Setting Up Your iPads for Use in YRDSB

Please read this entire document before starting; there are many things to consider before you make decisions about your new or borrowed iPods/iPads.

Please note that these instructions are based on what we understand to be a good balance of security and openness to be.  They are long, but in many ways not complete; it's a tangled web to sort though Apple's Terms of Use and make it work in the classroom.  Keep in mind that iPads and iPod Touchs are intended to be consumer-use, and using them and managing them in the classroom presents unique opportunities and challenges.

Quick Start Guide
(This is not intended to replace the rest of the document; rather, to give you an idea of how to
quickly proceed with your purchase or loan of these devices)
Step 1 - Setup an iTunes account (see Section 11)
Step 2 - Watch video of device setup  (see also below)
Step 3 - Connect device to managing computer (‘the mother ship’) and name devices within iTunes
(see section 13)
Step 4 - Download apps
Step 5 - Establish protocols for security, recharging, backup and overall management
Step 6 - Integrate your devices into the classroom learning process

IMPORTANT: iPads/iPods do NOT sign out of your network when they go to sleep or are turned off.  They stay signed in to the user's login until they are told to 'forget' it.  AS YOU FINISH USING AN IPAD OR IPOD, your last action MUST BE to log out of the network.  Without doing so, any subsequent users of that device will be surfing and downloading content using YOUR login - and YOU will need to demonstrate that it wasn't you going to those websites, or sending that threatening message, or whatever else they do.

To log out of the network, go to Settings>Wi-Fi>click on the blue arrow to the right of YRDSB-S>Forget This Network>Forget.

Now, the next person has to enter their own login information in order to connect to the network.


Index:
1. Before you get them - what you should know
2. Before delivery
3. Assigning a Master Computer
4. At delivery
5. iCloud
6. First Sync: the initial device to computer connection
7. Naming your devices
8. Restrictions
9. iTunes
10. iTunes accounts
11. Creating an iTunes account without a credit card
12. Manging Devices with iTunes
13. Syncing
14. Multiple iTunes Libraries
15. Charging Devices
16. Network Access and Security/Power Conservation
17. Power Consumption
18. Best Practice
19. Apps
20. Purchasing Apps
21. Devices purchased for your site / classroom, etc
22. YRDSB Network access
23. Before returning devices loaned from CLL

For copies, updates, corrections of this document, please contact:
Sholom Eisenstat (sholom.eisentat@yrdsb.edu.on.ca)
or
Jason Eygenraam (jason.eygenraam@yrdsb.edu.on.ca)

1. Before you get them - what you should know
Ipod Touch and iPad devices should not be considered ‘computers’ as one has
thought of classroom computers until now. These are powerful tools that will add to
the valuable uses of technology in the classroom. There are advantages to these small,
portable, personal devices and there are times where more robust computing power, as in
the desktop or lab configuration, will be more useful. iPads and iPods do NOT replace
desktop computers. They do not run the familiar software that is available on the YRDSB
workstations throughout the Board.
In various classrooms students are using them in many ways including the following:
○ research
○ recording audio and/or video
○ note-taking
○ mind-mapping
○ viewing media from Discovery Channel or Learn360
○ recording of reading practice
○ playback of recorded lessons
○ digital textbooks
○ creativity.
The nature of this platform for classroom use, lends itself to the question of the
appropriate ‘type’ of computer each of these can be. On one hand, they could be very rigid
textbook-oriented where the teacher has chosen apps and resources for students to use. On
the other hand, in a significant departure from common teacher practice, these devices can
be managed in a much more ‘personal’ fashion as they were designed for in the consumer
arena. This is a more student-oriented approach where the learners find some tools and
resources that will help them learn the subject matter. Or they are used in a fashion wholly
new to our practice enabled by creative software.
Processes that are required to manage numbers of these devices are new to teachers
and schools. Just as computers and networks have required extra tasks for those using them,
so iPads and iPods will require both a learning process and a work-flow integration.

