Picture this, you’re in school having fun with your friends on your school Chromebook when suddenly everything changes. It first started with a restart of all Chromebooks and then it appeared, the little blue circle, GoGuardian.

Founded in 2014, the extension, GoGuardian was used to filter inappropriate content but today, you can do more with the app, such as helping students monitor their student’s devices, check multiple students’ work, and much more. 

In many cases, teachers use GoGuardian because students play games on their Chromebooks too much. While teachers try to do their job and teach, students just play their games away. When the students in our school play games, teachers can close out your tab, monitor you, and they can even block you from browsing completely!

Along with that, teachers can force students to go on a website to focus on the topic they are trying to teach. In addition to that, they have access to your webcam and can see the location of the device under GoGuardian! Some teachers set a tab limit automatically closing your tab, while others might just block all other apps except what you’re using! Your teacher can chat with you too.

It doesn’t matter what device you are using, whether it is a school-issued Chromebook or a personal computer. As long as the “wtsdnj.com” email account is being used, teachers and administrators can monitor them! There will be a message on your device saying that you have been connected to your class, and from there, you are monitored.

Some teachers have gone all out with GoGuardian. There have been instances where teachers have accidentally blocked every one of their student‘s tabs. Students can no longer access any non-educational tabs and even some educational tabs.

GoGuardian has many effects, including having students that are collateral. Before GoGuardian was implemented, it was almost impossible for teachers to stop kids from going to games. Nowadays, it stops students from playing these games, but it only influences them to keep innovating and rebelling.

Only the future knows what will be the outcome of this war between kids and teachers but for now, what do you think about GoGuardian?