Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google


New Casper Suite Enables Mix-and-Match 1-to-1 and Shared iPads

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 04/11/16

Software for managing Apple devices in a classroom or other settings has gotten an update to leverage features of iOS 9.3. The Casper Suite "Spring 2016" release from JAMF Software takes advantage of Apple's managed "lost mode" to enable IT to locate and recover lost or stolen devices without compromising student or staff privacy. When lost mode is enabled for a given user's device, it displays a customized lock screen message that IT has specified, is disabled from use and sends its location to IT.

Casper Suite is intended to automate computing device activities IT staff may take care of manually, such as inventory, distribution, updates and maintenance. A self-service model enables users to take care of certain activities themselves without needing administrative credentials.

The latest version of the software lets a teacher customize what apps will appear on a home screen. A "shared" mode, which can reside alongside a 1-to-1 program, enables students that share their devices during the day to get a personalized learning experience. The function works with Apple School Manager, which serves as a portal for iPads used in the classroom and allows students to be granted managed Apple IDs.

The program also allows a teacher to launch all devices in the classroom to a specific app, website or book and share work openly through Apple TV or to the teacher's device.

"For years, school districts have had to make the choice between 1:1 and shared iPad programs. The tradeoff has been a personalized learning experience," said Dave Saltmarsh, education evangelist at the company. "With iOS 9.3 and Casper Suite, schools will no longer have to make this choice. They will be able to deliver a personalized experience for each and every student regardless of the school's implementation model."

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Blurred silhouettes of business people in a modern office with a glowing blue network overlay

    Open Secure AI Alliance Moving Under Linux Foundation

    Governance of the Open Secure AI Alliance has moved to the Linux Foundation, giving the initiative what the organizations describe as a neutral home for developing open source tools, shared standards and defensive practices. The Alliance was launched by NVIDIA in July to develop open security technologies for AI systems and agents.

  • digital brain integrating legal regulation and security interface

    Survey: Agentic AI Moves from Pilot Phase to Production, Bringing Governance to the Forefront

    A new report from Caylent, an AI-focused Amazon Web Services Premier Tier Services Partner, found that enterprises are already moving agentic AI beyond pilots and into production environments. At the same time, organizations are putting strict conditions around autonomy, making governance and control the next major challenge for enterprise AI adoption.

  • Businessman using laptop to analyze and control information security data

    Survey Identifies Data Governance Enforcement Gap for Agentic AI Tools

    According to a new survey from identity security company Delinea, 99.7% of IT and security leaders said their organization has a formal policy governing what data AI tools and agents are permitted to access. Yet only about 51% said AI access is checked against those policies in real time.

  • elementary schoolchildren using digital tablet in classroom

    CoSN: 3 Principles that Should Guide Screen Time Policies in Schools

    CoSN, the professional association for K-12 education technology leaders, has released new guidance to help schools navigate the screen time debate and develop technology policies that protect students while supporting learning.