2. Before delivery
○ Assign a Mac (preferably) or non-SchoolConnect PC at the school to manage the
devices.
○ Determine if there is someone on staff who will perform the management role for
your devices.
○ Download iTunes to the master computer or update to the latest version, if necessary.
■ Talk to your TST if you don’t have sufficient privileges to do this.
Setup a new iTunes account with no credit card: see Section 11 below.
○ Have a naming convention ready to apply to each device; download or prepare
numbers (see Section 7 below)
○ Determine and implement storage and security

3. Assigning a Master Computer
The master computer will hold all the software and resources that are installed on
the devices, the library of ‘apps’ etc., as well as iTunes software to manage the library and
the devices. It is not necessary to dedicate a computer solely to this purpose but this computer
must be available to the teacher managing the devices as needed. A laptop can be most
convenient. Both Windows-based and MAC computers can be used but DO NOT assign a
SchoolConnect machine to this purpose. Whichever computer you do use to manage your
devices, that computer must be the only one that is used to manage the devices. This machine
can be used for for any other computer purposes when not needed to manage your idevices.
It is best to use a Macintosh computer with iTunes to manage your devices. A
Windows based computer will run iTunes for this purpose as well, BUT do NOT use a
YRDSB connected SchoolConnect PC for this purpose (see Section 9 below).
A current MAC computer is able to sync up to 24 ipods using a powered hub
(available through purchasing.) A PC laptop will manage approximately 10 devices using a
powered hub.

4. At delivery
○ Remove all packaging and prepare to sync each device to your ‘master computer’.
○ Identify the devices by affixing a name label on the back; look for ways to identify
them as school-owned equipment, such as etching the school name in the back, or
purchasing unique cases that make them immediately identifiable
○ Perform the first syncing operation: please see the following video for more
information about the initial setup of the iPad/iPods:

5. iCloud
Apple’s iOS5 for iPhones and iPads has some features that are important for you to know about.
One of the major upgrades is the introduction of ‘iCloud’, ie. Apple’s cloud-based storage and
backup service. Your device, if it is running the latest operating system (iOS5 or later) can use the
iCloud under certain conditions as outlined below.
The iCloud makes it quite easy to manage your personal devices. With one device setup as
the ‘master’ whatever apps or docs installed or downloaded to that device, will be automatically
synced to all the devices logged into the same iCloud account. Syncing would not be ‘instant’ but
would happen reasonably quickly.
There are various conditions under which you should not use the iCloud system, as outlined in this
document.
Two Ways to manage your device.
1) Using a computer and iTunes
● Use the USB connection to connect your device to a computer and manage the device
contents with iTunes
● You will need an iTunes account; see section on iTunes accounts
● The number of USB ports available for device syncing is limiting factor unless you
enable ‘wifi syncing’ via iTunes; see section on USB hubs
● Provides a local backup of all apps and data on the device
● Use of iTunes enables you to create libraries of apps (eg, one for the library ipads, one for
the music dept ipads, one for the history dept ipads)
● Operating software updates occur during a sync
2) using the iCloud service – limited to 5 devices
● No need for USB connections; syncing happens over the wireless connection
● An app downloaded to a ‘master’ device will be replicated on all the devices
● Operating system updates occur via the iCloud
● All devices using a single iTunes account will all be members of an iCloud and will be
synced according to the ‘master’ device of the teacher
It is not necessary to use the cloud system. You can continue using the computer-based system of
accessing iTunes, syncing apps etc. and backing up your devices as has been done in the past.
If you have more than 5 devices, you cannot sync your devices using the iCloud. The iCloud sync
system is limited to 5 devices.
The iCloud backup services need not necessarily be turned on in your device. The ‘free’ level of
service includes only 5 gigabytes of backup storage space. If you leave the iCloud backup services
turned off, you should be prudent and have another plan to backup devices, such as a computer
running iTunes.
Whichever method you choose to manage your devices, you must become comfortable with it so
that management operations can be completed efficiently.

