Classroom Sets?

[Jim Foley]

We're moving to Phase Two with our ipad pilot.  First, we gave a dozen to selected faculty over the summer and through the first quarter to demo them and get a feel for what we could/couldn't do.  Next, we're collecting and re-distributing for small classroom sets - maybe 3 for an art class, 6 for a science class, etc.  I wonder if anyone has already been doing something similar, and what you've learned so far in doing so?

[Fred Austin]

It would be interesting if you could share what you have found thus far also. Thanks!

[Matt Scully]

Foley -
We are using ipads in 4th grade. 20 ipads shared between 41 students. We are finding that better learning happens when students have to share the tools. They have to explain, negotiate, and collaborate which seems to be leading to better learning. Got the idea from Sugata Mitra's work on learning being a self organizing system.

[Jim Foley]

I love serendipity - I just found out about Sugatra Mitra's work in a conversation this morning with an art teacher, and then I see your reply! Very cool...

Are you using it for a particular subject or unit? Or just general use? I'm curious which apps you're using, in either case - our teachers (mostly upper school so far) have made proposals for unit-specific applications and apps.

[Alex Ragone]

Matt -- How did you install the apps on these 20 iPads. We have a small set -- 8 that we're going to be using in some classes and we're not sure how we should set them up. One iTunes account? Make an 'Image' and roll out the same image on each with a iTunes backup?

Thanks for your help!

[Matt Scully]

Alex -
Went through the process of becoming a Volume Purchaser then used one laptop to purchase the applications. All of the ipads sync with the one laptop. Volume Purchasing requires that you purchase more or less a gift card then redeem the credits. Apple provides more info here... http://volume.itunes.apple.com/us/faq

It is not the smoothest setup.

[Jim Foley]

Matt, am I right in thinking that even with the Volume discount, you're still paying on a per-app basis? Meaning, I'm not buying a license for between 50 and 100 users, rather, I'd have to buy 54 copies if that's how many ipads the app is going onto?

By the way, we've got half day tomorrow and I'm planning to spend the better part of the morning tinkering with this thing. Also, I want to see if it's possible to image an ipad like Kerri Richardson said it is, based on the document she put up in the open space notes from NEIT2010. Anybody wants to Skype in to see if we can do this together, I'd welcome the help!

[Fred Bartels]

Jim,

You are correct in that you are purchasing individual copies, or more accurately, individual licenses. However, you then only need to redeem one license on the machine from which you are 'imaging'. The other licenses are so you are in compliance but are never used.

Fred

[Jim Foley]

Fred, when you refer to imaging do you mean syncing all the devices to the same machine? As opposed to using the iphone configuration utility, or a 3rd party vendor like AirWatch?

[Fred Bartels]

Jim,

Yes, I mean syncing all the devices to the same machine.

Fred

[Alex Ragone]

You guys are rock stars... Thanks for all of the great info!

[Jim Foley]

OK, so next question - if you "image" by syncing all devices to the same machine initially, and then distribute to teachers, then teachers can't sync their ipads to their own laptops without losing the image, right?

[Fred Bartels]

Jim,

 

You can pull apps from multiple iTunes store accounts to one iOS device. From the device log out of the 'default' iTunes store account from the settings app, then log in to another account. Then with that account get any apps that you want. Apps that have already been purchased with that account will download for free. I think you can have apps from 5 different iTunes store accounts on one iOS device.

 

Fred