Apple has issued new guidance and advice for IT professionals in education to help them meet the changing demands of their workforce during the coronavirus outbreak.
The company has published new data on its website which shares details about setting up new Apple devices that can be managed by a school.
A new guidebook called “Preparing your school’s Apple devices for remote learning” offers IT staff to allow schools to prepare Apple devices to be used at home. The support document offers guides on Macs and iPads that can be taken home and used alongside Apple’s popular Mobile Device Management (MDM) system, which helps educational staff set up devices with specific content such as classes, videos, and apps.
The software also allows educators to limit and restrict certain content, for example stopping children from accessing inappropriate content on the internet or downloading games on their school devices, which should be reserved for educational purposes.
Apple has also issued new guidelines for schools and educational institutions who have limited Apple devices, suggesting that they can set up schedules for different groups to access devices, before passing them on to the next group.
Apple also recommends software such as Jamf, Mosyle, and Meraki with extended trial periods for schools who do not have a whole suite of Apple devices available to hand out.
With schools now closed in many states in the United States, and indeed in many countries around the world, there will no doubt be a strain on Apple’s Mobile Device Management system and its cloud computing networks, but Apple’s infrastructure should see it through.
Are you changing the way you teach students during the coronavirus outbreak? Let us know your circumstances over on social media and check back soon for more news and advice.