6. First Sync: the initial device to computer connection
○ When you insert the cable connecting the device, iTunes will automatically start up on
the computer and want to sync the new device. This is normal. iTunes will perform some
diagnostics, will enable you to register the device to your iTunes account, will update its
software if required and generally make it ready for your use.
○ On initial connection to master computer, register your devices to that computer/
iTunes
○ Name all devices
○ In iTunes, prepare an initial set of apps for the devices.
■ At the iTunes Store you can browse, search and download, apps, podcasts,
music, iTunes U docs.
■ When you download items in to your iTunes they become part of the library.
There will be a library area for each genre of media you download.
○ Put identifying number images on each device (see below)
○ If your devices are connecting to the computer through a powered hub, you can
connect the hub and then connect the devices or connect the hub with devices
connected. Wait for all devices to appear in iTunes.
○ Ensure that each device is setup to sync apps, podcasts, iTunesU documents etc. as
needed
○ Insure that each device is set to ‘automatically sync new apps’ Podcasts and iTunesU
resources have settings appropriate for serialized resources.

7. Naming your devices
The first time that you try to sync your ipad or ipod to iTunes, you will be asked
to name the device. It’s a very good idea to provide identity numbers as wallpaper to your
devices so you can keep track of them visually. Using numbers 01-100 is suggested.

The identifying images are synced to your device by configuring to ‘sync photos’.
The appropriate photo is selected in the sync setup for each device. The image to sync must
be in that folder. The 20 images for 20 different devices should be stored in 20 different
folders; itunes syncs the photo/s of each appropriate folder to the same numbered device and
you then set it as wallpaper.

8. Restrictions
You can add restrictions to an ipad. These can restrict the use of Safari, YouTube,
iTunes or prevent installation or deletion of apps. You must set up a passcode to manage
restrictions on each ipad individually. Do not forget this passcode.
The restrictions widget also enables you to set local device content filter settings for
music, movies, tv shows and apps.
Some ‘restrictions’ that would be useful in managing a classroom situation are:
installing and deleting apps, accounts (so that the device is always logged into the master
iTunes account), appropriate content ratings (ie. Canadian ratings of media, movie ratings,
etc.), in-app purchases, Game Centre/adding friends, location services for the camera...
NOTE: in order to implement the restrictions, you must enable a 4 digit password.
That password would lock only the restrictions control widget. If you lose that password to
the restrictions widget, you will have to restore the device to its factory settings, using the
managing computer. If you have a current backup of the device’s configuration, that would
not be a huge problem.
NB!!! If you are using the iCloud system, you MUST set the ‘accounts’ restriction
to ‘Don’t Allow Changes”. A wide-open iCloud could quickly lead to an overload of syncing
and allotted drive space. Each iTunes – iCloud account is allotted a default maximum of 5
Gigs of storage data. 10 wide-open ipads would fill 5 Gigs quite quickly.

9. iTunes
iTunes is used to manage the software ‘apps’ on your devices. iTunes will also manage
updates to the iPad or iPod operating software, when required..
DO NOT use iTunes on SchoolConnect managed computers to sync or backup your
devices. iTunes on SchoolConnect machines is NOT compatible with managing your devices.
SchoolConnect computers do not make successful backups or sync operations. Any changes you
make on iTunes on a SchoolConnect computer will be immediately forgotten when you log off that
machine. Any apps purchased on that machine’s iTunes will no longer be ‘owned’ by you because
iTunes will not have them registered.
iTunes on a computer is currently the best way to create a library of apps that can quickly
and easily be synced with a number of iDevices. A new option is to sync with iCloud; however,
trying to manage more than five iDevices via iCloud will not work. Therefore, backing up and
syncing to the managing computer is the best way to go!! One other way to facilitate the syncing
operation is to ‘sync over wifi’; more information on this can be found in Section 13 and Section
5.

