When Covid-19 hit and schools moved to online learning, kids turned to web games to cure their boredom. Schools had to find a solution to stop students from getting distracted on their Chromebooks. They decided to block certain websites, and as the years passed, the list of banned websites on school Chromebooks grew. Students have continuously found ways to negate the blocks and teachers still struggle to keep their students’ attention, while navigating the district’s restrictions.
The district controls how and what games get blocked through a software program named Goggle. Assistant principal Derek Odelusi explains how it works.
“A lot of games got blocked because we use Goggle software. It’s pretty much like a district resource. It goes through WiFi, and every student Chromebook, any device whatsoever. Through Goggle, when students are communicating with it or using it, shoots alerts to us,” said Odelusi.
Before Goggle was implemented, students had the option to play games anytime they wanted, but now that decision is made for them by the district. Odelusi believes that the automatic website blocks prevent students from learning self-discipline.
“The point of this phase is to allow students to grow, learn, to be independent, and they can make mistakes now and learn from them, versus learning them out in the world where the consequences are much graver and deeper. So even in a sense that high school is a time where you have freedom, where you have to learn to manage independence, and if you can’t do it now, you probably can’t do it later,” said Odelusi. “So when we get to the point to where we’re getting strict about can’t do this, can’t do this, can’t do this, even though it’s great for us, it kind of stifled the moral aspect of the reasoning function that a student would get a chance to train versus learning about it when they’re 22 and now they’re dealing with like a fine or some other kind of consequence.”
Limiting student’s growth is not the only thing Goggle has done. Sophomore, Maiyah Woods wishes she could still play games on her Chromebook, but the blocks have left her aimless.
“I would do my work before playing. Now we are just bored doing nothing,” said Woods.
The website blocks don’t just affect students, and they don’t just ban games or apps. Many teachers, such as English 1 teacher Amy Markan, struggle with the block as they attempt to use videos to engage their class.
“Anytime I’ve ever given you guys YouTube videos, whether it’s a WebQuest or a Nearpod, it has been like the bane of my existence. I always have to have a student aid look up a video, and then even within 24 hours, that video gets banned or blocked,” said Markan.
However, certain websites being blocked on the MISD-issued Chromebooks has had some positive effects on students. While
Junior Luke Landers misses playing games, he can focus better without that option.
“I was struggling a little bit with it. It was a bad habit. The blocks helped my grades,” said Landers.
Many students and staff are dissatisfied with the district’s solution of automatically blocking any websites that it deems inappropriate. Odelusi proposes a solution of a district-wide student council to speak for the student body.
“These are things that they get individually reported, and they end up affecting the entire district. So I know that every campus has a student council. It would be great if we had some sort of district student council where, when these issues are brought up, it’s brought amongst them as well the input is shared. I think, if anything, the biggest thing that affects people is not having a voice and not feeling valued. So if input can be given, that would be awesome. When conversation starts, that’s how you end up developing commonalities and negotiations. And it would be great, because either one, you’d be able to offer something that the other didn’t consider,” said Odelusi.
Addressing the root problem of students playing video games during class time, boredom may be more effective than any kind of block. Landers believes that district-wide website blocks do not have to be necessary.
“If you focus on making the lesson more engaging, students will have less of a reason to get distracted in the first place,” said Landers.
MISD’s software Goggle controls any device connected to MISD WiFi and automatically blocks websites it deems inappropriate. This makes it nearly impossible for students to play video games during school hours and takes away any decision-making from students. This can stunt the growth of their self-discipline but also prevent them from getting distracted when they have work. Teachers who use YouTube videos or interactive games to engage students are also affected by Goggle as their students are unable to access them due to the MISD software. Students and staff are ultimately displeased with the automatic blocking of any website considered undesirable by the district and wish a more fitting solution would be implemented.