How to mirror your iPad onto an interactive whiteboard

iPads are being used more and more within the classroom. Something that a lot of teachers have been querying is ‘Can I reflect my iPad onto my interactive whiteboard?, and the answer is yes! There are many different ways now that you can actually use to mirror your iPad’s screen onto a PC which when connected to an interactive whiteboard, will then appear there.

VGA

You can use an adapter or cable to be able to mirror the reflection of your iPad onto an interactive whiteboard. You will need either an HDMI cable or an VGA input in order to connect with the projector. You also will need a lightning or 30-pin Dock connector. These are available on Amazon for your particular model. However this meant that the iPad had to stay stationary, as the lead was very short. But it does mean that the connection is very clear due to direct input.

But now there are a several different ways to mirror your iPad, wirelessly. We are going to take a look at some of the most popular ways.

Apple TV

When you purchase Apple TV you receive a small box. This box connects to the Interactive Whiteboard through an HDMI cable. You then are able to connect your iPad to the Apple TV box through a wireless network. The benefit of the Apple TV is that you can now work wirelessly, given you the freedom to walk around your class and interact whilst you teach. You must allow both the apple TV box and the iPad to be connected to the same wireless network. Many apps support ‘Air-Play’ and you can turn on mirroring to display the iPad on the whiteboard screen. The price of an Apple TV is around £60.00.

AirServer

AirServer Is an application for the Mac. It enables you to mirror your iPads screen onto itself. AirServer comes with a few features that make it stand out., For example you can live stream your play on your device, to Youtube. AirServer is compatible for both AirPlay devices and Miracast, meaning for iPhones and Android.  One last feature is the encrypted AirPlay protects your personal photos and videos when they are transmitted through the network. AirServer costs begin at £5.99 – £13.99 depending on preferred package. However you are able to have a 7 day free trial to see if it is right for you.

Reflector2

Reflector is an software that can wirelessly mirror your iPad or iPhone onto your PC or MAC, which when connected to the whiteboard, will reflect there. The advantage of Reflector over any other mirror app, is that the wireless connection is always on top. Reflector is compatible with AirPlay and Miracast. You can mirror multiple devices onto your interactive whiteboard which makes it appealing within classroom use. It will also black out the background behind the reflected devices, so the focus is purely on the mirrored reflection. One last thing you can do is to live stream straight onto YouTube, so you can live stream how to videos etc. The price for Relector2 is around £10.00 and you are able to download a 7 day free trial!

These are a few of the favourite options for reflecting your device onto an Interactive Whiteboard/Projector. Our personal favourite is the Reflector2, and this is the application that we use within our schools! The technology is not flawless, none of them will be unfortunately. However, from our experience Reflector2 is a very reliable and good value for money!