10. iTunes Accounts
You must create at least one iTunes account to manage your devices. Do not use a
personal iTunes account to manage YRDSB or school-owned devices. It’s best if an account
is created with no connection to a credit card, in the name of the school or department.
Information on how to do this is found in Section 9, below.
Apps which are downloaded on an individual device using a personal ie. student’s or
teacher’s iTunes account will remain on the individual device but will not be transferred
back to the iTunes library on the managing computer unless proper authorization is provided.
This is very useful in preventing apps downloaded by students from being automatically
synced back to the library.
Anyone can login to their iTunes account on any device. Access to that account
remains open until the owner or another user logs out of that iTunes account. iTunes often
requests a password confirmation before downloading apps etc as a safeguard.

11. Creating an iTunes account without a credit card
A website to help you with this is found here. It will walk you through the steps you need to take.
This process starts by first downloading a free app from the Apps Store of iTunes.
This will automatically start the process of creating an account and should see a choice
of ‘no credit card’ where you select a credit card.
Ask your admin if there already is an iTunes account for the school, or if you can set
one up for the school. Please keep in mind that your school budget may or may not have
money to put towards purchasing apps. You may be limited to free apps.
We suggest, for simplicity’s sake, a school or department or class-named iTunes
account which is used solely for the iPods/iPads in question.
The iTunes account should be teacher independent, ie. login should be
Schoolname.PS@yrdsb.edu.on.ca or anyschoolSS Master. It’s important to keep the password for
iTunes well-guarded, if there is a credit card attached to it. Do not give it out to students or
any other individual who does not need to know it. This is less critical with an account that
has no credit card associated with it. It could be used to download software to individual
devices and require extra sync cycles to clean up.

12. Managing Devices with iTunes
It is possible to manage any number of devices from one iTunes account.
One computer can access more than one iTunes account. If someone else has used
your devices’ master computer to access another iTunes account, you MUST sign that user
out and login to the proper account, etc. Your login name should appear in the top, right
hand of the screen if you are in your account. The account to which iTunes is logged in, is
responsible for paying for any non-free downloads. Free downloads will be registered to
the currently logged-in account and will not sync back to the managing computer unless
access to the account is provided. Regardless of which computer you use to access your
iTunes account, downloads are always associated with that account.
On an iDevice: to sign out of an iTunes account, open up iTunes and choose
Store>Sign Out (or Settings>Store>sign out) from the drop-down menu.
If your password for downloading free apps does not work, first check that you are
logged into the proper account. When beginning a management process, always check to see
that you are logged into the correct iTunes account.
From the iTunes account, you can control which types of data are synced; eg. all
apps but not music files, not photos, etc., as you determine. The more apps, resources,
music, images on the device, the longer the syncing process takes.

13. Syncing
Syncing is the management operation which moves software, apps, podcasts, etc, to
your device. Devices must be attached to the managing computer for a sync to take place
but this tethering can be done via the local YRDSB wireless network (wi-fi). With USB
cables, you can sync multiple devices to the managing computer simultaneously (20+ on
a MAC, 10 max on a PC.) To sync your devices over wi-fi, you must enable that function
within iTunes on the managing computer. Connect the device(s), and click on the name of
the device on the left side of the iTunes screen. When looking at that device’s Summary
screen, scroll down, and select the check-box that says “sync with this iPad over Wi-Fi”
Direct connection of your iDevices to the managing computer will be the fastest way
to sync them and update their apps.
When a standard image is maintained in iTunes, it takes only a few minutes to bring
a device back to the standard image by syncing it. This can be done at any time.
Syncing does not charge the battery of a device.
Syncing does not need to occur on a regular or frequent basis but only when there is
data, apps or resources to be transferred from the master computer’s iTunes account to the
device.
Syncing can also be done after a device is reset. Resetting and syncing the iPod to its
master image is a commonly used method to fix a malfunctioning device or application.
Syncing can be set up to occur automatically when a device is plugged into the
managing computer.
If there are documents etc.that you wish to preserve on the remote device ensure that
iTunes is configured to sync them to the managing computer.

