8 Tips to Improve Campus Life Using Technology
In recent years, technology trends have influenced how organizations and institutions conduct their respective operations. That fact is evident in college campuses. Technology provided higher education institutions with much better and more advanced means of serving the academic needs of their students. But it doesn’t stop there. Technology also enabled college administrators to improve students’ campus life experience. If students are comfortable and satisfied with their life on campus, their motivation and morale in studying will be high. So if you’re a college administrator who’s planning to use technology to improve campus life, we proudly invite you to read this article. We will show you eight tips to improve campus life using technology.
8 Tips to Improve Campus Life Using Technology
Orient and Introduce New Students About the Campus
The very first step in making new students feel comfortable is by courteously orienting and introducing them about the campus. It’s pretty basic, in fact. But since we’re talking about the use of technology here, you should also introduce to them how your campus encourages the use of technology and automation tools for academic activities and social interactions. Give them the chance to immerse themselves and get comfortable with how your campus embraces technology. In addition, make sure that the software platforms and tools on your campus are in line with its core values and goals.
Make the Use of Technology Accessible
If you’re going to improve the campus life of your college or university using technology, you might as well make it accessible. Every corner of your campus should have a WiFi connection so that students will have immediate access to the internet in case they need to research something, especially when library opening hours are over for the day. Other than that, some students might need to buy food through online apps, and, of course, the majority of them will browse their social media accounts for personal reasons. You have to make your students feel at home in their campus dorms.
Encourage the Use of Social Media For Connections and Collaborations
We mentioned earlier that most students use social media. Well, some of them might want to use social media to work together with their classmates or groupmates after class hours. Most of them have group chats with their peers in Messenger and Hangouts, which may even also include their professors and mentors. Social media has connected us in many ways possible. The use of the platform not only became a hobby, but it also became a lifestyle, especially among Millenials and Gen Z individuals. Based on an analysis report by the London College of International Business Studies, social media enables students to gather relevant information and establish a connection with co-learners, making their educational experience convenient and fruitful. With that in mind, encourage the use of social media on campus, for connections and collaborations.
Establish an On-Campus Digital Community
Aside from social media, you should consider allocating a budget estimate for your campus to have its digital community. You can make an official website for your college or university and designate an open forum section wherein students can discuss relevant topics or express their concerns about certain things on campus. Thite official website can also be used to disseminate announcements and updates regarding school events and implementations. Just make sure to establish a policy or guideline beforehand to avoid issues and inappropriate topics to arise in the on-campus digital community. Having a digital community on your campus will surely enable everyone to be connected, both students and educators alike.
Promote Technology as Primary Sources of Knowledge
Technology, particularly the internet, allowed us to access many forms of knowledge in just a few clicks and taps. That said, you should promote it to students as one of their primary sources of credible information. In doing so, it will become more convenient for students to accomplish their homework, projects, research papers, etc. Thus, making their campus life stress free while they’re learning in their respective coursework.
Augment Classes with Digital Learning
According to advanced analytics by McGraw-Hill Education, “Four out of five college students” consider digital learning as an aid in improving their grades. In our careful assumption, that’s mainly because students find it more comfortable to use digital technology in searching for information rather than scanning through hundreds of pages in textbooks. Plus, digital learning apps and software contain interactive activities that make learning fun instead of cumbersome. Teaching online can also be considered as a form of digital learning. Gamification, however, is the most innovative form of digital learning, in our opinion. Gamification refers to the process of utilizing interactive gaming applications for class activities and exams, which makes learning more engaging and competitive. All in all, whichever form of digital learning you’ll integrate on your campus, you need to ensure that it augments classes and helps the university or college achieve its student outcomes checklist.
Use Technology For Security
Data protection is an important aspect of the security measures of your campus. If students’ records and personal data will be breached in some way, that’s a violation of their privacy, and your institution is accountable for it. To avoid that from happening, integrate highly-advanced security tools in your campus’s systems to block hackers, malware, and any external and unauthorized entity attempting to breach the school premises. Students need assurance that their privacy is secure to enjoy a quality campus life.
Make the Enrollment Process Faster
Improving the enrollment or admission process of your college or university should be a priority of its planning and management strategies. Keep in mind that students’ campus life already starts when they submit their enrollment. That said, having a fast enrollment process showcases a good first impression on students. Use automation tools and software that are specifically designed to make enrollment processes swift and convenient for enrollees.
Providing quality education is the ultimate goal of any college or university. All higher education institutions have the same goal. If you look at big-name institutions that are well known worldwide, they do their best to make their campus a comforting place for students to learn and grow to become professionals. So if you want to provide quality education, use technology to improve the campus life of your institution. Work together with the HR management team, administrators, and educators.
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