Higher Education
In today’s digital age, technology has become an integral part of the learning experience for students, and a way to prepare them for successful careers. Scaling technology for every student, especially among geographically diverse campuses, is often challenging. With each department using different tools, it can be difficult to scale technology across the university. But by leveraging existing tech tools and promoting collaboration among departments, universities can enhance the learning experience for all students, regardless of their major or degree. Here are some strategies for scaling learning technology and improving outcomes and work-readiness for your students.
With the constant and rapid evolution of new technology, like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and predictive analytics, it can be overwhelming to explore and select the best tech tools for a university community. But before implementing any new technology, it’s essential to understand what technology is already in use across campus. Departments often acquire tech tools with their own budgets, but often this technology may be useful in other disciplines and for other departments. You can survey or interview faculty and staff to understand what tools they are already using and better understand what gaps exist for departments not having the tools they need. In addition to conversations with faculty and staff, review usage data, analytics, and talk with students about the tech tools they find most useful. By identifying the strengths and weaknesses of existing tools, you can make informed decisions about what tools to prioritize.
Hear why National University can’t get enough of a video assessment + feedback tool and continues to implement it across multiple departments.
It’s critical that tech solutions meet industry standards for data security, and prioritize data security and compliance. Using disparate systems across an organization increases risk and vulnerability. By implementing a comprehensive plan with full visibility into all the different software used and ensuring vendors adhere to the highest compliance and data security standards offers the first step in protection.
Evaluate how different tools work together and whether new tools can be seamlessly integrated into existing tools and workflows. Most campuses use a learning management system (LMS), so it’s important to evaluate tools that easily integrate into your LMS. By leveraging existing tools that integrate well with each other, you can create a more streamlined and efficient technology ecosystem.
Making sure technology is accessible to all students is very important, given the diversity of student populations and the varied modalities of today’s learning environment. Tools should be easy to use and require minimal training for faculty and students.
Tech tools, such as video assessment and feedback solutions, often improve efficiency and productivity, reducing the workload of faculty and staff. There is also usually a cost savings advantage to adding more users to a tech tool rather than each department using separate disparate tools. By leveraging tools that are already proving results for students and faculty, you can more easily justify the budget by showing the ROI.
Additionally, implementing strategic and scalable solutions across institutions is key to creating a more inclusive and personalized learning environment for students. Often you don’t have to look far to find the solutions that are already driving success and efficiencies for your campus community. Investigating the tech tools that faculty and students are using and evaluating theirfull potential to meet outcomes is key to enabling accessible and engaging learning environments.
