Learning with iPad - "Unified Command" using Apple Devices

Context

What if your Mac and iPad weren't two separate devices, but one fluid workspace? This lesson introduces students to Universal Control, a feature that feels like magic. It allows a single keyboard and trackpad to work seamlessly across both a Mac and an iPad, letting the cursor flow from one screen to the other as if they were part of the same computer.

This is a lesson in ultimate efficiency and creative freedom. Students will learn to break down the barriers between their devices, enabling powerful new workflows. Imagine sketching a diagram on the iPad with an Apple Pencil, then using your Mac's trackpad to drag that sketch directly into a Pages document on your computer. Or typing notes on the iPad using the comfortable keyboard of your Mac.

By mastering Universal Control, students will learn to think of their devices not as isolated tools, but as an integrated system, unlocking a level of productivity and creative agility used by professionals.

Preparation and Flow

For this lesson, students will need a compatible Mac and iPad, signed into the same Apple ID with two-factor authentication. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Handoff must be enabled on both devices.

The Device Divide (5 mins)

Start with a question: "Have you ever found a great image on your iPad but needed it for a project on your Mac? What steps did you have to take? (AirDrop, email, etc.)"

Introduce Universal Control as a feature that removes those extra steps entirely.

The Magic Link (10 mins)

Project your Mac's screen. Explain that if the settings are correct, Universal Control should "just work."

Demonstrate the Connection: Place the iPad next to the Mac. Slowly push the Mac's cursor toward the edge of the screen closest to the iPad. The cursor should magically appear on the iPad's screen.

Show Cross-Device Typing: With the cursor on the iPad, open the Notes app and type a sentence using the Mac's keyboard.

The Cross-Device Challenge (25 mins)

Assign a task that requires a seamless workflow between both devices.

The Challenge: "Create a simple 'About Me' slide."

On the iPad: Open Safari, find a high-quality, copyright-free image that represents a hobby, and save it to Photos.

On the Mac: Open Keynote or PowerPoint and create a new, blank slide.

Use Universal Control:

Move the cursor to the iPad, open the Photos app, and drag the chosen image across the screen and drop it onto the slide on the Mac.

Move the cursor back to the Mac and resize the image.

Move the cursor back to the iPad, open Notes, and type a short bio using the Mac's keyboard. Copy the text.

Move the cursor to the Mac, and paste the bio into a text box on the slide.

Workflow Wonders (10 mins)

Lead a class discussion:

• "How is this different from using Sidecar (a second monitor)?"
• "Describe the feeling of dragging a file from one screen to another."
• "What's the most powerful use for this you can think of for your schoolwork?"

Possible Extension

Get students to explore how joining your iPad and a Mac for instance will generate more continuity workflow options with devices better together.

From the LearnGrowCreate Team.

Main author: Sharon