Classwize FAQ

Classroom View

Can I see a student’s incognito window?

Yes, you can see a student’s Incognito window. However, we strongly recommend that your school or district turn off Incognito Mode on student devices. Contact your school’s IT Support to configure this for you.

Does Classwize show when a student logs in on another device?

Yes, Classwize shows when a student logs on to multiple devices with Connect installed and running. Each additional device will appear as a new tile, as shown in Image 1.

Image 1: Classwize Student tiles showing multiple devices for the same student.

How often do students’ screens update on Windows or macOS devices?

Screens update about every ten seconds. Screens also update each time a student opens a link, a tab, or a window.

How can I tell what type of Linewize Connect a student’s device is using?

The icon on a student’s tile shows which type of Linewize Connect is on their device. Students may be using the Chrome extension (common on Chromebooks) or Companion Mode (Chrome extension plus Windows app). Devices running only the Windows or macOS app don’t show an icon.

Will I see an icon other than Chrome or Windows on a student’s tile?

It depends on your school’s technology environment. Linewize Connect is available on Chrome, Windows, and macOS. The icons that appear on the student tiles are the type of devices they use.

What are the icons at the bottom of the Student tile?

The icons at the bottom of the Student tile are the open tabs in that student’s browser.

 Image 2: Classwize Student tile showing different tabs open on the student's browser.

Select an icon to see the contents of the background tab. To view the list of all background tabs, select the device icon on the left of the tabs. In this example, the device icon is the Chrome icon.

If you think the background tabs are not relevant to the class, you can close the tabs, start a Focus session, or add a Block rule for each tab to ensure students stay on-task.

See:

• Classwize Quick Guides
• Apply a temporary Focus to a class
• How content filtering features work together
• Close a tab for a Student

Can multiple teachers view the same student tile at the same time from different classes?

Yes, multiple teachers can view the same student within two different local or synced classes at the same time. While this is possible, we do not support having students in concurrent classes as any rules created for the student in one class will also apply in the other classes.

If you need to monitor a student’s activity during an active class, the best way is to add the student to a Monitoring class, since Monitoring classes do not allow you to create rules.

See Create Monitor Only Mode Class.

Does Classwize show students’ activity if they’re using non-Chrome browsers?

Yes, Classwize can show students’ activity on non-Chrome browsers, including Microsoft Edge, if these conditions are met:

• The Connect app is installed on their Windows or macOS device.
• Students are signed in with their school accounts on these devices.
• On macOS, students allow Classwize to access their screens when prompted.

Can I see students’ browsing activity when they’re using a personal device (BYOD)?

You can see students’ browsing activity if Connect is installed and active on their device. For macOS users, their device must also be managed by your school.

Can a teacher log into Classwize using an iPad?

Yes, but we recommend using Google Chrome. Other browsers may behave differently, so for the best experience, change the default browser on your iPad to Chrome when using Classwize.

You must change the default web browser to Google Chrome if you intend to use Classwize on your iPad.

Why does a student’s tile not show their screen even when they are online?

Some reasons Classwize may not show a student’s tile include:

• You haven’t started your class yet.
• You’ve just started the class and Classwize is still connecting to your students.
• The student:
• is using a personal device that doesn't have Linewize Connect.
• is hot-spotting or connecting to the internet using their own internet connection.
• isn't connected to the internet.
• has logged out of Captive Portal (if available in your school)

Why does a student’s tile show “Live View disabled”?

Classwize won’t show a student’s tile because your school has activated the Screen Visibility Restrictions feature. This feature prevents you from seeing student screens and screenshots in Live View, Screen View, and the Screen History Report for specified website domains and Windows testing apps.

Select View restricted website/app on the student’s tile for more information. If you think the student should not be accessing the restricted website, you can use the X to close the tab or create a block rule. If you think the app restriction is incorrect, contact your school's IT Support.

Classwize Chat

Do students need to sign in to Google to use Chat?

It depends on the mode or device the student uses:

To use Chat, you have to meet the following conditions:

• The class is in session;
• Students are attending the class;
• Chat is turned on;
• You have initiated the chat by sending them a message; and
• On Chromebooks, students must be signed-in to Google with their school accounts.

See Using Classwize Chat.

Does Classwize log chats between students and teachers?

Yes, all chat sessions are logged, time-stamped, and retained for up to 12 months. To ask for copies of Chat logs, see Requesting Chat Logs.

Class Tools

Can you set Focus just for one student?

