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In this month’s product update webinar, Engagement Manager Amy Miller shared a behind-the-scenes look at what the Hāpara product team has been up to. Keep reading to learn more about Hāpara’s most exciting updates.
Enhanced teacher view and overview panel
What it does:
The new Class View page combines current screens and browser tabs in one place, streamlining navigation and requiring fewer clicks. Teachers can easily toggle between a screenshot of what learners are currently viewing on their screens and a list of their open browser tabs.
The Overview Panel gives teachers a bird’s-eye view of all student activity online, making it easy to spot trends like off-task behavior.
Why this matters:
Fewer clicks are always a positive in a digital world, and busy teachers can always benefit from that. In a classroom full of learners, teachers need to be able to access the information they need quickly and easily. Doing that shouldn’t take away from instructional time, so that’s why Hipi and the Hāpara team made it a priority to find ways to save teachers even more time.
Two-way teacher and student chat
What it does:
This optional feature allows teachers to initiate a two-way chat with a learner during instructional time. This feature only works between the teacher and student. Learners are unable to message each other.
Why this matters:
Teachers can use this feature to provide in-the-moment feedback to learners if they see them off task, struggling on an assignment, or just to send an encouraging note. If the teacher has the chat turned on, the learner can also use it to ask for clarification or signal that they need assistance. This is especially useful for quiet students who may not feel comfortable raising their hand in class.
Student browsing history
What it does:
Educators can record student browsing history during a class for up to 60 minutes at a time.
Why it matters:
Student browsing history gives educators the freedom to carry on with their regular class activities without being tied to their desks, staring at a screen to monitor browsing activity. It gives educators a full picture of what learners are doing online, giving them better insight into learners’ patterns and behaviors over time. Educators can use this feature to inform more personalized support and intervention plans based on the data the feature produces.
Teacher screen sharing
What it does:
Teachers can directly share a tab or window to student devices.
Why it matters:
Screen sharing is a great way to deliver direct instruction and model concepts in virtual learning environments or face to face. Before the 1:1 digital classroom existed, educators delivered all of their lessons on the chalkboard or whiteboard. Teachers passed out physical worksheets for students to follow along with. Today, most curriculum lives online and there is not an easy way for learners to see what the teacher is trying to explain if everything lives on the internet. Sharing screens gives educators a way to broadcast their lesson directly to the learner’s desk.
Expanded browser support with Microsoft Edge
What it does:
The same great digital classroom management tools that have been available on Google Chrome for over a decade are now available for schools using Microsoft Edge.
Why it matters:
Now, Microsoft 365 for Education schools and educators can use Hāpara to simplify workflows and provide differentiated digital instruction that meets the needs of every learner. Teachers can get class started faster with the ability to quickly share links to student devices and create browsing experiences curated for the student’s level of maturity and understanding.
Coming April 1, 2026: Hāpara Hall Pass
What it does:
Say goodbye to paper hall passes and hello to real-time visibility of student movement. Hāpara Hall Pass allows students to request a digital hall pass from their teacher, and educators can also create hall passes. Teachers and students can view their dashboard to review their passes and see their status. Administrators get visibility into where students are in the building when not in class.
Why it matters:
Teachers and administrators get real-time visibility into where students are at any given time. This is critical when there is an emergency or fire drill, and administrators and safety officials need to be sure that the building is cleared. It also gives administrators insights into who may be overusing passes, and they can use that data to inform interventions and support. And when instructional time is already spread thin, it gives teachers back time by preventing overuse.
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