Description
Managing Apple devices in education looks different depending on your needs. This article breaks down the differences between Apple Classroom and Jamf Teacher to help you determine which best fits your environment. We'll define each tool, highlight their main features and answer some frequently asked questions.
Feature Definitions
Jamf Teacher: Jamf's own classroom management app, built to work alongside (and extend) Apple Classroom. It integrates with Jamf School and Jamf Pro to give teachers a richer set of tools, all without needing IT to step in during a lesson.
Apple Classroom: An app made by Apple, designed to give teachers real-time control and visibility over student devices during class. Think of it as the "command center" a teacher uses directly on their iPad or Mac to manage what students are doing on their devices.
Main Features
Apple Classroom | Jamf Teacher |
|
|
Setting Up Jamf Teacher and Apple Classroom
To get started with Jamf Teacher please see, Jamf Teacher Integration with Jamf Pro or Jamf Teacher Integrations with Jamf School.
To get started with Apple Classroom please see, Getting Started with Apple Classroom.
To get started with Apple Classroom please see, Getting Started with Apple Classroom and Classroom User Guide.
FAQ
Why do I need Jamf Teacher if I have Apple Classroom?
Why do I need Jamf Teacher if I have Apple Classroom?
Apple Classroom is a great starting point, but it has limitations that Jamf Teacher fills in. Apple Classroom lets teachers view student screens and open content on devices, but it can only lock students into one app or website at a time, and it has no built-in way to set time limits on restrictions, send messages to students, request apps, or run remote/virtual classes.
Jamf Teacher extends what Apple Classroom can do by giving teachers more day-to-day classroom control, all without needing to involve IT. It's also free and included with both Jamf School and Jamf Pro.
What is the difference between Jamf Teacher and Apple Classroom?
What is the difference between Jamf Teacher and Apple Classroom?
The key difference comes down to visibility vs. control.
Apple Classroom is Apple's native tool, and it excels at giving teachers real-time visibility into the classroom:
View student screens in real time
Mute student devices
Open apps, websites, or documents on student devices simultaneously
Jamf Teacher is built for deeper in-class control, going beyond what Apple Classroom offers:
Restrict students to multiple apps or websites at the same time
Lock down entire app categories (e.g. social media, games)
Set timed restrictions that automatically clear when class ends
Send messages to students and receive help requests
Request or install apps for students on the fly
Run virtual remote classes with video conferencing
To find more information about the differences between Jamf Teacher and Apple Classroom please refer to, Features Reference for Jamf Teacher.
Can I use Jamf Teacher and Apple Classroom together?
Can I use Jamf Teacher and Apple Classroom together?
Yes, absolutely and this is the recommended approach.
Use Apple Classroom when you need to see what students are doing, it's the only app that provides real-time screen viewing.
Use Jamf Teacher when you need to control what students can do, restricting apps, websites, app categories, setting time limits, sending messages, or running a remote class.
A teacher might open Jamf Teacher to lock students into a set of approved apps for a lesson, then switch to Apple Classroom to view student screens and check their progress — all during the same class period.