Introducing nine exciting LanSchool Air updates 

This blog was previously published and updated to include additional new or updated features.

More than 35 years ago, LanSchool was a pioneer of classroom management software. At the time, it was used to help educators guide computer usage and instruction in computer labs. 

Today, LanSchool is still a leader in the category because, as the classroom has changed, so has our software. We’re proud to continue that evolution with a new set of features for instructors and administrators using LanSchool Air. 

You may have already noticed these features, which rolled out in 2022. Here are the highlights: 

For Instructors

Co-Teaching 

Educators expressed to us a need to accommodate co-teachers, such as classroom aids, substitutes, or administrators, while using LanSchool Air. Now instructors can add other instructors to a class to be able to monitor and manage the class together.  

Co-teaching allows multiple instructors to all engage with the same students simultaneously in a collaborative and intuitive way. 

Learn more 

Automatic Class Dismissal 

Instructors can now set their classes to automatically dismiss the student devices when the class ends.  

When a class is started and restrictions are enabled for a group of students, those restrictions will remain in place until the feature is turned off or the class is dismissed. 

To help ensure restrictions are not enabled after class time, instructors can schedule their class to dismiss automatically at a specific time or after a specific duration of time. 

Learn more 

Web Limiting Settings Per Class 

Web limiting settings are now specific to each class. To block troublesome or distracting websites or limit students to a select few websites pertinent to the class, use the Web Limiting feature in LanSchool Air. There is currently no limit on the number of URLs that can be added to the block and allow lists.  

You can either create unique lists for each class or copy the settings from another class. 

Learn more 

Group View Menu Options 

Switching to Group View allows instructors to position student screens in a way that aligns with how they manage the classroom. For example, an instructor might group students together that need to be managed more closely. Another group might contain students who are offline. 

From Group View, instructors will see menu options that will allow them to push websites, blank and unblank screens, and limit websites to groups. 

Learn more 

Sort Classes Alphabetically 

To sort classes alphabetically, click on the AZ icon on the My Classes Page. 

Learn more  

App Closing

Instructors can view a list of students’ running applications and can force close applications on students’ Windows or MacOS devices, further limiting distractions.

To view and close student device applications, click on the View Actions button on the student thumbnail and select View Student Details.

Learn more

Exclude/Include Student

If a student is absent from class or otherwise does not need to be monitored, an instructor can choose to exclude them from the class session. Excluding a student will temporarily remove them from the classroom view and any commands issued to the class will not apply to them. Instructors can choose to add a student back into the class session at any time. Excluded students are not removed from the class roster.

Students that are in an active class will be automatically excluded from other instructors’ classes to avoid being pulled out of class unintentionally. Other instructors can choose to reinclude the student to pull them out of the other instructor’s class.

Learn more

For Admins

Redesign of Active Hours 

Active hours establish the times and days during which a teacher can start and run a class. Although teachers and Site Admins can log in outside of the designated active hours, they cannot start a class or interact with students. 

Site Admins can set Active Hours for the entire organization in the Settings menu. 

Learn more 

Disable Manual Class Creation 

By default, teachers are able to manually create their classes. This feature is more commonly used in organizations that do not use pre-configured class rosters from Clever, Google Classroom, or CSV import. Teachers may also manually create classes if they have classes or groups of students outside of their pre-configured class rosters. 

Some organizations may choose to prevent teachers from manually creating their own classes. Disabling manual class creation can help prevent teachers from adding the wrong students to a class especially in larger organizations where there may be multiple students with the same name. 

Site Admin users can enable a setting that will disable manual class creation for the entire organization. 

Learn more 

Filter by Role 

To make finding Site Admin or Instructor accounts easier, Site Admins can set a filter that will show either Site Admin or Instructor accounts. 

Learn more 

View Instructor Class Roster 

Site Admins can view Instructors’ class rosters, see where the rosters are originating from (e.g. Clever or Google Classroom), see whether the class is visible to the instructor, and view students in the class. 

Learn more  

Admin Dashboard

From the sidebar menu, LanSchool Air Admins can launch a dashboard which provides at-a-glance information into active instructors, classes, and students.

You asked, we listened 

These new features are already live in LanSchool Air. Many of these features originated as ideas proposed by educators like you. As the classroom continues to evolve, we remain dedicated to providing educators the tools they need to guide learning, increase collaboration, and maximize teaching time.  

Loving LanSchool Air? Check out more education tools from Lenovo Software. 

For a full list of all new LanSchool Air features, check out our product Release Notes.