Apple 1to1 - Where to begin...

[Tefters]

So today I have been asked to Iook into swapping our school from a Windows desktop environment to a 1 to 1 Apple iPad environment.

 

Where do you even begin when it comes to the iPad front.

Is it still the same old ASM + MDM?

I've then got the headache of Apple TV for casting, how does web filtering get managed or even classroom management of the devices by teachers.

 

The first step is the network and wireless overhaul which is a full network replacement as our switches are all 10/15+ year old HP's with OM2 cabling and all the AP's would need replacing with WiFi 6 and then additional to boot.

I reckon the infrastructure upgrade alone for networking/wireless is £120k+ easy as we are a very old school with solid walls and would need an AP per classroom.

All this before we have even looked at the iPads and replacing softwares and MDM costs, printing and presenting.

[3s-gtech]

Are you involved in the ‘why?’ part of the discussion? A project like this can bring huge benefits, but you need to be involved at a higher level than this.

 

It tends to head off the “why can’t they connect to the laser cutter?!” and “just make them work with the Smartboards!” stuff.

 

It does sound like you’re thinking along the right lines. Infrastructure, including internet speed, wifi 6, quality MDM, supporting devices and a clear outline of device capabilities with all requirements able to be met.

[Tefters]

Yeah the high level stuff and requirements are not really the issue, it's more the nitty gritty of what is required.

 

I like their thinking on it but it's all steamed from a meeting showing off all the tech and everything being in the cloud, using free apps, wireless presentation and printing, 1 to 1 leased devices, insurance damage repair etc..

 

The reason it makes me laugh a little is that currently our teachers don't even use class teams due to lack of will/IT skill. What's a full school full of iPads with no Windows desktop or standard apps going to be like.

 

Is the management and use of iPads any easier nowadays on an enterprise level to completely replace a Windows desktop environment in a secondary school?

[psydii]

How many users? How many buildings? The networking costs are likely way lower than you think - particularly if you are moving from predominantly wired desktops to wireless devices.

 

What do you actually do in Windows? - moving to iOS is quite the change. It is easier if you are a 365 school as the Microsoft tools work way better on iOS than the Google ones, also you get filtering options with 365 E5.

 

I would talk to Albion if i were you - they can make this happen and can assist financing such that over a reasonable horizon the costs of going apple is competitive with a Windows based economy.

 

 

While relentlessly pro Apple (obviously) this series of posts is worth reading to get a feel of the ecosystem. https://9to5mac.com/guides/apple-at-work/

[psydii]

The reason it makes me laugh a little is that currently our teachers don't even use class teams due to lack of will/IT skill. What's a full school full of iPads with no Windows desktop or standard apps going to be like.

 

Let an Apple partner lead this, they will provide the training and user support, and also steer you (or more importantly the SLT Sponsor) away from bits of the ecosystem/technology that might otherwise cause friction.

[Brimstone]

These resellers are who you should be speaking to for any project like this...

 

https://www.apple.com/uk/education/how-to-buy/education-specialist/

[RLR]

You will also need support from SLT and someone to act as a middle person between IT and Teachers to push teachers to use the tech. Otherwise it will be a big waste and iPads will end up in draws.

 

Other things you may want to think about is the teacher workflows and what apps/cloud services they are going to use such as Teams, Google Meets, Google Classroom etc.