New addition to school laptops: Mosyle Manager

Ian Reno, news editor| September 28, 2022

This is the screen a teacher has when running a class on Mosyle Manager

Moslye Manager, an Apple product used on K-8 iPads, is now on KHS computers. The KSD website says the manager allows teachers to ensure students are focused on learning. Vincent Thomas, tech specialist at KHS, said the manager gives teachers the ability to limit the websites and applications a student can access, along with allowing teachers to send messages to students and give class polls.

“[Mosyle Manager has] really good tools for [students], and I back the tool because I wish I had it when I was in school,” Thomas said. “This will allow [students] to become more powerful thinkers.”

Thomas said he’s working on a pilot program with the math department to test the app out in the classroom before it is fully rolled out. In the meantime, Christina Zibart, KHS chemistry teacher, has tried to use the app in her classes.

“I think it will help me more,” Zibart said. “Last year, it became a routine with lockdown browser. I knew that seven kids were going to have to go down to tech every single [test]. That takes away from their testing time and test security. This just seems to be a better way to monitor student progress.”

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Last year, it became a routine with lockdown browser. I knew that seven kids were going to have to go down to tech every single [test]. That takes away from their testing time and test security. This just seems to be a better way to monitor student progress.

— Zibart

The class Zibart has used the app with liked it better than lockdown browser, because it doesn’t close their tabs. Zibart said she doesn’t want students to think of it as “Big Brother.” She said students have to give Mosyle Manager permission for it to work, and it doesn’t record students’ screens. Mike Gavin, assistant principal, said when it is a school computer and environment, educators should try to limit distractions.

“There’s a lot of goods and bads with technology, but I don’t think anyone can deny that distractibility is a huge by-product of technology,” Gavin said. “So tools that limit [distractions] aren’t bad. We can have a conversation about what is shared and rolled out. Transparency is always a good idea.”