Report: iPad, Mac Use Growing in Higher Ed

Ninety-four percent of higher education institutions in a recent survey said they use Apple's iPad to enhance learning, while 80 percent use Mac devices. And 87 percent have seen a large increase in both Mac and iPad adoption over the last year.

Those findings and more came out of a JAMF Software report on Apple device adoption in higher education. "2016 Survey: Managing Apple Devices in Higher Education" is based on responses from 300 IT professionals, managers and instructional technologists from higher education institutions around the world.

According to the survey, the top drivers of Apple device use in higher ed include user preference (cited by 64 percent of respondents), better security (51 percent), less maintenance (45 percent) and Apple's app ecosystem (40 percent). IT pros told a similar story last year: JAMF's 2015 survey cited "Apple's rich app ecosystem, overall appeal and user preference, native security features, and the reduction of overall costs associated with device maintenance" as the secrets behind its success in higher ed.

Other findings include:

  • 65 percent of IT professionals said Mac devices are easier to deploy than PCs, while 60 percent said the iPad is easier to deploy than other tablets;
  • 64 percent said it's easier to maintain a secure environment on the Mac vs. a PC; and
  • 61 percent said it's easier to support a Mac than a PC.

The full report is available for download on the JAMF Software site.

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • data professionals in a meeting

    Data Fluency as a Strategic Imperative

    As an institution's highest level of data capabilities, data fluency taps into the agency of technical experts who work together with top-level institutional leadership on issues of strategic importance.

  • a cloud, an AI chip, and a padlock interconnected by circuit-like lines

    Report: Attackers Increasingly Targeting Cloud, AI Systems

    CrowdStrike’s 2025 Threat Hunting Report found that AI tools are being weaponized and directly targeted, while cloud intrusions surge 136% in early 2025.

  • laptop displaying a glowing digital brain and data charts sits on a metal shelf in a well-lit server room with organized network cables and active servers

    Cisco Introduces AI-First Approach to IT Operations

    At its recent Cisco Live 2025 event, Cisco announced AgenticOps, a transformative approach to IT operations that integrates advanced AI capabilities to enhance efficiency and collaboration across network, security, and application domains.

  • student reading a book with a brain, a protective hand, a computer monitor showing education icons, gears, and leaves

    4 Steps to Responsible AI Implementation

    Researchers at the University of Kansas Center for Innovation, Design & Digital Learning (CIDDL) have published a new framework for the responsible implementation of artificial intelligence at all levels of education.