14. Multiple iTunes Libraries
It is possible to manage various completely different sets of iPads or iPods from
one iTunes account on one computer. Effectively you would be using completely different
iTunes libraries, one for each set of devices, or one for each device if appropriate.
To do this, hold down the OPTION (mac) or SHIFT (windows) key while booting
iTunes. This will enable you to choose from the various iTunes libraries on that machine.
To create a separate iTunes library, hold down the SHIFT key (windows) or
OPTION key (mac) when booting iTunes.
Please note: each of these iTunes libraries is completely distinct. You will not be able
to move resources from one library to a device which is synced to another library.
If you have multiple iTunes libraries on a computer, iTunes will default to the last
library used if you do not hold down the OPTION or SHIFT key when booting iTunes.

15. Charging Devices
Devices need to be charged regularly depending on frequency and duration of
use. iPods take less time to reach a full charge than iPads. iPads do not charge efficiently
when plugged into a computer. You will see a ‘not charging’ warning when iPads are
plugged into a computer. It is best to have a well ventilated secure area for charging such
as a desktop near a power source. A solid, multi-port power bar with a circuit breaker is
suggested. The orientation of sockets as in this image will enable you to fit more of the iPad
or iPad plugs into one power bar.
It takes roughly 4-5 hours to charge an iPad from a dead battery to 100%, and 2-3 hours for an
iPod Touch. To increase the life-span of your device’s battery, it is best to charge it only when
the battery is dead or nearly dead, and bring it up to 100%. It is also best to NOT leave it charging
all night or weekend; rather, adding an outlet timer to your powerbar is a great way to ensure
your devices get the amount of electricity they need, and not more. This will result in many more
months’ worth of life expectancy.

16. Network Access and Security
Your students will be able to connect to the YRDSB-S network with iPads and iPods
using their normal login and password information.
Students MUST log off the network when completing a session using a ‘public’
device. This insures that their network account cannot be compromised. These devices do
NOT ‘forget’ about their last successful network login when going to sleep or being turned
off. STUDENTS MUST LOG IN AND LOG OUT AT EACH USE !
To log out of the Wi-Fi at the end of a session, users should go to Settings>Wi-
Fi>YRDSB-S>Forget This Network.
When a user starts using a device, they are prompted to join a network. The
username and password are your Board login; for staff it is firstname.lastname and your
password; for students their username is their student number. After inputting your
username and password, you will be asked to Accept a Thawte Certificate; choose Accept.
YRDSB owned devices are wireless only. They do not connect via 3G. Teachers can
connect these devices to any network including home wireless networks using the ‘Wi-Fi’
control panel in the settings apps. When you are in range of a wireless network, its name will
appear in the list in the ‘Wi-Fi’ control panel. You can connect to any of these if you have
appropriate login credentials.

17. Power Conservation
There are many documents on the WWW about conserving power on handhelds.
Some suggestions include:
○ turn off wi-fi when it’s not needed
○ turn down brightness of screen
It is suggested that you NOT keep the devices plugged-in ie. charging, whenever
they are not being used. This can often lead to battery failure. Charging for a few hours
regularly, should be sufficient under many work conditions. Whether this is done bi-weekly
or daily depends on overall use. One option is to purchase a timer to control the power-bar
used to charge the devices. Our experience has been that it takes roughly four to five hours
to charge an iPad from zero to 100%, and an iPod is generally done within two hours.
Prolonged wireless network activity causes significant battery drain.

18. Best Practice
○ Devices can be maintained as identical to one another or may differ from device
to device. Either way, iTunes can keep a current image of each device with regular
syncing.
○ With iTunes create a new or additional iTunes library for your YRDSB devices. Set
the ‘sync’ operation to occur automatically whenever a new app has been selected
for download to the device. On the device, go to Settings>Store>turn on Automatic
Downloads for apps, books, and/or music.
○ You may wish to exclude the syncing of videos, movies, and music to save time at
each sync
○ You should certainly initially create a basic library of apps to sync to all your devices.
As experience with the devices grows, you can add to the basic library of useful apps
while removing those underused.
○ After each device is named, you can easily drag and drop the software onto each
device’s icon in iTunes and then plug in the devices for an auto-sync.
○ This method results in an image of each device stored in iTunes. From this initial
setup, you can install apps etc by downloading and putting them into the ‘image’ of
each device very efficiently. iTunes will recognize this device when plugged in,
and determine if it matches the image in iTunes. If apps have been added to the
iTunes image, those apps etc. will be synced to the device.
○ Devices can be populated with apps focusing on the expected use to which the
device will be put. (a music class’ set of apps, a history class, a math class, a commtech,
grade 2 or grade 8, etc.)
○ Teachers can supply resources to students using the devices via syncing or via a
sharing utility such as Evernote or Dropbox, or url sharing and tagging with
del.icio.us etc.