You can apply Focus to all students in a class or to selected students only. When creating or applying a Focus, use the Select Students panel and select either All Students or the individual students that Focus should apply to.

Will Pause Internet stop access to applications that sync to the cloud?

Yes, pausing the internet stops cloud syncing and stops features requiring internet access on student devices. Local functions, like saving documents, remain available. Full application functionality is restored by canceling Pause Internet.

See Pause Internet

Can students still use apps when I’ve blocked them or paused the internet?

Pause Internet and Block Rules work differently if the app is installed on their computer or is on the web. Here's how:

For more information, see How Classwize Rules Work and Pause Internet.

Classwize Rules

Do Block Rules block both desktop and browser versions of apps?

A Block rule will block access to the web version of an app, and stop students from using any features of the desktop app that require internet access to work. Here’s how it works:

• If a student attempts to open a web app that has a Block rule, they will be blocked from opening the page, and the “Content Blocked” notification will appear on their browser. The student can select See why it’s blocked and ask you for a Bypass Code to access the blocked site.
• When Connect for Windows is installed on student devices and Native App Control is turned on, teachers can create rules to block desktop and browser versions of apps. For example, teachers can create rules to block desktop apps like Calculator, Notepad, and Sticky Notes. These rules will close any running app that matches or prevent it from opening.
• Students can use desktop apps that don't need internet connection. However, functionalities that need the internet, like saving documents in OneDrive, won't work. Note: This doesn’t apply to Windows devices where Native App Control is turned on.

For more information, see How Classwize Rules Work.

Teachers

What features can teachers use in Classwize?

Teachers can see all available classes in Classwize, including local, synced, and monitoring classes. They can also access all the Class Tools turned on by the school's IT Support. See Classwize Feature Availability for Teachers.

Can I assign multiple teachers to a class??

Yes, you can assign multiple teachers to a class. Class tiles will appear on the teachers’ respective My Classes dashboards, and when they open that class, they can:

• Start, extend, or end the class
• Manage students in the class
• See the Student tiles and access Live View
• Use all the Class Tools that have been turned on by the school’s IT Support
• Generate Reports
• Add Classwize rules

See Classwize Feature Availability for Teachers for more information.

Can multiple teachers manage the same class simultaneously?

What is the maximum number of classes that teachers can create?

There is no limit on the number of classes Teachers can create in Classwize. However, we suggest keeping this number to a manageable level to avoid performance degradation.

Configuration

Why can’t I access Classwize?

New Classwize users require a license to access Classroom Management features. If you don’t have access to Classwize and its classroom management features, contact your school’s IT Support for assistance.

How is Classwize loaded onto students’ devices?

Classwize is not loaded onto students’ devices. Instead, when Linewize Connect is running on their devices, it enforces your rules, manages Chat, and provides Classwize with screenshots and information about their activity during school hours. If Connect is not installed or is inactive on their devices, students will appear offline in Classwize, and you won’t be able to manage their online activities using class tools or Classwize rules.

Can teachers add students to their classrooms?

Yes, if your school IT Support has turned on this feature for the school. In addition, you can add students to your classroom if the students are active users in Linewize Filter; and you are not exempted from creating Classrooms. See:

• Classwize Feature Availability for Teachers
• Creating a New Local Class in Classwize
• Monitoring Mode Only Class
• (For IT Support) Classwize Configuration Overview

Do students need to give permission to be monitored? If so, how?

Only if they use a macOS device. When they attend an active class on their macOS device for the first time, they will receive a prompt asking them to allow Classwize to share or monitor their screen. They must select Allow on the prompt.

Reports

Can I get screenshot history reports if I don’t turn on Classwize?

No, screenshot history reports are only gathered when Classwize is running.

How often are screenshots taken?

Classwize takes screenshots every 10 seconds and every time the student opens a new tab, window or link.

Why does a student’s history report show “disabled”?

Classwize won’t show a student’s history report because your school has activated the Screen Visibility Restrictions feature. This feature prevents you from seeing students’ screens and screenshots in Live View, Screen View, and the Screen History Report for specified website domains and Windows apps.

See Troubleshooting Screenshots and Live View “Disabled” for more information. If you think the website or app restriction is incorrect, contact your school’s IT Support.

Google

Will Google Docs or other apps downloaded to a student’s device be seen as tabs within a Student tile?

Yes, Google Docs and similar Google applications are browser-based and display documents, spreadsheets, and presentations as tabs. In Classwize, the tabs appear on the Student tiles.