Take longer too? I spent longer getting from Heathrow to Waterloo than Heathrow to Berlin last week. And even longer still from Waterloo to Portsmouth!Quote:
Originally Posted by bodminman
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Take longer too? I spent longer getting from Heathrow to Waterloo than Heathrow to Berlin last week. And even longer still from Waterloo to Portsmouth!Quote:
Originally Posted by bodminman
As AngryTechnician points out FraserSpeirs has deployed the worlds first 1:1 student to ipad ratio! He has a very good blog here -> Fraser Speirs - Blog that details how he updates his ipads and maintains them, and what issues hes had etc! It is a very good, informative read!Quote:
Originally Posted by AngryTechnician
This is something that really interests me as we've just bought 4 iPads to test how well they are recieved. We are a SEN School and I think that they will enhance the learning for a lot of the pupils here (in my limited expertise as a IT Technician combined with my previous roles in disability advice networks), but the management of them is obviuosly a big thing for them
@Max_Power - that link to Speirs is brilliant with the info. Thanks :)
I work for a school district and we are doing several iPad pilots. We manage our iPads using JAMF's Casper Suite (can't believe it hasn't been mentioned yet). Using Casper we have the ability to create mobile profiles for staff and students, send out remote commands, such as "Remote Lock", "Remote Wipe", "Remove Passcode". We can deploy in-house apps, as well as apps that have been downloaded/purchased from the AppStore. Casper keeps track of all of our purchase codes and assigns them to iPads as users request certain apps. By running "inventory" on the device, I can look up information such as available hd space, iOS version, installed apps, users, model, last IP, and much more.
I don't work for JAMF but I've been managing our Macs using their software for more than 5 years now.
That looks very interesting ... what district are you working in?
There is a company in the US that has multiple solutions for auto-syncing and charging iPads in the classroom environment. Check out www.ipadcart.info
I have read this a few times and am not sure how accurate his assessment is....suspecting a fan boy here....fraser that is....Quote:
Originally Posted by AngryTechnician
Having a MS shop (yes inherited it), I find it hard to make a tech choice based on MACs with the requirements I am given....
this is an interesting thread. Can I assume from the responses on here, iPad adoption isn't as widespread as I first thought? I'm researching mass charging
& syncing options for these devices over the quieter summer period. I'd be interested to hear from anyone who is trialing these devices, or has trialed them (looking at the date the thread was started), and what sort of feedback& experiences you have had. I see/hear lots of people theorising the potential benefits of this type of tech in the classroom, I'd be interested to see who's actually using it, apple or otherwise and how you've addressed mass charging/synch issues.
Interestingly, the limited solutions I have seen on-line seem to all utilise the same circuit board developed by a UK firm in cambridge. Seems it can be used for iOs or android based products.
I was in an apple store this weekend (I avoid them normally as I just want to buy things I can't justify/afford), and was interested and probably naively surprised to see each product on display was accompanied by an iPad/2 with all the techspec and FAQ's relating to it. Clever use of tech, expensive though (If you weren't apple and had to buy them retail!!)
David
There are lots of products available that help you manage and deploy several iPads. You can get cabinets, carts, sync & charge stations, and other products that help you automatically charge and sync up to 49 iPads. These products make it easy to sync and charge an entire classroom of iPads at once. If you're interested, you can get more info at www.ipadcarts.com
In OS X Lion server, there is profile manager which uses apple push notifications to deploy over the air profiles, just need a mac running server app and the application to be switched on. this will work for pushing settings but doesn't look like it will deploy apps. Im looking forward to iOS 5 which should sync all apps via iCloud account.
At last I have found a forum, that just might be able to help. Our SLT is hell bent on going down the iPad / Mac route (and let me say here and now I am not anti MAC), my concerns are over:
(a) locking them down
(b) purchasing apps via one account or does it have to be individual accounts?
(c) 1200 ipads (as they have the idea that each pupil will have an ipad)
(d) the legitamcy if using them in controlled assements
(e) Office or equivelant software on an iPad
All of those and most fundemental of all, not doing a study / benchmark against Android / windows tablets to see which would be the most practical and cost effective to deploy.
Helpful pointers would be appreciated!
Lone_Rider, are you an RM school?
in terms of your questions:
a - you can use either iphone configuration utility, this would involved applying a policy to each individual ipad plugging it into your computer. Or with a 10.7 server say mac mini you can use profile manager to deploy policy over the air. you enrol to the server from the device and can send policy out with restrictions.
b - touchy subject, in theory you can use your apps on up to 5 devices i think, but there is no software that restricts this. Apple US have developed a bulk agreement but this isnt in the UK as far as i know.
c - thats a big spend on ipads
d - we have 7 so far and they are used for engaging students in numeracy and literacy, they have never been envisaged as used for controlled assessments.
e - Apple have their own version of office namely pages(Word), numbers(Excel) and keynote(PowerPoint) which are available from the app store at £6.99 each
Mellowpip1983, no we are not an RM school.
Currently we have Viglen PC's and Laptops are a mixture of Viglen and Toshiba.
SLT's current view is an iPad per pupil, that they take home and bring into school, so they would need to be able to be (unlocked for home use at a guess) switch between locked down mode and unlocked mode.
ios 5 is supposed to allow updating wirelessly and the head likes the idea of icloud to store data (havent even looked into the Data protections side of that yet)
Also I am guessing and I could be wrong that, ICT classes will still need to be on PC's , let alone Science and will all the software currently used be able to work on Mac?
As i have said its going to be a huge project and I need ammunition to slow it down and make it go at a steady pace, if thats the route we take, even if its fully mobile with other tablets it all needs to be looked at in a controlled fashion.
I need to ask what decision process lead your school to think the IPAD was the right answer. Where considerations of the underlying infrastructure (non-functional requirements) taken into account? Have they taken into account the Total Cost of Ownership here (possible infrastructure and employment costs).
Have they looked at other options in the tablet space.
If you are a MS shop, then the whole integration and mangement is going to be a big problem for you.
The other big question is the support agreements from Apple, will you get next business day support (like you do from Dell for example)?
I think the trick is to not be opposed, but point out issues that will cause a problem. ie..it can be done but there is a lot of work to do to get there...
The only real successful IPAD implementation I have seen is to outsource all the support to the users themselves, make them responsible. Mind you, 1200 is a large fleet....considering they are a consumer level device.
If you do this, then you need to consider your edge security at the school (how good is your webfilter etc.).
The bottom line is that IPADS are not true Enterprise Class (no matter what Apple tell you), and most likely will never be in that category.
If you are an Apple based school now, then it may work.
to be honest, I cannot see any good case for IPAD use in schoolwide environment...I think they are only useful in niche areas within the school to support special programs....
btw..this is my opinion only, but am seeing a lot of evidence to support this view in other forums and from talking to colleagues in other schools.