Improve student equity and teacher access to tools with Jamf School

Right now, it can be difficult to be a K-12 teacher. Teachers may be struggling to adapt to new technologies and realities, while at the same time trying to help their students and their students' parents adjust to the new normal in education.

We know all about it, which is why we are continuing our commitment to school IT admins, teachers, parents and students to enhance support of remote learning. This Jamf School release has some exciting features that will help teachers organize their classes and lessons more easily in this difficult time.

This release introduces important macOS enhancements for the Jamf Teacher app for Jamf School, as well as enhanced cellular connectivity capabilities on cellular-enabled student iPad devices, improving student equity and access to digital classrooms.

Improve equity with greater access to technology

Multiple US studies show that there is, unfortunately, a wide technology gap in the United States, which all too often leads to an achievement gap (This gap exists in countries worldwide, as well). According to the Pew Research Center, the digital 'homework gap' is causing student populations that are already struggling to fall even further behind as all-remote or hybrid schooling continues. Black and low-income teens were more likely to say they did not have a reliable internet connection at home, which affects BIPOC families and rural families disproportionately. One quarter of Black teens often couldn't do homework due to lack of reliable computer and internet access, while 13% of white teens and 17% of Latinx teens had this trouble. Those with an annual family income below $30,000 were also more likely to have this barrier to schooling (24%) than those from families who earned at least $75,000 a year (9%).

That's what makes cellular-enabled iPads such an exciting and potentially transformative development. During the pandemic, certainly, but also afterward, since so many students need device and internet access to do homework.

Schools wishing to improve educational equity can now offer their students cellular-enabled iPads and school-supported cellular service, regardless of where the student lives. Teachers will know their students can all participate, and IT admins can use batch activation to ensure that the iPads are ready to connect to the internet the moment the student turns on the device.

Manage student iPads from your Mac

As a teacher, it's great to be able to manage student iPad access and permissions from your own iPad. But what if you'd like to use another device?

Schools and teachers were looking for more device management options when using the Jamf Teacher App for Jamf School.

You asked and we delivered with the Catalyst macOS Jamf Teacher app. Teachers can now use a Mac to manage their students' iPads with the same features and functionality they already have using the Jamf Teacher App for Jamf School on their iPad.

Remote learning has gone from a nice-to-have to indispensable with the global pandemic, and these enhancements will increase teacher accessibility and ease as well as student access and equity for years to come.