Apple Classroom and Jamf Teacher

Which app is better? Should I use both? 

It all depends on your classroom management style. Both tools offer unique ways of managing off-task behavior and keeping student attention focused on classroom learning tasks. Both tools also allow you to interact with individuals or small groups, in addition to issuing whole-class commands. 

A good recommendation is to start with the tools that offer increased functionality, like launching apps or websites simultaneously on all student devices, or connecting a student device to the Apple TV to share their work with the class. You may also want to lock all screens for a moment in order to get students’ attention for a quick verbal update, then unlock their screens and send them back to work quickly thereafter. 

Punitive-type commands, like limiting apps and websites, should be used sparingly. You may consider a more restrictive iPad interface for only the kids who lack the self control to correct their own behavior in response to traditional classroom management strategies. 

Pros and Cons: 

+Apple Classroom has a very useful report that shows which apps were used by each student and for how long. This report is automatically generated whenever you tap the 3 dots in the upper right and choose “end class.” You can take screenshots of this report and share them with parents to communicate concerns about appropriate use of iPads as classroom tools. 

-Apple Classroom cannot be used to limit website access. You can lock students into the Safari app, but can’t limit their navigation to different websites within the app.

+Jamf Teacher allows teachers to limit iPad functionality for a scheduled amount of time. This includes choosing which apps and websites the student(s) can access during the session. Full iPad access is restored automatically when the predetermined session ends, or by sending a “clear restrictions” command in the Jamf Teacher app at any time.

-Jamf Teacher relies on WiFi exclusively, but Apple Classroom uses both WiFi and Bluetooth for communication between devices. Similar commands that are available in both apps, therefore, tend to work faster in Apple Classroom than in Jamf Teacher.

Other questions you might have…

Can I use a join-code like I used to? 

No. Join code class-creation is no longer supported in EUSD. 

Do my students need to sign in with their Apple IDs? 

Signing in with Apple IDs is no longer a required step for using Apple Classroom and Jamf Teacher. Signing in with Apple IDs, however, still provides other benefits, like the ability to create an iCloud backup and use collaboration features in Keynote, Pages, and Numbers documents. To learn more about the supported process for setting up your rosters in Apple Classroom and/or Jamf Teacher, see the section above called “How do I get access to these awesome tools?”

How can I rename my Powerschool generated class(es)?

        1. Go to https://school.apple.com/

        2. Sign in with your EUSD credentials

        3. Go to Classes

        4. Pick the class you wish to rename. Click Edit, type in a Nickname for the class, and then click SAVE. The nickname should show up in your Apple Classroom within a few minutes, and in Jamf Teacher within 24 hours.

How can I create a roster that includes students NOT in my Powerschool Attendance class(es)?

Please review the section above called “How do I get access to these awesome tools?”

How do I delete old or unused manually-created classes?

        1. Go to https://school.apple.com/

        2. Sign in with your EUSD credentials

        3. Go to Classes

        4. Pick the class you wish to delete

        5. Click "delete"

        6. The class should be removed from your Apple Classroom app within a few minutes, and from Jamf Teacher within 24 hours.

        Note: Powerschool-generated classes cannot be removed, but you can rename them (see instructions above in the section called “How can I rename my Powerschool generated class(es)?”)

Can I create a custom class directly in the Apple Classroom or Jamf Teacher iPad apps?

It is no longer recommended to create classes directly in the apps on your iPad. During thorough testing of manually-created classes, our information systems and technology staff learned that adding classes at school.apple.com on your teacher laptop, then following steps for an initial sync, produces the best results with fewer technical issues. Carefully follow setup instructions in the section above called “​​How do I get access to these awesome tools?” to set yourself up for a smooth integration. 

How can I get additional help?

Fill out a help desk ticket at help.eusd.org to request further assistance. Please be as specific as possible in the ticket details. 

Additional Resources

Apple Classroom Overview (Video)

Apple Classroom User Guide (Apple)

Apple Classroom App for iPads (EUSD)