Same Instructor Station, Different Angle

Yesterday I posted a side angle of the instructor's station; today's view is a "close-up and personal" angle of the instructor's computer. Sitting here these past hours while looking at the monitor, I couldn't help but notice the handwritten sign "Spy Program is Back." It is an old sign. The program has been back for a long time. But what I kept thinking is that I am a "spy"!

On the screen the instructor is shown a view of every student's computer monitor in the Writing Center. We are suppose to "police" what is being viewed at their computers.

If "questionable" material is on the screen, the instructor has the power to freeze or lock that individual computer. The instructor also has the power to lock all computers at once. Pretty powerful, huh! I'm not much into power.

So I have never "locked" a student's computer, but then I have never seen anything "questionable" on a student's monitor. They are not supposed to be emailing or playing computer games, but students really do need to email their instructors, so I just don't bother them when I see email on their screens. Besides, they rarely email their friends. "Text" is their form of communication with buddies.

The power that I do have and I will use is the power to "shut-down" all computers at the end of the day . . . which is about 20 minutes from now. Woohoo!

So I have just made the verbal announcement for the end of this afternoon,

"Attention everyone, you have approximately 15 minutes to finish typing, to save your work, to print your document, and to log-out of the attendance terminal. If you do not finish-up as has been requested, I will power down the computers and you will lose your compositions. Thank you for your cooperation and your attention."

I hate making those public statements, but I do love the sound of locking the door and walking to the exit of this building. So that's my day in the Writing Center for this Tuesday. Now, I'm going home.

Good evening from Southern California.
Rosie (& Mr. Fun), aka Carol