Overview
Starting with Autumn 2018, OSU's Digital Flagship initiative provides incoming undergraduate students with an iPad, keyboard cover and Apple Pencil in order to provide a common technology toolkit for students that will enable instructors to enhance learning through active assessments and project-based learning.
Instructors are encouraged to take advantage of iPads for content creation and teaching.
Contents
- Digital Flagship / ASCTech Resources
- Hardware
- Apps
- Setup/Tips
Digital Flagship / ASCTech Resources
Digital Flagship Has Been Discontinued As of Spring 2022.
Digital Flagship was ODEE's (OSU's Office of Distance Education and eLearning) name for the iPad initiative. They maintained the Digital Flagship website, which had resources for students and educators.
ODEE also granted iPads to instructors who applied to the Cohort program. Even though Cohort iPads are grants from ODEE they are distributed and supported by ASCTech and OSU owned.
ASCTech
ASCTech manages and provides first line support of iPads, including purchase recommendations, setup and support.
ASCTech's Academic Tech division can assist with teaching methods with iPads, creating online courses, and other pedagogical tasks.
Please contact your local ASCTech support personnel for assistance.
OTDI
OTDI (OSU's Office Technology and Digital Innovation) provides some iPad support as well. If you need immediate help, their 24/7 help line (614-688-help) or BuckeyeBar locations in Thompson Library and Tech Hub will assist with iPads as well.
Hardware
Purchasing
All iPads should be purchased via Tech Hub, by ASCTech, to ensure management to OSU's central standards. iPads purchased by other means may not be supportable.
Most iPads will be shipped from Apple, however ASCTech can check on in stock options with Tech Hub if an urgent situation arises.
Recommended Hardware
In general, any new iPad should serve the purpose of content creation and gaining familiarity with iPads for teaching needs. (Any iPad that is 4 years old or less, and can run the current iPadOS should work as well.)
iPads have base storage of 32GB or 64GB which is fine for typical documents. A new iPad with a initial app load out uses about 10GB of the iPad's storage. Based on typical usage, we recommend the 128GB/256GB storage tiers, especially if you're going to be recoding/storing video/lectures that cannot be archived to OneDrive.
However, in certain cases, there are some performance reasons to go with the Pro - for example the Pro can do 240fps slow motion.
Contact ASCTech for assistance choosing an iPad. Apple's iPad compare and Wikipedia's "List of iOS devices" can be handy references.
iPad Size
The 10-11 inch size is the most popular, but Tech Hub has the different iPads out if you want to see the sizes in person.
Warranty
ASCTech recommends AppleCare+ over the Tech Hub warranty. For iPads that ship from Apple, a 3 year AppleCare+ option is available.
Apple Pencil Variations
The Apple Pencil is useful for writing, mark up, drawing, sketching on an iPad - whether it's useful for you depends on what you want to do with an iPad.
- Apple Pencil Pro
- M4 iPad Pro
- M2 iPad Air
- Apple Pencil USB-C
- M4 iPad Pro
- M2 iPad Air
- 12.9-inch iPad Pro (4th gen and later)
- 11-inch iPad Pro (1st gen and later)
- iPad Air (4th and 5th gen)
- iPad mini (6th gen)
- Apple Pencil 2
- 12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th gen)
- 11-inch iPad Pro (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gen)
- iPad Air (4th and 5th gen)
- iPad mini (6th gen)
- Apple Pencil 1
- 12.9-inch iPad Pro (1st and 2nd gen)
- 10.5-inch iPad Pro
- 9.7-inch iPad Pro
- iPad Air (3rd gen)
- iPad mini (5th gen)
- iPad (6th gen and later)
Keyboards
Apple offers the Smart Keyboard cover for all iPad Pro models, the iPad Air (3rd generation, 2019), and the iPad (7th generation, 2019).
Keep in mind that almost any aftermarket Bluetooth keyboard will work with any iPad. (Logitech makes some decent ones.)
Tech Hub Digital Flagship Bundle
Tech Hub sells a "Digital Flagship iPad Bundle" which mimics the hardware given to undergraduate students for the given year. Note: This bundle does not include Notability! An STM Dux Shell Case, which the students get with their iPads, is an add on.
Generally, the Tech Hub bundle is overkill, and typical tasks of content creation, email, web browsing can be done on less expensive iPad options. Please consult ASCTech for guidance.
