Schools start issuing disciplinary guidelines to stop conduct breach in online classrooms

KOLKATA: After two months of e-classes, schools are looking to ensure decorum and discipline among students in virtual classrooms. While several schools have issued online disciplinary guidelines, others are in the process of doing so. Schools are also training teachers to become conversant with technology so that they can foil any attempt by truant students.
“Since students are more tech-savvy than senior teachers and adept at manipulating gadgets, we have noticed some serious breach in conduct during online classes.While the teachers are learning how to detect those who create mischief, we are also coming up with a set of guidelines that students have to abide by,” said St James’ School principal T H Ireland.
The school has devised its online teaching software so teachers can observe the behaviour of students on a live monitor during class hours. According to the guideline the school plans to issue next week, students who resort to indiscipline will be removed from the class roster and barred entry by suspending the login till parents provide an undertaking that the student will behave himself.
The two La Martiniere schools have already issued guidelines for students. With one of its schools recently experiencing a breach in online classes, the secretary of La Martiniere Schools, Supriyo Dhar, said instructions have been issued to both the principals of La Martiniere for Girls School and La Martiniere for Boys School after consultation with IT experts to deal with problems relating to the security issues of using the Zoom platform. “We have also requested both principals to conduct a session with teachers who regularly take online classes to ensure they know how to seal gaps and take protection against any glitch,” Dhar said.
St Xavier’s Collegiate School principal Fr M Thamacin Arulappan said, “We know that online classrooms are high-risk and the school is prepared to face all the challenges. We have already issued an online classroom guideline for the students and we are looking forward to the support of the parents in this regardIt is mandatory for students of the school to keep the video in an active mode,” he sid.
At Heritage School, principal Seema Sapru has issued separate protocol circulars for teachers and students. Among the guidelines issued to students include taking attendance in the first 10 minutes after beginning of the classes. Students will have to be in uniform. Teachers can also ask students to switch on the videos and answer questions related to subject being taught in class. “We have also informed students that any indiscipline will be met with strict consequences,” said Sapru, adding that teachers had been given several training sessions so that they're able to maintain proper discipline.
Teachers, too, have been requested to be formally dressed. “Teachers also have to log in and log out at the right time. And corrections to all the homework have to be done within a week,” Sapru added.
At Birla High School, principal Loveleen Saigal said, “It has been mentioned that students will have to take the classes from a quiet corner of their homes, have their stationery and books during the class and also be in their school uniform. We are also updating the teachers about the various methods of conducting online classes, assisting them to prepare digital lessons and making the classroom secure. The IT experts are in touch with them.”