Apple to launch Schoolwork 2.0 for Mac and iPad, helping teachers manage distance learning

Apple is updating its Schoolwork app to help teachers manage distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As reported by CNET:

Apple plans to update a couple of its education tools, including the second generation of its Schoolwork app. That software, unveiled two years ago, lets teachers manage assignments and information (which Apple calls Handouts) over the cloud. They can check student progress and share class materials without actually being near their students. Apple designed Schoolwork 2.0 to include features found in other iPad OS apps, like Files, and to speed up navigation around the software. There's a new Handout library with a source list on the left side that makes it easier to navigate to different classes or the student's library with drafts and favorites. On the right are cards with things like reminders for a field trip or a math assignment.

Apple has also redesigned the Handout detail view, which tells teachers how long students take for assignments, helping them identify students who need more assistance. Apple has also added messages and FaceTime, allowing students and teachers to contact each other instantly, a key update targeted specifically at distance learning needs.

Apple announced its Schoolwork app two years ago stating:

Now with the free Schoolwork app, available today, teachers can easily create assignments, collaborate one-on-one with students, tap into the power of apps for learning and view and understand student progress. Schoolwork, along with Apple's Classroom app, provides teachers around the world with powerful tools to enhance the learning experience and help both educators and students get more out of the technology they use in the classroom every day.