How do you monitor student chats?

[ellieerussell]

Hi,

 

I'm a science teacher and Lead Practitioner who has the job of trying to make the most of remote learning this year in our school.

I am not particularly tech savvy.

I tend to say if I don't understand the tech in 10 mins we can't ask staff to use it!

 

However, I am keen to learn and have already benefitted from advice from others on Twitter, here and elsewhere.

 

Main questions from me so far are about MS Teams.

We've deliberately not rushed staff to use it, hoping to learn from the experiences of others.

We know we need it all in place and everybody fully trained in case of a future full lockdown though..

 

Top of the list is safeguarding. Private chat between students. Some school disable it. Others pay for Senso. Other say their SLT are 'reading the chats'.... How do school decide?

 

Ellie

[elsiegee40]

Welcome to EduGeek @ellieerussell. I have moved your post into our esafety forum and retitled your thread so others can see your question

 

As you’re aware Safeguarding is the responsibility of everyone in schools, but the lead must be taken by your school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead. Are you that person?

 

Schools generally make all staff and students sign an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) which sets out the rules of engagement for any online activity undertaken while using IT systems at or for school. The AUP usually says something along the lines of “activity may be monitored at any time”

 

Monitoring involves some kind of software, eg Senso, which scans for websites of concern being accessed or key phrases that are a warning that something of concern is being searched for or said (in the case of email or chat). There is far too much activity on a school network for humans to undertake this task.

 

The reports kicked out by the software are then reviewed by (say) someone on SLT and perhaps the IT Network Manager. False positives may lead to adjustments to the software. Things that really are of concern will require action such as blocking a website, opening a Safeguarding concern or starting a staff disciplinary case.

 

Some of the things picked up by the software may be of a seriousness mean that the Head or the DSL may decide that reading all activity for the individual concerned is necessary. When that happens then they will be following the appropriate Student Safeguarding or Staff Disciplinary policy to the letter and will make a request to the IT Network Manager (usually in writing for tracking purposes) for appropriate access to be provided.

 

I hope this makes sense.

Edited November 12, 2020 by elsiegee40

[mavhc]

https://www.senso.cloud/safeguarding-microsoft-teams has the ability to login to MS Teams with permissions to read everything posted in private chats, and scan them for bad words.

 

I just disable private chats though. Of course all that means is they talk to each other on discord where we can't monitor it.