Schedule isn't running properly.
This is a known issue and we are working with their support to resolve this. "Ad hoc" is the safer choice right now.
2) An "Ad hoc" is still running.
Sometimes teachers forget to end an Ad hoc at the end of class. They simply need to go back to that class and click “Stop.”
3) An "Ad hoc" has ended, but the student is still blocked.
This screen can stay forever, even through a refresh. The student needs to close this tab and open a new one.
4) An “Ad hoc” has ended, but Web Filters are still on.
Even though the session has ended, sometimes the Web Filter is stuck ruling over students. If this happens, the teacher needs to manually turn off Web Rules.
If you encounter a student who is being blocked by another teacher, you should have the student check back in with the teacher to see if one of the above reasons applies.