Wireless projection in schools.

I had one of my clients ask me the way to use wireless with her new Epson interactive projectors. Specifically she wants to use iPads... but would also like laptops to connect. These projectors were purchased by someone else, otherwise I could have advised some solutions at the time of install - but no matter there are some easy solutions here.

Yes you can connect to them wirelessly and there are number of ways you can do it. Number 4 is the best option for most schools.

1.      You can purchase a wireless module  at about $110 each – they plug into the projector and then with free software from Epson you can connect to them via your wireless network.

a.      Please note you will need an app for your ipads and will only be able to show videos, web pages, text and photos – not currently running apps like angry birds.

2.      You can connect a network cable to them and then your projector become part of your network – and you connect to them via software from your computer or the app from your ipad

a.      The same restrictions apply to your  ipad  content.

3.      You can purchase an apple TV (@$110) and connect it to your projector via the HDMI – you then need to add the Apple TV to you school network. Once it is on the same network as you ipads you will be able to airplay directly to the projector.

a.      No restrictions, what is on your ipad will be shown on screen

b.     If you have an apple computer you should also be able to airplay wirelessly

c.      If you are using windows machines you will need software like airparrot to stream you laptop to the projector. @$15 per computer. http://www.airsquirrels.com/airparrot/

4.      This is my favorite option as it is the cheapest and easiest to achieve - You can get a piece of software call airserver @$15 that turns the computer connected to the projector into an Airplay server (like an Apple TV).

a.      This means

                                                            That you can use the computer as your main teaching computer - an interact with it.

                                                             ii.     You can also use ipads when needed with no cables

                                                            iii.     It can also Miracast – something that newer laptops and non apple tablets have built in. (use airparrot otherwise)

                                                           iv.     It can be done almost immediately and doesn’t require any cabling or hardware.

AIRSERVER can be purchased and downloaded from here - https://www.airserver.com/Buy/Education

Please note in all options – the touch/pen based interactivity on the board only works with the computer attached to the usb cable – you can’t control your ipad from the board.

iPads, tablets and IWB's

iPads...

They are starting to pop up in primary and secondary schools all over Australia and from the blogs I read - all over the world. Mostly on a trial basis to see what teachers and students can do with them in the classroom.

One of the questions I have been asked at conferences recently is "How do I integrate my IWB with an iPad?"

There are a couple of ways to do it...

• AppleTV method - With the release of iOS5 the new AppleTV and a new projector with HDMI - you now have a great solution to getting content from the iPad to the projector wirelessly. 
• How does it work? Connect the AppleTV to your projector and link it in with the same wireless network as the iPad. The iPad will recognise that there is and AppleTV on the network and let you mirror what is on the ipad to the AppleTV and therefore the projector.
• The downside to this is that anyone with a iPad will be able to push their iPad screen to any AppleTV screen on the network. In some schools that would be too much temptation for some kids.
• Cloud Whiteboard solution - Use something like the eBeam connect cloud whiteboard. This lets you control who gets to participate and track participation. With the additional free app of eBeam Snapcam students/teachers can send photos to the whiteboard. It will also work with laptops and Android tablets as well.
• How does it work? You connect your laptop to the IWB as per normal - go to eBeam connect, login and start a new board. up in settings there will be a meeting number that you can show to students so they can also join the board after logging in on the iPad.
• The downside - Its a bit slow at the moment due to it being a beta program based in the US. 

If you know of any other way to integrate the two technologies feel free to leave a comment so I can follow it up.