10 ways to share content between iPads in the classroom

Based on this blog post which attempts to explain the basic reasons iPads are so popular, as well as describes the main challenge with iPads in the classroom, I've put together this list to help educators (and others) share content with their students and vice-versa.

If you have other ideas, please do leave a comment and I'll add them to the list. I'll try to keep this post updated with new ideas and update it as I go.

Of course, this is over and above built-in sharing to external services like YouTube, DropBox, Evernote and others.


1. Collect files over WiFi or direct connection using iTunes

Even when iPads are synchronized with another iTunes Library, if you connect them to another Computer, they will appear in the list of devices and you can navigate to the App section and see files for each app. The app must support iTunes file sharing, and many do. You can then drag files out of this folder onto your computer's hard disk. You can also automate this using Apple Configurator, a free utility for managing iPads as a group and which can collect user's files all at once, but this cannot be done over the network. You must connect all devices directly.
Pros: Simple and available over the network. Nothing more required.
Cons: Must drag individual files manually on each device, and typically, the teacher has the burden of managing the files. Some apps must "export" their documents for iTunes, an extra step not always intuitive.
Tools to consider: Apple Configurator, a free app to manage groups of iPads all at once. Available on the Mac App Store only.

2. Send files as email attachments
The most universal way of sending file out of the iPad is via email. It is almost always available within apps and is a familiar way to do things. For many projects it can be a lifesaver. But it does have its drawbacks. All iPads need to have an email account set-up as this does not work for web-based email (your email service might offer both, you should verify this. You might access your email via the web, but it might also offer a direct access via the Mail app). Also, sending large files (more than 5 or 10 MB) is usually blocked by email services. Not great for larger projects like videos or presentations. In such cases, you could sometimes resort to special services like Send to Dropbox which is free or install your own to save on network bandwidth on your own Mac using a tool like AtBox (beta but not free, see disclosure below) which strips attachments and sorts them in a shared network folder in your own network.
Pros: Integrated, easy.
Cons: Need email to be configured on each device, large files pose a problem and not everyone understands the implications. Must rely on an external service like DropBox or others which is not always legally possible for schools in certain countries as an official tool. Teacher might have to manage tons of email attachments in a 1:1 scenario.
Tools you might consider: Tools which act as a mail server and strips attachments to store them in a service (like DropBox) or on a Computer or Server (like AtBox). Full Disclosure: AtBox is a tool I actually wrote myself and is currently available as a beta. It is not completely simple to configure and install mostly due to the complexities of school networks, email services and DNS, etc. But it works.

3. Share the result to a screen wirelessly using an AppleTV
Projecting student or teacher productions onto a large screen can be made simple. If you have a recent projector or Interactive White Board with an HDMI port, you can use an AppleTV and do it wirelessly. Some configuration is required to put the AppleTV on the network and there might be some configuration to be done in the School's network to allow for this to work. Once in place though, it works flawlessly.
Pros: Once installed, works flawlessly. No requirement for special apps. All screen can be projected, not just content, so great for showing how to use the iPads (or recent Macs).
Cons: There is a cost of approximately US$99 ($109 in Canada) so adding this to every classroom has a cost. Configuration might have to be done by a technician. Some networks might need to be configured to let the right kind of traffic go through (Bonjour protocol) and a wired connection might be preferable in some scenarios. A little bit of lag compared to a direct connection.
Tools you might consider: A VGA to HDMI converter with audio-out like the Kanex ATV Pro, a US$59 device which allows an AppleTV to be connected to a VGA projector and has audio output for speakers. Or an equivalent of course. Also see below for software solutions.

4. Share the result to a screen using an cable
An iPad can be connected to a large screen using a connector. There is also a cost to this, but the connector can be shared. This is a straightforward approach but requires the management of cables.
If the projector has an HDMI port, things are better because the sound also is shared. If your projector is VGA only, then you also have to connect speakers to the iPad. And have cables sticking out of both ends of the iPad. The cables can also get disconnected more easily and given the state of desktop speakers and cables in some classrooms, might not work really well sometimes. Especially with the iPad 2, and 3rd generation which use the 30-pin Dock connector, this one gets disconnecter very easily which makes for a less-than-optimal situation as projectors may have to re-synchronize every time the cable gets loose.
Pros: Straightforward, plug in the cable.
Cons: Can be fragile (VGA or Dock connector version), separate audio required when using VGA, Adaptor can get misplaced or become fragile. Not much mobility when presenting.

