In this article, you will read about the great Scottish Borders Council story and learn:
- How the Inspire Learning Project supported thousands of students across Scotland
- Why technology played a big role in this project and why they chose to equip students with Apple iPad devices
- How they rolled out 10,000+ devices using Jamf Pro and provided a unique learning experience
The Inspire Learning Project – a story from the Scottish Borders Council
“When we started this project, we had four key pillars: mobility, personalisation, collaboration and excellence,” said Andrew Jewell, education lead for the Inspire Learning Project. “Choosing which device to incorporate into this programme was a very important decision because whatever solution was deployed, had to link to our four pillars.”
Enhancing learning opportunities through technology
After considering and testing various devices, the Scottish Borders Council decided to go with Apple’s iPads. Extremely portable, with unrivalled haptics and a great screen size, these devices were perfect to enhance creativity, innovation and collaboration between students and teachers – a new learning experience was about to begin.
“There’s a whole world of potential using Apple products – it’s made a big difference to the quality of the programme and has no doubt brought learning to life with the use of technology,” said Andrew Jewell, education lead for the Inspire Learning Project.
Preserving the well-known ‘Apple experience’ for students and ensuring it was up to the highest standards was essential. Indeed, the Scottish Borders Council wanted to capture the excitement of unboxing a brand-new iPad, “a Christmas like experience”, and avoid the fuss of then having to manually configure each device. That’s why they enlisted the expertise of Apple mobile device management provider, Jamf.
Jamf provisioned the devices over-the-air, in advance, so each device was ready to use straight out of the box — often referred to as zero-touch device enrolment – seamless and efficient process.
Meeting the needs of a unique learning experience
A new and unique learning experience just started for thousands of students in Scotland. As the standard in Apple device and app management, Jamf understood the need and technical know-how to provide each user, always staying in alignment with the team’s four objectives.
- Mobility: many of the students live around the Scottish Borders and not necessarily near one another or their teachers. Having Jamf-managed iPads made it easy for students to remain connected and learn together, wherever they were located. Applications were automatically assigned based on the student’s school and year group. As a result, students could receive a seamless experience while learning remotely as many of the apps could be rolled out over the air and be used.
- Personalisation: in order to fully embrace the technology, it needs to feel personal. By using Jamf Pro, students have the ability to personalise the applications they use or request additional using Jamf Self Service, an on-demand app portal. This was especially vital for students with learning challenges where the Inspire Learning team could customise and personalise user interfaces and apps to address their individual needs.
- Collaboration: Jamf Pro’s Smart Group feature provides teachers with the visibility and access to assign students to groups, based on set criteria. For example, if students are available in an active directory group, the teacher can see what group they are a part of and make certain applications available to them via Self Service. Through this solution, the Inspire Learning team implemented a blended learning approach, where students enjoyed the benefits of different environments – whether that was a virtual classroom, 1-to-1 or group setting. Teachers can now organise specific peer-to-peer learning groups or focus in on a specific challenge, through the click of a few buttons.
- Excellence: this project needed to be managed, monitored and validated to meet the standards of the local government. Reporting and monitoring engagement were crucial for the team to know if students were having the best experience and using the iPads efficiently. Through Jamf Pro, the Inspire Learning team has one holistic view of all devices to ensure the timely roll out of apps, patch updates and software to maintain a high-level of engagement
Facilitating remote learning
Teaching and learning from anywhere, as illustrated in the Inspire Learning project, is no longer a nice-to-have but has become essential. Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic forced many schools to re-evaluate the teaching practices and learning environments to accommodate an at-home, remote learning experience. With the right technology and tools in place, remote learning can be as simple and intuitive as in-person.
Download the Jamf e-book to find the five ways you can best serve students and teachers when you move learning online.
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