iPad in the Classroom:Shared Resource

iPad in the Classroom: Shared Resource

iPads can be deployed in school on an individual basis, as a shared resource or as part of a 1-to-1 program. An iPad shared resource ideally would bundle enough units for a full class (up to 32 iPads) and would be shared between classes for the duration of a lesson or project. Some additional considerations need to be taken before investing and these include security/storage, mobility and management of your resource. A Leba iCase will handle up to 16 iPads and allows for sync’ing, charging and storing your iPads whilst enabling you to manage them effectively from a single computer, power socket and USB cable. By factoring in an Apple TV and WiFi hub it becomes an all-in-one mobile solution that can be easily networked and linked to your projector. The number of iCase’s required will depend on the number of iPads but with typical class sizes of 30 students, you may need an additional iCase if each student is to have access to their own device.

Which iPad?The main difference between the iPad 2 and iPad 3 is screen resolution and the quality of the rear camera. iPad 2 was not discontinued following the launch of the iPad 3, instead its price has been slashed and it is targeted at the education market. From a creativity point of view, the higher resolution camera is worth the money if you are planning to use the devices for film-making, digital storytelling or photography. However, the lower price of the iPad 2 offers greater value and affordability if you can live without the luxury of a higher resolution screen and a 0.7 megapixel camera as opposed to 5 megapixel on iPad 3. Apple also recently introduced the iPad Mini. There are notable differences in the iPad Mini with regard to form factor, screen size and the overall spec. The screen is 7.9 inch from corner to corner as opposed to 9.7 inch on the larger iPads. Whilst the screen resolution is considerably lower than the iPad 3, it should be noted that it is a smaller screen so per inch, it still has a decent resolution. All apps designed for the bigger iPads are fully compatible with the iPad and fit perfectly to the smaller screen. It has a lower price than the iPad 3 and many consider it to be pitched at the education markets. It is a good solution for schools but you need to consider the implications of smaller screen size and a lower overall spec. Whilst it does not measure up to iPad 3, it is worth considering against iPad 2 at £50 cheaper. It may be easier to handle for younger students due to smaller overall size.

Alternatives to iPadA number of alternative mobile devices are starting to make an impact in the education market. These include various Android devices, Amazon Kindle Fire and Windows 8 based tablets including the Microsoft Surface. Whilst these are viable alternatives, they have had relatively little or no impact in the education space. Partly due to the lack of apps and content that is available for them alongside various technical challenges. However, this is beginning to change. Currently the momentum is with the iPad and this does not appear to be slowing within schools. Follow our blog for reviews of these devices and updates on their use in education.

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Shared Resource

16 x iPad 2’s (Base Model)16 x Snugg Cases1 x Leba iCase (for 16 iPads)1 x Mac LaptopApple TV & WiFi Hub

Approx Cost: £6900

Individual Items/Accessories **(Guide Prices Only)

Item Cost Supplier

iPad Mini - WiFi Model/16GB/512MB £225 Academia

iPad 2 - WiFi Model/16GB/512MB £275 Academia

iPad 3 - WiFi Model/16GB/1GB £333 Academia

Snugg Case for iPad 1 £25 Academia

Tecknet FolioCase for iPad Mini £20 Academia

Extended Warranty for iPad (2 + 1 year) 2 £52.00 Academia

COLT HQ Stylus Pen (4 pack) 3 £3.99 amazon.co.uk

±1: Snugg Case is a leather full body case for iPad which is also acts as a stand. It has a hand strap and has magnets that activate power saving when screen cover is closed. A durable, affordable product that is highly recommended for school use.±2: Extended warranties are optional and are at the schools discretion. AmmA Centre have not opted for extended warranties as they do not cover accidental damage and the iPad is not overtly prone to hardware failure outside of standard 1 year warranty.±3: Whilst expensive alternatives are available, AmmA have tried and tested these cheap stylus pens available online. They are more than adequate for classroom use and at £1 per unit, they are cheap to replace. NB: Do not use the headphone jack attachment as these could damage your device

Management Tools

•iTunes 10.5 can be used on your Mac to manage multiple iPads.

•Each school can create a single iTunes account (without a credit card) which can be used to install apps across all iPads.

•iTunes Cards can be purchased locally and used to top up credit in your school account. Apps are inexpensive costing between £0.99 and £7.99 on average.

•A single iTunes account can be used on up to 5 computers and an unlimited number of iPads can be sync’ed from this computer. This allows you to buy an app once and install it across all your iPads.

•For multiple users, you can purchase Volume Licensing from your Apple provider which can then be deployed to all your iPads using the free ‘Apple Configurator’ tool from the app store.

