You may find yourself in a situation where your student needs accountability when using their computer for schoolwork. The Internet is a useful tool for learning, but it can also be a distraction when your student needs to focus on their assignments. With this in mind, there are a number of resources that you can use to provide the structure and accountability system that your student may need.
Option #1: Screen Time
Cost: Included with Apple products
Screen Time is an app available for most Apple products and has several features. First, Screen Time monitors the amount of time that your device is in use and provides diagnostics based on that data. You can see how long your student is on a device and how much time they spend on each app.
Beyond this, Screen Time lets you set limits on what apps your student can use as well as how long they can spend on the device or certain apps. It can also block specific websites or all adult content. Screen Time comes automatically packaged on most Apple products.
Pros:
- Logs app usage and data on device
- Allows you to limit when your student can use the device and which apps they can use
- Allows you to block websites and the content you don't want your child to have access to
- Can be used on both computers and mobile devices
- Automatically comes with most Apple products
- No download or installation required
Cons:
- Only available on Apple products
- Relatively limited features
Click here to learn more about Screen Time. Please note that Enlightium Academy has no affiliation with Screen Time; we recommend conducting additional research before selecting an accountability tool.
Option #2: Hubstaff
Cost: Free and paid options
Hubstaff is an activity monitoring software that is often used in the workplace. However, its tracking abilities are also useful for homeschooling. Hubstaff logs the websites and software your student uses and knows when they are active or idle by noting when they are typing and using their mouse.
Hubstaff can also be set to take intermittent screenshots if you want to see what your student’s screen often looks like while they are working. Hubstaff has free options, but their free features are limited; a paid plan with more features is also available. Hubstaff’s data must be interpreted well: more activity does not necessarily mean that they are growing as a student.
Pros:
- Screenshots can help monitor activity
- Activity and idle tracking
- Tracks website and software usage
- Free for one user
Cons:
- Requires download and installation
- Paid plan required for more than one user
- Reports may not show as much insight as you need
If you are interested in Hubstaff, check out their website here. There are a number of different options for different types of customers, but the one that may be most useful for online student accountability is Hubstaff Time, which you can find here.
Note: We do not encourage monitoring your student’s internet usage without their knowledge. This can be a breach of trust, and a conversation with your student before installing monitoring software can help them understand that you are trying to help them. In addition, software that tracks keyboard and mouse activity does not necessarily track productivity; for example, your student might be working on something that requires them to read instead of typing answers. Your student will have a higher productivity score on days when they are writing papers, but this does not mean that they are more productive on writing days than on other days. All data must be interpreted wisely.
Option #3: Customer Portal
Cost: Included for families enrolled at Enlightium Academy
The customer portal will allow you to view and update information pertaining to your household, such as viewing your student’s grades and progress, tuition information, and more. The Customer Portal allows you to:
- See information pertaining to your student, such as:
- Their grades
- Their progress in their courses
- See how many days remain:
- Until the end of the first semester
- Until the end of the school year
Since 2003, Enlightium faculty and staff have served partner schools, online, and homeschool K-12 students. With parental support, excellent instruction, and a personalized approach to learning, Enlightium equips students with the academic, spiritual, physical, social, and emotional skills they need to succeed in life. For any other questions about Enlightium, please call (509) 319-2288 or visit EnlightiumAcademy.com.
