Highlights: Class View Follow
This article helps teachers use Class View in Hāpara Highlights to monitor student activity, switch between Current Screens and Browser Tabs, close distracting tabs, check offline students and understand when Class View data updates.
Who this is for
Teachers and administrators
Summary
Class View is the main place teachers monitor student activity in Highlights. It shows Current Screens by default, but teachers can switch to Browser Tabs at any time. Teachers can also close tabs instantly, start Focus or Filter sessions, review Guided Browsing sessions and open the Overview Panel to see class-wide browsing activity.
In this article:
Switch between Current Screens and Browser Tabs
Start a Focus Session or Filter Session
Troubleshoot Offline students in Class View
Troubleshoot delayed or missing Class View updates
Quick answers
Why can’t I see a student’s screen?
The student may be offline, not using Chrome, not signed into Chrome with their school account, using a different Google account, not connected to the internet or missing the Highlights extension.
Why is a student showing as Offline?
A student may show as Offline if their device is closed or turned off, they are not connected to the internet, they are not using Chrome, they are not signed into Chrome, they are signed in with the wrong account or the Highlights extension is not installed or connected.
What is the difference between Current Screens and Browser Tabs?
Current Screens shows a near-real-time screenshot of the tab the student is currently viewing. Browser Tabs shows the most recent URLs each student has visited in Chrome. Use Current Screens when you need visual context. Use Browser Tabs when you need a URL list or when screenshots are delayed.
Why is the lightning bolt missing?
The lightning-bolt icon may not appear if the student is offline, Highlights cannot connect to the student device or your administrator has disabled Close tabs instantly in the Hāpara Admin Console.
Can I close a student’s tab from Class View?
Yes. In Class View, find the student tile and click the lightning-bolt icon to close the student’s current tab instantly. If you need students to stay on or away from specific websites for longer, use a Focus Session or Filter Session instead.
When does Class View data update?
Class View updates in near real time while students are online, using Chrome and connected to Highlights. Updates may be delayed if a student has poor connectivity, changes accounts, closes their device or the Highlights extension disconnects.
What does the Overview Panel show?
The Overview Panel shows a class-wide list of URLs students are currently visiting or recently visited. You can expand a URL to see which students have it open or recently closed it.
Open Class View
- Open Hāpara Highlights.
- Select the class you want to monitor.
- Click Class View in the white toolbar.
- Class View opens in Current Screens by default.
- Use the view switch above the student tiles to change between Current Screens and Browser Tabs.
Switch between Current Screens and Browser Tabs
- In Class View, find the view switch above the student tiles.
- Select Current Screens to see near-real-time screenshots of the tab students are currently viewing.
- Select Browser Tabs to see the most recent URLs students have visited in Chrome.
- Use Current Screens when you need visual context for student activity.
- Use Browser Tabs when you need to confirm URLs, review recent browsing or troubleshoot delayed screenshots.
Close tabs instantly
Teachers can close a distracting browser tab from Class View.
- In Class View, find the student tile.
- Click the lightning-bolt icon.
- The student’s current browser tab closes immediately.
- Repeat for any other off-task tabs.
Use this for quick redirection. For repeated off-task browsing, start a Focus Session or Filter Session instead.
If the lightning bolt is not visible
- Check whether the student tile shows the student as Offline.
- Switch to Browser Tabs to confirm whether Highlights is receiving URL activity.
- Ask the student to confirm they are using Chrome and signed into Chrome with their school account.
- Ask the student to click the Hāpara Highlights extension icon to reconnect.
- If the student is connected but the lightning bolt is still missing, ask your administrator whether Close tabs instantly is enabled.
Turn off Close tabs instantly
Administrators can disable Close tabs instantly for the domain.
- Open the Hāpara Admin Console.
- Go to Settings.
- Select Highlights (Screens).
- Go to Closing tabs.
- Toggle Close tabs instantly off.
- Save the change.
Use the Guided Browsing bar
The Guided Browsing bar above student tiles shows whether any Focus or Filter sessions are active.
- If there are no active sessions, click Start a session to begin a Focus Session or Filter Session.
- If sessions are active, review the yellow session bar.
- Use the countdown to see how long the session has left.
- Click Review to see session details.
- Click Release or End session when students no longer need the session.
Start a Focus Session or Filter Session
- In Class View, click Guided browsing.
- Choose Focus Sessions or Filter Sessions.
- Select an existing template or click + Template to create a new one.
- Choose the students or groups who should be included.
- Start the session now or schedule it for later.
Use a Focus Session when students should only access specific websites. Use a Filter Session when students should be blocked from specific websites but can continue browsing other sites.
Open the Overview Panel
Use the Overview Panel to review class-wide browsing activity without leaving Class View.
- In Class View, click Overview on the right side.
- Review the list of URLs students are visiting or recently visited.
- Click the drop-down arrow next to a URL.
- Review which students currently have the URL open and which students recently closed it.
- Keep the panel pinned while you continue using Class View.
Troubleshoot Offline students in Class View
If a student appears Offline, ask the student to check these items first.
- Confirm the device is open and connected to the internet.
- Confirm the student is browsing in Chrome.
- Confirm the student is signed into Chrome with their school account.
- Confirm the student is not signed into Chrome or the Chromebook with a different account.
- Ask the student to click the Hāpara Highlights extension icon.
- If the extension page shows a connection issue, ask the student to restart the device.
- If the extension is missing or the student still appears Offline, follow your school or district process for technical support.
Administrators may need to check whether the Highlights extension is installed for the student and whether Highlights is enabled for the correct school, group or organizational unit.
Troubleshoot delayed or missing Class View updates
If Class View does not look current:
- Confirm the student is online and using Chrome.
- Switch from Current Screens to Browser Tabs to see whether URL activity is still updating.
- Ask the student to click the Hāpara Highlights extension icon to reconnect.
- Refresh Highlights.
- Confirm the student is signed into the correct school account.
- If only screenshots are delayed, continue using Browser Tabs while the connection catches up.
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If neither screenshots nor URLs update, follow your school or district process for technical support.
Additional Tips
Use Browser Tabs when you need the fastest way to confirm a URL.
Use Current Screens when you need visual context before redirecting a student.
Use the lightning bolt for quick redirection only.
Use Focus Sessions or Filter Sessions when students need guided browsing for more than one tab.
Use the Overview Panel when several students may be on the same off-task site.
Use Snaps when you need to save evidence of student activity for follow-up or feedback.
Keep Highlights open during the class session so browsing activity can continue updating.