X World 2026
25-26 AUGUST • NAARM | MELBOURNE
A Parachutist’s Reflection on Device Management in Schools
Over almost a decade I’ve had the unusual privilege of working with many schools from the outside. Rather than managing a single environment, I’ve repeatedly been “parachuted” into different institutions to deploy Apple technologies, solve problems, support teachers, and help build sustainable workflows. This presentation is a reflection on the patterns that emerge when you see many schools rather than just one. We’ll explore practical experiences with Apple School Manager, Managed Apple Accounts, Jamf School and Jamf Pro, Managed App Configuration, Shared iPad, TestFlight, classroom deployment, storage constraints, digital books and content distribution, and the realities of supporting teachers and students in increasingly diverse learning environments. We’ll look beyond the technology itself and provide a perspective shaped by experience as a UX designer, software developer and educator. Rather than presenting a definitive guide or a list of best practices, this session offers observations gathered from years of working across many educational settings. The goal is to encourage developers, administrators and educators to think differently about device management - not simply as deploying hardware, but as designing experiences that enable teaching and learning.
About the presenter
Daniel Woo, PhD is a UX designer, software and electrical engineer, photographer and musician. He was recognised as an Apple Distinguished Educator in 2011. His work spans user experience, software development, education and creative practice, bringing together engineering, design and storytelling across Apple’s platforms. Daniel enjoys sharing ideas that encourage educators, students and developers to explore new technologies and build software that makes a difference.
Interview
We asked Daniel a few questions about where Apple's heading and what he's working on.
What are you most excited about in Apple's upcoming OS releases?
- System wide intelligence
- Perhaps squashing a heap of existing bugs
- Faster (reliable?) Airdrop
- Realisation that users require customisation for Liquid Glass
Is there new hardware you're hoping Apple ships?
Gestureboard/
The rise of AI: excited, scared, intrigued, or something else?
All of the above. We require licences to operate heavy or dangerous machinery .... so how do we treat AI?
What does copyright at the end of every web page actually mean?
What's the best thing you've built that nobody's heard of?
A 360 degree tour of the insides of an unused nuclear reactor/
What do you wish you'd known when you started building admin tools for Apple platforms?
Education complains that they don't have the money to build anything
Finish this sentence: "You should come to my talk if…”
... you want to learn what I've learned about deploying iPads for the classroom over the past decade. The view from a UX designer / software developer / educator / PL trainer who supported ~2500 iPads in the NSW public school system.
