Device Management

Apple Management Tool Adds Ad Hoc Classroom

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 07/23/19

A company that produces Apple management software has just updated its classroom edition, Jamf School from Jamf, intended for IT or educators, handles mobile device management for education, with three apps, one for teachers, another for parents and a third for students.

Jamf Teacher has added an ad hoc classroom function that will allow students in "close proximity" to the teacher to get a notification inviting them to join, without the need for the IT organization to intervene in setting up the managed classroom.

The content filtering feature now allows IT administrators to manage iOS' built-in web content filter and gives greater control over student access to apps. Also, Jamf Teacher and Jamf Parent gives those users the ability to block categories of apps, such as "games" or "social media," to help students stay focused on their work.

"These features will have an immediate impact on our educators' ability to deepen their instruction," said Kevin Wilson, director of information and technology at Duneland School Corporation in Indiana. "Giving teachers the ability to create a classroom on the fly without involving IT or our student information system will allow them to bring lessons to students flexibly and easily."

The company said that later this summer, its "Pro" edition, which previously hasn't included parent or teacher apps, will begin offering a workflow feature that enables teachers to request apps for use in their classrooms through Jamf Self Service, to expedite access. The Pro version will also add access to Jamf Parent, allowing IT to let families guide their children's usage of apps and features on school-issued devices.