Apple Classroom Guide & Course Access

Apple has an amazing software application called Classroom. Although everyday use of Apple Classroom is not a requirement, all NIST teachers are required to complete the quiz (Step 3) to test your knowledge of the features of Apple Classroom and how it can help you enhance teaching and learning through the use of efficient workflows and easy device management. Please complete Steps One and Two to learn about Classroom. Complete Step Three in order to fulfill this requirement. This can be completed in approximately fifty (50) minutes at any time you wish prior to the end of January, and you will be given time for this in the form of a meeting time (TBA). (Note: This was originally scheduled for Orientation week but was delayed due to not being on campus.)

1. Learn the Features and Requirements

(10 mins)

First, read through this list of features. Apple Classroom allows you to do things such as:

View a student screen or all screens to know what your students are doing on their device.
Easily show a student iPad screen on AirPlay without stopping your AirPlay and starting theirs.
Lock student devices (to get student attention).
You can share any website from either in Safari or Chrome to your whole class, groups of students, or individual student.
Push a specific app to open for your whole class, a group of students, or an individual student.
Lock students into just one app (and not use others) to help students focus.
Share a file with group(s) and subgroups of your students (using AirDrop) from any other app.
See a report of time spent on apps by each student when finished with a “class session.”

Next, we have a list of technology considerations.

Students do NOT require any software.
Your device needs to be on the latest operating system.
Teacher iPad or Mac needs to have Apple Classroom app installed (from Manager app > Self-Service).
Students and the teacher must have Bluetooth & WiFi ON. If a student disables Bluetooth or uses a hotspot, the teacher will see the student as offline. Students must be within 20m (approx.).
The AirPlay icon on a student device will be blue when screen is observed.
If a teacher forgets to end a class, the student devices would not be observed/controllable as soon as they are out of Bluetooth range.
Classroom settings are unique to each device. If you create a sub-group within a class on your computer, it will not appear as a sub-group in that same class on your iPad.
All classes will be set up for all teachers using Veracross class lists where possible (Year 2 to Year 13 due to one to one devices) and will show up on your Mac and/or your iPad.

This excellent Apple video (3 mins 22 secs) demonstrates this incredible tool.

2. Learning To Use Classroom

(25 mins)

This short NIST video (1 min 5 secs) explains how to navigate the Apple resource called Getting Started with Apple Classroom guide allows you to view a series of videos to learn all of the key features of Apple Classroom. Notes: 1.Maximize your browser. 2.Some of the videos do not have sound. 3.Read the text on each page before watching each video. 4.Please note that NIST will automatically push all of your classes and class lists (Y2-13) from Veracross to your Apple Classroom (to save you the time to set up these classes).