Right Click context menu for students - What do you do?

[Carlosdss1]

Hi All,

I am after some help, advice and information regarding how you all deal with students access to the right-click context menus.

I have disabled RCL (Right-Click) via GPO for all students across the board, so they just cannot RCL anywhere.

Now I am being asked to turn it back on as there are a few ICT teaching tasks that are cumbersome to work around without RCL.

Having used this method in a number of my previous schools it was never an issue and seemed to cut out a lot of potential mischief making opportunities. Now I am second guessing myself and wondering if this is a bit draconian.

I understand the requirement for RCL lockdown on the start menu and maybe some other areas that can be locked down via GPO.

But my concern is about the things I will undoubtedly miss along the way and the potential trouble it could cause.

My predecessors where pretty open and in my 2 years here found a lot of holes which I have closed as I've come across them. But being a typical secondary school we are undermanned and overworked so hours of testing, retesting and chasing down each rabbit hole is just simply beyond what we can deliver in any reasonable time frame.

So what are you doing? Disabling RCL for students or allowing it and locking down as best you can.

Your thoughts would be most appreciated.

Many Thanks

[FN-GM]

We don't prevent right click in any of our schools. I can't see any reason to do this.

[Arthur]

Same as @FN-GM. Right-click isn't blocked at my school either.

 

It would just end up frustrating users for little to no benefit.

[mrwoberts]

I used to block the explorer context menu, about 7 years ago, but it caused so many headaches, even for myself when I would attend a device to look into something it was such a nuisance. Also, I'm of the mindset that children do need to explorer how a computer really works, which includes us techies taking responsible risks to allow certain actions. That's how I developed an appetite for IT as a child, I used to love to see what I could do - I learnt the hard way

[CHiLL]

We haven't blocked right click either. The only related thing that we have disabled is blocking the ability for students to right click the start menu/task bar.

[Carlosdss1]

Thank you for your responses.

[UmerIT]

We have Right click disable on the desktop and start menu/taskbar too!

[NumberSix]

I have disabled right click on taskbar and start menu items - that's working fine. However, right clicking on start button still brings up the WinX menu. Just curious: what does everyone else do regarding right clicking on the start button (not to be confused with right clicking on start menu items)? I know there are other threads on the WinX menu but none of those satisfy my needs. I'm not sure I want the students accessing the Winx menu (even though most menu items can't be accessed by students). I would ideally like to customise the WinX menu items - So, is it possible to have WinX menu items redirected so that I can have a custom menu for students and another for staff and if so does anyone know how to accomplish this? Maybe I should have started a new thread on this. Edited February 8, 2019 by NumberSix