Electronic Tablet Management -- software for cleaning, networking, or monitoring

Colleagues,

I am looking for software, if it exists, that helps teachers manage tablets in a classroom or other group setting. From time to time teachers who use tablets with their students ask me if there is good software that:

  • Cleans tablets at the end of the day
  • Networks tablets in a LAN and/or
  • Enables a teacher to see what students are doing on their tablets in real time.

It's possible that the software doesn't exist, doesn't work very well, or is too expensive, but perhaps someone in this CoP has some suggestions

The only software I have seen for cleaning tablets, and also chromebooks, laptops, desktops and smartphones, was recommended yesterday by Jacqui Murray in her "Ask a Tech Teacher" blog at http://www.formation-massage-stage.fr//outils/nettoyeurecran/cleanscreen.swf but it isn't exactly what I had in mind.

David J. Rosen

djrosen123@gmail.com

 

Comments

 I've been looking for a way to automatically clean off iPads after using them with students--to clear out any accounts or logins, but I haven't found anything to do it.  For android tablets I found this http://www.tabpilot.com/ which is purports to give teachers the ability to manage apps and monitor screens. I haven't used it.

"TabPilot is a cloud-based management system that puts teachers in control of classroom tablets.  TabPilot removes distractions by locking down tablets so that students only see teacher-selected apps and web links.  Manage and distribute apps, web links, and content.  Monitor student screens or freeze student tablets with a click.  Use you own tablets, or our Breea tablets.   Ideal for K-12, adult, or anywhere tablet lock-down is required, including online testing environments." 

best,

Nell

 

Colleagues,

Almost two years ago I asked about software to clean iPads after the end of each class use. Nell Eckersley pointed out tabpilot, software that does this for Androids. Is anyone aware of -- or do you use -- software for cleaning iPads or Android tablets?

Thanks,

David J. Rosen

djrosen123@gmail.com

I don't use iOS devices myself, but your question made me curious, so I did a little quick research on it.

TabPilot is a form of Mobile Device Management (MDM) software (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_device_management) that seems to be customized for use in a classroom environment as opposed to a corporate one. TabPilot now supports both iOS and Android.

One of the sites I visited gave a fairly long list of similar products. Here is the link, if anyone is interested in exploring them: http://www.enterpriseios.com/wiki/Comparison_MDM_Providers

Also, if you do a Google search on "clean ios device," you will get a long list of other solutions.

 

Thanks Robert. This is good news about TabPilot, and your research on the availability of other tablet cleaning software. Very helpful.

I wonder if anyone here who uses electronic tablets in the classroom, or in another group learning setting, has had experience with tablet cleaning software. If so, what software do you use, why and how do you use it, and what do you see as the advantages and disadvantages of the product you use for this purpose?

For those who are not sure what "tablet cleaning" means: electronic tablets, such as IOS (iPads) and a wide range of Android tablets, can be used by groups of learners in a classroom or other group learning setting. Software can help the teacher or learning facilitator manage them. Especially if they are used in a setting where more than one class uses the same tablets, there are at least two kinds of cleaning issues to make the tablets ready for the next class, both of which may require fast action, between classes or at the beginning of the next class:

1) Physical cleaning of the surface of the tablet. Some teachers have bottles of tablet cleaning spray, and tissues, for every half dozen students to clean their tablet before they use it. Do you know of other solutions?

2) Removing student work and downloads from the previous class. This can be done quickly by the teacher, remotely, from a classroom computer, and perhaps now also from a tablet or smartphone? Anyone know? This can also be done by the teacher at the end of the day if there isn't enough time between classes.

If you use tablets in your classroom, and have solutions to either or both of these challenges, please share your solution(s) with us. Thanks.

David J. Rosen

Moderator, Technology and Learning CoP

djrosen123@gmail.com