Tech Tip Tuesday: Dyknow

Dyknow is monitoring software that we purchase to use with school-issued devices to limit classroom distractions and increase teacher control in the classroom. The program runs through a Chrome extension that is already put on each device and is not removable by students.

We all know kids have a tendency to get into things they shouldn't. We try to prevent this with school wide internet filters and other programs that help to eliminate this, but as we all know, kids will be kids, and trouble they will find. Dyknow is a way to monitor all online activity even if you aren't blocking anything specific. Have a student you can't keep off youtube? Dyknow can handle that. Have students with multiple tabs open switching back and forth? Dyknow can tell you how long they were on each one.

There are three ways to use Dyknow:

• Monitor: If you start a class, but don't start a blocking plan, you can view all student screens in real time. At the end of class, you will receive a report on Dyknow with all the online activity for each student. This will tell you how long the students were on each site.

• Block Only: If you have sites you want to block specifically, you can add them to a block list. If you name that block list, you can save that list to use with future classes.

• Allow Only: The most restrictive use of Dyknow is the Allow Only plan. You type in only specific sites/domains that you want students accessing. If you want them on Canvas only, Google Docs only, or Kahoot only, for example. You could even add a list of sites that you want them to be able to go, but the best method for this is to bookmark these sites on the student computer so that they can get to each site directly. If they have to go to the school's website to get to Canvas, and you didn't add the school's website to the allow only list, they will be blocked. This is very restrictive, but very advantageous if set up correctly.

I would start monitoring ever class period without starting a blocking plan. Just start your class when the students come in, and end monitoring at the end of the period. I would do this while taking attendance. This will help you see what your students are doing and will help you know what action needs taken in the future. Maybe youtube is only a problem for one student, you can set up a blocking plan just for one student. Maybe the whole class gets off task immediately when they open their computers, then an allow only plan may be appropriate.

1. Go to dyknow.me
   
2. Sign in using your Google Single Sign On
3. Your classes are automatically set up based on what is in PowerSchool
4. Start monitoring

I have created a tutorial in the IN Learning Lab that will count as 15 min of PGPs. Click here to get started on that. This will show you all the features that Dyknow has to offer and help you get started in your own classrooms.

• https://inlearninglab.com/resources/dyknow-introduction-training
  

Schedule a time with me to come in and help you get started in your class. Sometimes a little support can go a long way to getting the right plan set up for you.

Try it yourself on a short how to page:

https://www.dyknow.com/dyknow-classroom-management/

Click through how to start monitoring, block a site, and see the activity page after class.

Dyknow is one of the best monitoring solution for K-12 schools and districts with school-issued devices. Dyknow Classroom Management empowers teachers to defeat distractions, increase student engagement, and teach confidently with technology. With Dyknow, teachers can view all student thumbnails in real-time, block websites & apps, engage students, and review student activity history after class.