Digital Flagship iPads:
- 2021: iPad Air 4 (2020) 64GB, Apple Smart Keyboard Cover, Apple Pencil, AppleCare+ 3 year.
- 2020: iPad Air 3 (2019) 256GB, Apple Smart Keyboard Cover, Apple Pencil, AppleCare+ 3 year.
- 2019: iPad Air 3 (2019) 256GB, Apple Smart Keyboard Cover, Apple Pencil, AppleCare+ 3 year.
- 2018: iPad Pro 10.5" (2017), 256GB, Apple Smart Keyboard Cover, Apple Pencil, AppleCare+ 3 year.
Apps
There are many Apps available in an app call "Self Service" - this is the OSU app store and include popular paid and free apps. You can also use your AppleID to download apps from the Apple App Store, for use on all your devices.
Useful OSU Apps
Apps that are particulary useful for OSU faculty/staff/students: (in Self Service unless otherwise noted)
- OneDrive: Access the files in your OneDrive, and save data from your iPad there.
- Canvas: Manage courses from your iPad.
- Duo: Use your iPad as an additional BuckeyePass device.
- Follow Me Printing: Print to Follow Me Print enabled copiers.
- Microsoft Office: Word/Excel/PowerPoint/OneNote. Access your Office documents using your OSU OneDrive storage.
- Microsoft Outlook: The only supported OSU email client for iPad.
- Ohio State Apps: Find People, Parking, Safety, Transportation, and more. Official Ohio State apps.
- Photoshop: (download from App Store) your lastname.# will allow use of Photoshop for iPad.
- Zoom: Attend and host Zoom meetings.
Digital Flagship Apps
Most apps that come with Digital Flagship iPads are available on any OSU owned iPad managed by ASCTech. They are either pre-installed or available in the Self Service app.
Two exceptions are Notability and Explain Everything, which are paid apps.
Notability
Notability is a note taking app. It has many features, such as being able to take notes while recording a lecture. Its User Guide describes all its features.
Notability is not backed up by default! Be sure to set backup to your OSU OneDrive account, by opening Notability, clicking on the settings gear in the lower left, selecting Auto Backup and clicking OneDrive. To have this option, you'll need to have installed the OneDrive app from Self Service and logged into your OneDrive account.
Notability does have a Macintosh version, however it is a separate purchase and not included with the iPad app.
If you have a hand me down Cohort iPad, you will not have Notability as ODEE licensed the initial user. New institutional app purchases are not licensed per user, but per iPad, and OCIO no longer provides Notability with Cohort iPads.
Notability Alternative
The recommended free Notability alternative is Microsoft OneNote. OneNote is part of Microsoft Office 365, is free, and available on iPads, Android, Macintosh, Windows, and Office 365 online. OneNote will save to your OSU Microsoft OneDrive storage.
Explain Everything / Explain EDU
Explain Everything is no longer on the student iPads as of Summer 2019. ODEE strongly recommends that no new copies are purchased.
Attached to this Knowledge Base article is a Microsoft Word document outlining free and licensed alternatives to Explain EDU.
Setup/Tips
ASC's "ASC iPad setup and return instructions" is attached to this Knowledge Base article. (ODEE's Digital Flagship initial setup guide is also attached for comparison.)
Backup
ASCTech strongly encourages backup options in individual apps be used over iCloud backup, such as backing up Notability and OneNote to OneDrive.
iCloud
iCloud is not an approved OSU cloud service, though many apps will backup to iCloud in order to share data accross different devices.
iCloud backup can be turned for the entire device, however there are some caveats, and ASCTech does not recommend this:
- iCloud backup only takes place if the iPad is locked, connected to Wi-Fi, and charging.
- It isn't clear what data is backed up.
- iCloud restore on an OSU owned iPad will need ASCTech intervention for new or reset iPads.
iPad Naming
On unboxing/reset, JAMF (our management system) names iPads are with their serial number, to ensure unique names.
To continue having unique names for iPads and to determine which unit owns them, ASCTech will rename them to the UNIT-Inventory_tag format.
However, if you are using AirDrop with classes and would like a friendlier name, contact ASCTech and we can provide an alternative.
Security
iPads also have to conform to OSU's security standards. On iPads these mainly relate to password requirements, encryption, lock screen timeout, and a banner listing who to contact if lost.