•An official Apple document detailing deployment strategies for iPads in Education and approaches to managing iTunes effectively can be found here.

http://goo.gl/DZPYR

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Item Cost Supplier

Leba Sync Case (Holds 16 iPads) 1 £1325.00 Academia

Apple TV £80.00 Academia

Kanex ATV Pro (Apple TV to VGA Converter) 2 £29.00 Academia

Apple Express WiFi hub £59.00 Academia

iTunes Cards (£15, £25 or £50 units) 3 £100.00 Academia

Mac Computer for Managing iPads(Macbook Air 11” i5 Dual Core) 4

£590.00 Academia

±1: Leba Sync Case allows for mobility, secure storage, charging and sync’ing of all your iPads simultaneously. It is an all-in-one solution and provides housing for a laptop and a WiFi hub which makes your resource more manageable.±2: Apple TV uses your WiFi signal to connect any of your iPads to your Interactive Whiteboard. It allows students or teachers to share their iPad screen or stream video, pictures and sounds wirelessly. You may need to purchase a Apple Airport Express WiFi hub for your Apple TV to work but this will change when you the new C2k/Northgate solution is in place. If your projector does not take HDMI, you will need the Kanex converter. (approx £30)±3: iTunes cards will allow you to load credit into your iTunes account. This means you don’t need to use a credit card to purchase apps. iTunes cards can be purchased from Academia or from most supermarkets for £15, £25 or £50. Consider purchasing £100 worth with your shared resource to cover initial costs of apps.±4: To effectively manage your iPads, consider purchasing a Mac computer if your school does not already have one. iTunes on Windows will work but not as effectively. The version of iTunes on the C2k system will not work. An entry level 13” Macbook Pro is the preferable/cheapest option.

Training & SupportThe AmmA Centre recognises that challenges remain in integrating mobile technology into schools and classrooms. As part of the SELB, we offer extensive training and support opportunities to our schools at no cost. We structure our training courses based on feedback & demand from the many schools we actively support.

You can avail of a progression of iPad training courses that have been developed to fit into 2 hour sessions as part of in-school directed time or as part of a staff development day. These can be delivered in your school using your devices or ours and we can cater for your whole staff.

If you are thinking about iPads and would like an opportunity for teachers to get hands-on training before you buy or if you would like an opportunity to try them out in the classroom, contact us directly.

We also offer an ongoing schedule of training that is educationally focussed and caters for Mac, Windows and/or iPad users.

We are actively engaged in creating useful resources and online content that will support the integration of technology into your classroom. These materials are available via our website and we are adding to them regularly.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1: Do I need a computer to operate my iPads?You need to connect your iPad to WiFi or a computer with iTunes to initially activate it. Technically you do not need a computer to manage your device thereafter, however, if you have a number of iPads and intend to use them with your class as a kit, it is advised that you have a computer to manage these. This will make the process much simpler as you can manage all your content and share it out all across all your devices. A Mac is your best option but other options exist.

2: Can I connect my iPad to C2k?In primary schools, this is currently not an option as personal devices are not allowed on the C2k network. However, it is anticipated this will change in the near future starting with post-primary as part of the new contract with Northgate/C2k. To use Apple TV in your classroom, it is suggested you factor in the cost of an Apple Airport WiFi hub.

3: How do I purchase apps and other digital content for my iPads?It is recommended that your school sets up a non-credit card iTunes account registered against a school email address. You can then purchase iTunes cards locally and credit your account which will enable you to purchase apps and other content from the iTunes & iBooks Store. Your iTunes account can be used on up to 5 computers giving you access to all content purchased against your account. This approach ensures all apps are licensed to the school. Your content can then be sync’ed against unlimited iPads (for personal use) without having to re-purchase your apps. For larger quantities of iPads, you may need to explore Volume Licensing or investigate other deployment strategies.

4: Do I need to purchase warranties or insurance?Warranties are completely at the discretion of the school and insurance is generally only a concern in 1-to-1 scenarios which involve leasing agreements. Your provider will factor insurance costs into your leasing deal. Regarding warranties, iPads come with a 1 year warranty by default. This covers hardware failures and problems that generally are not the users fault. It is up to the owner to get the device to an Apple Authorised Service Provider or Apple Store for repair. Generally speaking, iPads are not prone to hardware failure. To extend your warranty to 3 years will cost you over £50 per iPad.

5: How do I manage my iPads?You need to use iTunes on a computer to manage your iPads. iTunes allows you to sync, backup, restore and manage the content across all your iPads. Apple have also released a utility called the ‘Apple Configurator’ which will allow you to put security settings and restrictions onto your iPads. Once an iPad has been initially setup, you may choose to let staff/students manage the individual devices themselves using a personal iTunes account and WiFi networks outside of school. This will have the added benefit of allowing users to use iCloud to backup and store all their data on Apples Servers. iTunes on the iPad can also be used to purchase apps and other content using this approach. You may need to give your user policy some thought and have all users agree to it before issuing them with devices. The school can still gift apps to the user and at any point they can restore the iPad back to its initial setup if initial setup was via a computer in your school.

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