Here are the steps I've taken to setup the tablets this far. Remember, this is NOT a 1:1 device. These 4 Nexus tablets will be float around the classroom in 3 class periods with about 25-30 students each.
Class setup:
- Create a classroom Google apps account with secure password
- Login to the device with Admin/teacher Google account first.
- Make the admin account the device admin
- Create a passcode for opening this account (something other than the default swipe lock)
- Add generic class account to device
- Login and setup device with generic account
- Launch Play store app
- Play store settings
- Create a pin to control and lock settings
- Use a pin to install apps. (Found out this only applies to apps requiring a fee.)
- Turn off the syncing of Gmail, calendar, and contacts. (Since this is a generic account we don't want students using the Gmail account anonymously.)
- Launch Play store web
- Settings
- Settings tab
- Give a device nickname
- Write the nickname on the physical device. (This allows the teacher to install apps remotely from the web, rather than touching each device.)
- Install the Google Drive App on each device. (Could also use Dropbox. We may use both, for getting content to/from each device.)
Problems:
- Other than setting maturity restrictions on apps, we cannot prevent students from installing free apps.
- Cannot remotely organize/setup look and feel of the device
- I investigated the Google Apps Device Policy app from Google. However, the app allowed the user to uninstall it. I also didn't have much luck with figuring out how to make the device ring loud (According to the info on the app, the GAFE admin can make the make the device ring loud in an effort to recover a lost/stolen device.) The only real tool I found was to wipe the device remotely.
Thanks David for giving us an insight into your new project. Please keep us informed on the GAFE Community. https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/111138038754004333717
ReplyDelete+Lee Webster, I've updated the part about making the device ring loud. The explanation on the app in the play store says that the GAFE admin can make the device ring loud in the case that it is lost/stolen. It would be a nice feature, but in the 10 minutes I took to play around with the Device Policy app, I wasn't able to find any features other than a remote wipe button.
ReplyDeleteYou could lock the Play store app to prevent installation? Eg with https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.domobile.applock
ReplyDelete+1 Jez, Thanks for this little gem. It looks like this might do the trick.
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ReplyDeleteI don't understand the generic class account reference. What is the purpose of such an account?
ReplyDelete+Peter, the generic classroom account gives the teacher a separate account for email and purchasing of apps. Since Android requires the use of a Google account which is tied to email, purchasing apps, and much more, the generic classroom account provides a space that the teacher can control, but if the student get's into something, it won't grant access to the teacher's email account or something else.
ReplyDeleteI am researching doing this with classroom sets of Nexus 7's. I would plan to install the Android Lost app for security/retrieval. I am also looking at using Meraki (meraki.com) for general management of the devices. Would love to hear further insight into how things have gone.
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