1. Classwize
  2. Administration and Configuration
  3. Configuration

Enabling Classwize Features

Updated
Karla Inigo
This article is intended for IT Administrators.

Classwize has a number of powerful features designed to make it easier for teachers to manage their classes. Configuration Administrators and Global Administrators can configure these features in School Manager's Configuration > Classwize interface to make them available to teachers in Classwize.  

Note
Your school requires a license to access Classroom Management features in Classwize. If your school doesn’t have access to these features, contact Linewize Support for assistance. 

Syncing with Google Classrooms

sync-button-cw.png

Selecting the Allow teacher to sync Google Classrooms checkbox adds the Sync button to the My Classes page in Classwize and lets teachers sync their Classwize classes with their Google Classrooms. Enabling this feature does not affect global syncs that are scheduled on School Manager.

To enable manual syncing with Google Classrooms:

  1. In School Manager, navigate to Configuration > Classwize. 

  2. On the Teacher Requirements section, select the Allow teacher to sync Google Classrooms checkbox.

  3. Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Save.

Allow Creation - Let Teachers Create Classes

cw-add-class-button__1_.png

Enabling Allow Creation adds the +Add Class button to the Classwize Toolbar. This feature allows teachers to create Local classes (classes that only exist in Classwize). 

Local classes are created and directly managed by the Teacher. Local classes will not sync with Google Classroom, Azure, OneRoster, Wonde, ClassLink, Clever or your school's system.

To enable Allow Creation:

  1. In School Manager, navigate to Configuration > Classwize.

  2. Under the Classrooms section, select the Allow Creation checkbox.

  3. Under the Features section, select Modify Students in Class.

  4. Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Save.

Restrict which teachers can create classrooms

Selecting Allow Creation reveals an optional dropdown for Restrict Classroom Creation. You can use this to specify which Groups of teachers are allowed to create local classes. Teachers not a member of specified Groups can’t create local classes and won’t see the Add Class button in Classwize.

  1. Create one or more Groups containing teachers who need the ability to create local classes.
  2. Navigate to Configuration > Classwize and ensure you have enabled Allow Creation.
  3. In the Restrict Classroom Creation field, search for and add the groups you created in Step 1.

Enable Modify Students in Class

You must also enable the Modify Students in Class for this feature to work correctly. Students in Restricted Groups cannot be added by teachers to any local classes even when the Modify Students in Class feature is enabled.

Allowed Time Periods

Allowed Time Periods are used to set the time periods for running local classes. This can prevent teachers from creating local classes that run outside of school hours. Time Periods are also required to configure access to the Student Journey Report in Classwize.

To add an Allowed Time Period:

  1. Create a time period object in Configuration > Objects > Time Periods.
  2. Navigate to Configuration > Classwize.
  3. Select the desired Time Periods from the Allowed Time Periods dropdown list.
  4. Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Save.

Reporting

Reporting lets selected teachers create Student Journey Reports and Screenshot History Reports in Classwize. When Reporting is configured for Classwize in School Manager, the Reports menu appears for them. It takes a few steps to enable Reporting. You can find out more in our guide to setting up teachers' access to Classwize Student Journey Report. 

Features (Class Tools)

Use the Features option to turn on or off which Class Tools teachers can access in Classwize to manage their classes. When you enable a feature, it appears on the Classwize Class toolbar.

Option

Function

Availability (Student Device)

Considerations

Bypass Code

Allows the teacher to generate a code to allow the user to bypass the filter.
  • Chrome
  • Anyone with the generated code can use it to access any signature that is not Locked or Blocked.
  • You can see a list of current and expired bypass codes by going to Filtering > Bypass Codes in School Manager.
  • Access to Bypass Code configuration is available only to Global, Filtering and Filtering /Reporting Administrators.

Class Announcement (one-way) 

Teachers can send a simple text announcement to all students in the class.
  • Chrome
  • Windows
  • Mac

  • We recommended also enabling the Message Student (one-way) feature when allowing Class Announcement (one-way). 

  • The Teacher's message will appear directly in the Chrome browser, and as a system pop-up in Windows and Mac when turned on.

