Managing iPads in school?

[Marci]

No probs with my iPad2 and AppleTV2 - just run projector in 4:3 @ 1024x768 instead of 16:9 (as the iPad is 4:3). Voila. Full screen.

[Shocker]

thanks Marci ill give that a go tomorrow

[mitchell1981]

We've got a set of thirty iPads that get booked out in a wheelable trolley. The staff love them, but they take up so much of our time due to kids messing with settings. I've looked at the iPhone Configuration Utility but it doesn't seem to go into anywhere near enough detail with the settings. Does anyone know how to do the following:

- Prevent students changing the wallpaper
- Prevent students turning on accessibility settings - White on black, audio feedback etc..
- Prevent students moving icons around and sticking them in folders

If we could sort out these small niggles it would make our lives so much easier!

[AngryITGuy]

We've got a set of thirty iPads that get booked out in a wheelable trolley. The staff love them, but they take up so much of our time due to kids messing with settings. I've looked at the iPhone Configuration Utility but it doesn't seem to go into anywhere near enough detail with the settings. Does anyone know how to do the following:

- Prevent students changing the wallpaper
- Prevent students turning on accessibility settings - White on black, audio feedback etc..
- Prevent students moving icons around and sticking them in folders

If we could sort out these small niggles it would make our lives so much easier!

Not sure about your issue with moving around the apps.

But for the other issues you will need a Mac Server Running OS X Lion Server, the mobile device management addin of the software will actually disable access to the settings of the device.

[mitchell1981]

Thanks AngryITGuy, in that case, I think we'll get ourselves a Mac Mini and give it a try.

[Wolfman]

How do pupils/staff access thier work or shared resources (ie. a word doc on a server share) and then save back to the share?

[Game1986]

Not sure about your issue with moving around the apps.

But for the other issues you will need a Mac Server Running OS X Lion Server, the mobile device management addin of the software will actually disable access to the settings of the device.

__________

Hi AngryITGuy Great info above got a Mac running server can you point me in the direction of instructions for how to set it up to use and manage the MDM please sorry to bother you really appreciate the assistance

thanks

[adhutton]

How do pupils/staff access thier work or shared resources (ie. a word doc on a server share) and then save back to the share?

Yes, we wondered that? Do you have your iPads linked in to the school network (for user work areas etc.) or are they stand-alone?

Thanks_ Andrew

[AngryITGuy]

How do pupils/staff access thier work or shared resources (ie. a word doc on a server share) and then save back to the share?

We use an app called File Browser for this.

We have our iPads setup to connect to generic shares, each time the user tries to connect to a share they are prompted for credentials. You can have it setup so that it connects with specific credentials each time without notifying the user.

All staff iPads are also linked to their My Documents too we have the username hard coded to the app but prompt staff for passwords, its a bit more difficult to do with students as they all share the devices in school.

The app is pretty secure as any changes to it are controlled by password access so users cannot connect to any other shares without the admin password, you can also lock it down so users can add to a remote share but not delete from it whist using the iPad.

[Marci]

If connected to local network, Filebrowser app (by Stratospherix) allows connection to windows shares, and integrates with quick office to allow save-back.

If not on local network, blocks such as SMBWebClient for Moodle can allow read access to windows shares via web, and users can then email saved files back to themselves to copy back onto network at a later point in time.

Alternatively, Filebrowser can operate over VPN to allow access remotely.

What we need now is for FileBrowser / CloudOn integration so that we can ditch QuickOffice.

[owen1978]

Am I going about it the right way in terms of app management

We got 10 ipad, all the ipads have the same name.

I restore a backup to one ipad to restore it to its last 'restore point'
I then proceed to install apps on this ipad
Once done I then take a backup - which will act as the new 'restore point'
I then proceed to restore this backup to the remain ipads

Is this the most efficient way?

[Pyroman]

Am I going about it the right way in terms of app management

We got 10 ipad, all the ipads have the same name.

I restore a backup to one ipad to restore it to its last 'restore point'
I then proceed to install apps on this ipad
Once done I then take a backup - which will act as the new 'restore point'
I then proceed to restore this backup to the remain ipads

Is this the most efficient way?

That's basically how we do it, create an "image" so to speak and restore backup from that. Doesn't always work with folders, that seems to work when it wants to.

[Outlook]

Trolley for iPads | iPad Cart | Sync and Charge Cart for iPads

I was looking for the iPad charging solution, found this link which claims sync and charging both. Might be useful solution. Is anyone using this type of trolley?

[comicmankev]

All very useful info! Thanks

[cbcouk]

Anyone using iPads as teaching aids over wifi?