5. Share the result to a screen wirelessly via a computer
This alternative is actually quite interesting and avoids most of the costs. Instead of connecting the iPad directly to a projector with a cable or to an AppleTV, one can install software on their computer to do the same thing. Wether you have a Mac or Windows PC connected to your projector already, installing a tool like AirServer or Reflector allows your iPads to see your computer as if it was an AppleTV.
When the app is running, simply use the iPad's built-in AirPlay button (see above) to share the screen and since the computer's screen is already being displayed, the iPad will also appear. These apps are inexpensive ($12-$15 range with licensing options) and work quite well.
Pros: Inexpensive, simple to use, can even display more than one device at a time (depending on bandwidth). You can also record the result into a movie file.
Cons: Must be installed on the computer. Requires a computer to bridge the iPads to the projector. A little bit of lag compared to a cable connection as with the AppleTV).

6. Print from the iPads
Sometimes, it is simply more efficient to print. When managing paper is a better way to assess student work or if students are creating printed content for a project (posters, flyers, etc), being able to print can be essential. The good news is that iPads can print with perfect ease when things are set up properly. The goal is to have a printer on your network (wireless or not) with the added requirement of it using the AirPrint protocol. This can either be part of the printer itself (many brands including HP offer this in their wireless printers) or available through a piece of hardware or software which bridges the network and the AirPrint protocol. Software solutions include Printopia and FingerPrint (less than $25 each) and hardware boxes like the xPrint Server (around $99) which allows most USB or networked printers to be available to AirPrint-enabled apps. As an added bonus, Printopia (and possibly others) allow you to "Print" files to your computer and collect them in a local folder instead of using paper or email.
Not all apps allow printing, and the developer decides wether this is possible or not.
Pros: Familiar way of sharing content, simple once it is set-up, does not require a new printer in many cases.
Cons: Encourages use of dead trees, some associated costs, Mac or PC hosting software needs to be available at all times. Not all apps enable printing (taking screenshots is a workaround).

7. Share movies and pictures via a web service
If the result created by students or teachers is an image or a movie and stored in the iPad's Camera Roll, it may be possible for you to upload this to a web server. If visiting a web page on the iPad and if this web page has a place to upload images or movies like in the case of Google Drive or a private server like Apple's OS X Server Wiki service, then you can select files from your Camera Roll or take a new picture or movie. And of course, if you use dedicated apps like Google Drive, DropBox, Evernote, etc, you can also send movies and pictures from your camera roll. But many people do not realize this is possible via the web.
Pros: Many apps are free. Quite simple. Can move files from iPad to iPad.
Cons: Only for pictures and movies, although you can take screen shots of any app that does not export to the Photo Library.

8. Share movies and pictures between iPads
There are many apps which allow the sharing of files directly between iPads. Because of the limitations of the iPad and the absence of a file system, this can only be done using images and movies in your Camera Roll though. So for example, if students create a movie using iMovie or Pinnacle Studio or any other app, they can send the result to the camera roll. Then, you launch an app like SimplTransfer (free) and many many others ranging from free to a few dollars. I'm not endorsing this one, I just searched and found it, so many alternatives can exist.
The idea is that your iPad becomes a web server and on Safari for Mac you can see it directly without entering the URL manually (by enabling Bonjour in your preferences). On other browsers, on any platform, you also can see the address and enter it manually of course. It is just a web server you are connecting to. The app provides the address to enter. Such apps also allow sharing Photos and Videos between iPads quite elegantly.

9. Use iTunes U to make files available to your students
You can get files into your iPads quite easily, using any kind of web page or collaboration service. This is less of a challenge than the other way around when collecting multiple files. But if you use iTunes U, it gives educators an infrastructure which allows for lessons to be shared as well as accompanying documents in the form of PDF, Word or other files. You can also include Presentations in Keynote or PowerPoint format which students can download quickly directly into the iTunes U app, which makes them easy to locate and keeps them all into one place.
To achieve this, you must create an iTunes U account by using your own AppleID or creating a new one. Then, you connect to a special web page and post your content, which your students subscribe to. You can learn all about managing content including some video tutorials on how this works on Apple's iTunes U for Educators site.

10. Share files directly via a WebDAV server
WebDAV is a protocol which runs of many server platforms as well as some services. One such tool is Apple's OS X Server, which is only $19,99 on the Mac App Store and runs on top of Mountain Lion. It is fairly easy to manage, but requires some networking skills for some of its features. It has built-in support for iPad Sharing via WebDav and via its wiki which makes it quite easy to access via a web browser, a webDAV client on any client device and via apps which support this protocol (there are tons). More specifically, if your students use Pages, Keynote or Numbers, these three productivity apps can be configured to access this folder automatically, allowing students to read and write directly to the server. There are many other centralized services which support this protocol as well.
Pros: Very efficient within apps which use this protocol.
Cons: Not useful for apps which do not manage this protocol. So your mileage may vary.