Chat
(two-way)

Allows the teacher to send and receive messages with students. 
  • Chrome

  • Chat is a two-way messaging between the teacher and the student only.

  • Contact Linewize Support to turn on or off this feature for your school.

  • Chat is not supported and the feature is hidden when the source type is Google Group, Azure, LDAP or Local Group.

Class Schedule

Allows the teacher to schedule classes.
  • Chrome
  • Windows
  • Mac

  • Scheduled classes start and end automatically, and all filtering rules for that class will be active while the scheduled class is in session.

  • Scheduling a session means that it will automatically start and stop on the same day, at the same time, until the user changes the schedule. 

  • Users cannot manually end a scheduled class once it has started. 

See Scheduling Classes for more information.

Close tab 

Allows the teacher to close a student’s open tab.
  • Chrome

  • The student is notified when the teacher closes the tab.

  • Currently, this feature only works for Chromebooks with the Connect for Chrome - Education client or Chrome browsers with the Connect for Chrome - Education extension installed.        

Focus

Stops students from accessing the internet except for Focus sites set by the teacher.
The Focus forces resources to open in new browser windows or tabs.
  • Chrome
  • Windows
  • Mac

  • (Windows/Mac) Any already opened web pages will stay open, one focus site will open and the student won’t be able to open new sites or follow links unless the site is a Focused Site.

  • (Chrome) Any already opened web pages will close, the Focus sites will open and the student won’t be able to open new sites or follow links unless the site is a Focused Site.

  • (Windows/Mac) Streaming media on already open pages may continue to stream for up to 30 seconds.

  • Focus sites may not display or work correctly if the site relies on a Locked Blocked signature.
    For example, if YouTube is Locked Blocked, Khan Academy will not show YouTube videos, even if the teacher has Focused the class on Khan Academy.

See Introduction to Class Tools for more information.

Message student

Teachers can send simple text messages to a student in the class.
  • Chrome 
  • Windows
  • Mac

  • The teacher's message appears directly in the student's browser in Chrome, and as a system pop-up in Windows and Mac when enabled.

  • We recommend that you also enable the Class Announcement (one-way) feature when turning on Message Student.

Modify Students in Class

Lets teachers add or remove students to reflect who is present in their class. 
  • Chrome
  • Windows
  • Mac

  • Enabling this tool allows Teachers to create their own Local classrooms.

  • The Teachers’ changes will be temporary if the classroom is synced from another service, such as Google Classroom or Wonde. The changes will be removed the next time Classwize syncs with the other service.

  • Teachers may inadvertently undo modifications to their Google Classrooms if both Modify Students in Class and Allow teachers to sync with Google Classrooms are turned on.

See Managing Students in a Class for more information.

Open Site

Opens a site in a new browser window or tab for students in the class.
  • Chrome
  • Windows
  • Mac

  • Students can close the tab or browse away from the tab after it's been opened.

Pause Internet

Allows the teacher to temporarily stop one or more students from accessing the internet entirely.
  • Chrome
  • Windows
  • Mac

  • There may be a delay between the teacher applying Pause and the Pause taking effect, usually with streaming media.

  • On Chromebooks, this feature also closes all tabs.

Reward

Temporarily unblocks an otherwise blocked signature.
  • Chrome
  • Windows
  • Mac

  • Reward can't unblock any signature set to Locked Blocked in Filtering > Content Filtering.

  • Like Focus, Reward sites may not display or work correctly if they rely on a Locked Blocked signature.

Rules

Lets teachers create rules to temporarily override rules set in School Manager's Filtering > Content Filtering.

  • Chrome
  • Windows
  • Mac

  • Allows the teacher to use Rules to override your school's filters; block sites that have been allowed; and allow sites that have been blocked.

  • Teacher Rules will never override Locked rules set in School Manager’s Filtering > Content Filtering.

 

In-School Support Details for Teachers

Add your IT contact details to be displayed when a Teacher selects the Support button in Classwize:

in-school-support_details.png

The teacher will see the support details in Classwize when clicking the Support button:

classwize in-school support details

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