19. Apps
There are literally thousands of apps available for iPods and iPads. Many are free.
Others are free for basic functionality hoping that you will want to purchase the fuller
version.
There are Apps of many genres that you might want to consider putting on your
devices to provide some basic functionality and broader use.
○ Twitter or similar tool for ‘ back-channel’ communication.
○ Mindmeister for mind-mapping.
○ Google Earth
○ Google’s mobile app used to access gmail, google docs, etc.
○ iPDF Reader
○ Many teachers will want a quick way to transfer files from computer to the
devices ‘on the fly’ while students are using them. DROPBOX is an application that
can be setup on each device and any computer. When all the students have access
to the DROPBOX you setup, you will be able to put one copy of a file (.doc, .pdf,
etc.) in the DROPBOX and every student will be able to view it or transfer it to the
device.
○ AirSharing, an app for both iPod Touch and iPad. It may cost a few dollars but can
be very useful to the teacher. It sets up the device with the App installed, (likely the
Teacher’s device) as a server. Items uploaded to the ‘server’ via a browser can be
made available to all devices.

20. Purchasing Apps
Until Apple concludes legal work in Canada, there are no bulk purchases available.
Legally, every non-free app must be purchased for each instance that it
will be installed on a device. Ten copies of a paid app must be purchased for ten
devices. Check with admin in your school about paying for apps or resources before you do
so. There is no YRDSB provision for this at this time, though there is a plan to have a p-card assigned to each school that can be used to pay for app purchases for iDevices and Android devices.
You are responsible for all charges made to your account!
iTunes does not provide an easy way to distribute paid-for apps to a group of devices
etc. The way to legally accomplish this is to login to the iTunes store on each individual
device and download the paid-for apps to each one. At the next syncing of the device with the
managing computer, iTunes will ask if you want the app to be incorporated into the iTunes
library. Agreeing to this will add it to the library, once, but will also record it as belonging
to that specific device. It is important to be logged into the same iTunes account on the
individual devices as on the managing computer’s iTunes account

21. Devices purchased for your site / classroom
It is suggested that a school find an individual who will be the contact person for
management of the school’s devices and primary iTunes account manager. This person
is not necessarily responsible for all syncing, re-charging, etc., but would at least be the
contact for questions and issues around their use and management. Remember that your
area CRT is always a valuable resource for technology management.

22. YRDSB Network access
All wireless devices can use the YRDSB wireless network. Users who bring
their personal hardware to school use their usual network login and password to
access the YRDSB-S network.
Users of these devices should logoff the network when they are finished using it.

23. Before returning devices loaned from CLL
Please make sure all personal information and non-standard apps are taken off
the devices by using Settings>General>Reset>Reset >Erase all content and settings.
YRDSB takes no responsibility for charges accrued to any personal iTunes account used
for school devices or otherwise.

Vocabulary
syncing - the process of synchronizing the data on two devices so that at the end of the sync,
both devices retain similar data. You can use ‘syncing’ to keep your devices’ software
updated. Generally, ipads and iPods are ‘synced’ with a computer to update their
resources.
backing up - the process of making a secure copy of the data and apps on a mobile device
apps - application programs such as those downloaded from iTunes
updating - the process during which the operating software of your device is replaced with a
newer version
downloading - transferring files from ‘out there - the cloud’ - to your computer or from
your computer to your iPod Touch or iPad.