Since 2013, the United States has experienced a year over year decline in higher education enrollment1. This comes as the population of 18-24 year olds in years 2012-2022 is projected to decrease by 4%2. Now more than ever, Universities must deliver exceptional in-classroom experiences as options for online education, increases in tuition costs, and a drop in the total applicant pool are negatively impacting enrollment rates.
What role does technology play in this? When university students and alumni are asked what drew them to their institution, technology isn't usually the first thing that comes to mind. Instead, we hear a range of responses that commonly include career opportunities, campus facilities, course options, extracurricular activities, and student life. In each of these areas, technology can be used to enhance the outcome and improve the overall college experience.
Let's start with the classroom. With the shift towards active learning, students are looking for classrooms and courses that support a participation-driven learning process where they can contribute to lessons through individual and small group activities and discussions. Technology that supports an active learning environment can help universities stand out from the competition while simultaneously engaging students and encouraging student participation.
Students today are coming to class with their own devices and familiarity of different technological platforms, such as various laptops, smartphones, and tablets. They expect to be able to use the tools they are familiar with to enhance their learning process. An easy way to support this in the classroom is to invest in platform agnostic, BYOD connection software that allows students to wirelessly share content with one another, the instructor, or the entire room quickly and easily, regardless of what platform they are working from.
Another trend we're seeing in classrooms at leading higher educational institutions is digital whiteboards. Digital whiteboards allow instructors to write and sketch with the familiarity of an old-fashioned whiteboard, with the added option to save and share their work digitally. Even more eye-catching are smart boards that allow instructors to create, share, and annotate multimedia presentations in real time, eliminating the need for countless handouts and providing a foundation for more engaging and interactive lessons.
Beyond the classroom, technology can be both facilitating and attention-getting. Universities are starting to roll out collaboration software into group study areas in libraries and learning centers. Visual collaboration software can help students work together on group projects, learn through tutoring sessions, and better engage with one another. While simplifying the learning process, these solutions can stand out to prospective students as a notable investment in student learning.
Universities are also turning to eye-catching digital signage and interactive solutions designed to 'wow' prospects. One way to draw attention to your successful alumni, athletic programs, or campus services, is to display them on large interactive touchscreens or across state-of-the-art digital displays. This makes it easy to showcase and update the latest highlights from your campus in a memorable way that is unique and branded to your institution.
As universities are competing for shrinking applicant pools, technology is becoming more of a key competitive advantage. Whether you are looking to promote active learning in the classroom, enhance collaboration, or 'wow' prospectives with interactive displays, T1V has a range of technological solutions to meet your needs. Schedule a demo today to learn more.
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