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The iPad is a fantastic device for education. It’s intuitive, easy to use, and has plenty of apps that make teaching easier. But one thing that has held the iPad back in the classroom is the juggling of multiple accounts for multiple apps. Now, however, Apple is addressing this issue by allowing Managed Apple IDs to use “Sign in with Apple.” This new authentication method will give teachers control over how their students use iPads in class without having to worry about creating new accounts every time they want to use a new app in the classroom.
About Apple @ Work: Bradley Chambers managed an enterprise IT network from 2009 to 2021. Through his experience deploying and managing firewalls, switches, a mobile device management system, enterprise grade Wi-Fi, 100s of Macs, and 100s of iPads, Bradley will highlight ways in which Apple IT managers deploy Apple devices, build networks to support them, train users, stories from the trenches of IT management, and ways Apple could improve its products for IT departments.
What is Sign in with Apple ID?
Sign in with Apple allows users to log in to websites and apps using their Apple ID credentials instead of creating separate accounts for each product. The feature was first introduced with iOS 13, but apps do need to add support for it. New with iOS 16 is support for Managed Apple IDs to use Sign in with Apple. What are Managed Apple IDs? Managed Apple IDs are designed for enterprise environments where users need to share the same Apple ID, but companies need control over the creation and management of the accounts.
Managed Apple IDs can be created in Apple School Manager in a variety of ways:
- Manually created in Apple School Manager
- Created with federated authentication from Google Workspace or Microsoft Azure AD
- Created by a Student Information System that has integration into Apple School Manager
- Uploaded from a .csv file within Apple School Manager
More apps = More accounts
On a daily basis, teachers are in the technology trenches. They’re doggedly scripting their workflows, often juggling multiple apps simultaneously to support students with different needs. By streamlining app account usage, Apple is helping teachers save time and focus on what matters most: teaching students.
When apps offer Sign in with Apple, the student is essentially already logged in. The benefits of managed Apple IDs are numerous, but perhaps the most important is that it’s much easier for students and teachers to stay logged in. It also helps administrators avoid having to deal with lost passwords or resetting them manually, which can be a time-consuming process. Obviously, Signing in with Google Workspace accounts has been around for some time, but that’s another step. With the iPad, the Apple ID stays signed in, so it’s one less step.
For example, imagine a teacher has a class of 30 students in grade 4 and they want to use a particular app to reinforce a lesson. Without Sign In with Apple ID, the process of creating accounts will require IT to get involved. With Sign In with Apple ID, the teacher can have the app installed on the devices, and then they’re up and running. The students won’t have to remember any additional accounts (nor will parents).
What do teachers think?
I checked in with a few IT admins in K-12 and a few teachers, and they’re all excited about the feature. Here was the quote I got:
“Sign in with Apple will streamline iPad app usage in the classroom by getting you where you want to be much faster! I no longer will need to get IT involved to create accounts for apps I want to use a handful of time. All I have to do is get the apps deployed, and then we’re ready to go”
With Sign In with Apple, teachers will no longer have to create separate logins on multiple devices and apps. Instead, they will need to ensure students have a Managed Apple ID. The convenience and ease of use of this feature make it a huge time saver for teachers who are already struggling with the demands of their job. Teachers have never had more on them, and I believe this feature will streamline at least part of their technology usage.
Summary on Sign in with Apple and Managed Apple IDs
Teachers and students alike will find that Sign In with Apple is a huge time saver. Account creation is streamlined, so teachers won’t have to spend hours creating hundreds of separate accounts across school-related apps. This frees them up to focus on teaching, while students can spend more time learning and less time resetting passwords. Teachers also benefit from the fact that they no longer need to remember their username and password for every app on their iPad—instead, they simply sign in using the Apple ID associated with their school or district’s device management system. Both parties can now focus more on planning lessons and preparing for class instead of having confront an overwhelming number of logins each day!
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