Views & Opinion Technology in Higher
Education Comment by Alasdair McCormick, national sales director, Ricoh UK
Higher education is an increasingly competitive marketplace, with some of the UK’s leading institutions competing on everything from academic credibility to student experience. Attracting the brightest students from around the world – and keeping them – for further education such as Master’s degrees and PHD courses requires Universities to deliver first class services to students. They will expect nothing less as the cost of higher education in the UK soars. Academic institutions are often paper- heavy working environments, which rely on efficient print solutions to manage huge volumes of information. Think of all those essays throughout the year to print and hand in to the subject department. The challenge facing IT decision-makers is how best to deliver savings and improving efficiencies across the organisation, without compromising the University’s ability to deliver quality education services to its customers, which are ultimately the students it serves.
The technology benchmark Having the right technology can enhance the student experience, but technology also has the potential to be the benchmark by which students select their University of choice in the first place. The ability to offer remote working solutions such as providing sign-on to online portals that can be accessed from multiple devices, implementing online learning seminars as well as dynamic access to information around academic performance, will become the key differentiator as we move further into our ‘digital age’. One university that is making steps to move into the ‘digital age’ is
Sunderland University, who deployed managed print services (MPS) across campus. The MPS includes software to manage and control print devices across the university, can be used for a wide range of print jobs including work for students such as study guides and handbooks. This kind of technology has its clear benefits: students can be confident that printing, copying and scanning of their work can be done when they need it to the quality they require. It may sound simple- but it is this kind of technology that can really help to simplify processes and improve the student experience.
It’s a matter of collaboration Technology has the power to create a more collaborative working experiences for both students and professors alike. Like in schools, technology such as interactive whiteboards, has the capability to help professors and mentors adapt to deliver more interactive lectures and seminars in the future. Furthermore, the greater use of technology can only help mentors and students work more closely in the learning process. Feedback on essays and dissertations could be sent to students instantly via easily accessible online portals, for example. This will help to reduce print and will ultimately create a more engaging, more personalised learning experience in the years to come.
Universities and the higher education sector must keep adapting to the needs of their students. Simplifying processes with the greater availability of technology, managed print services and ease of access to materials through digital channels can support students with their studies, and ultimately help in retaining the best possible talent.
September 2015
Why school leaders often struggle to turn strategy
into reality Comment by Howard Jackson, chief executive, HCSS Education
A school leader faces many challenges
when it comes to realising the full potential of a school. The vast majority of school leaders set out with the best of intentions, and often plan and scrutinise every detail of an action plan. However, even leaders with the best motives can struggle to turn strategy into reality. Whilst it might seem obvious that
vague goals lead to vague outcomes, often schools do not articulate properly the specific purpose of a development strategy. A well thought-out strategy must outline exactly who will do what and by when - it must take into consideration the sequencing and timing of tasks, activities and resources. It is important to illustrate the importance of a goal and the
urgency in which it must be delivered in order for team members to get on board. The ‘why’ provides the impetus for the ‘what’. Therefore if the goal is positioned as being something that would only be quite nice to achieve, rather than something that is crucial, then it is unlikely to ever happen. Often the reason a goal fails to come into fruition is down to
cultural factors rather than technical issues. This is because whilst a strategy is often meticulously planned out so that every minute detail is considered, often the cultural implications of how the staff and students are likely to react to the change are completely overlooked. If a goal is going to be actualised from both a technical and cultural perspective then it is important to carefully align the processes, structures, and systems that impact and enable people. Any plan worth executing is worth tracking and properly
measuring. For example, a monthly meeting with a tight agenda can quickly determine what actions have been taken, what progress has been made, and what is hoped to be accomplished over the upcoming month. Carefully tracking the progress of a goal can help build commitment, accountability and confidence in the process. In order for a plan to work, it must be understood that it is based
upon assumptions that can change over time. If they do change, then the plan must be flexible enough to change with it. One way to keep tabs on this is to organise a quarterly recalibration meeting to test assumptions and determine how far the plan has strayed from its original path. The meeting may result in either a revalidation or redesign of the plan and this will help it stay relevant and above all, flexible. Unfortunately, even when no one is to blame, sometimes a plan
just doesn’t work out. But the way in which a school leader responds to these failures is also significant, as it will send a clear message to staff members about that person’s credibility. When a plan doesn’t quite go to plan, a great leader will first look in the mirror, hold their hands up and take responsibility and then commit themselves to getting it right. The choice a leader makes speaks volumes about their credibility and trustworthiness. Let’s face it, no one is perfect, however, in order to be a school
leader that people respect, it is important to ensure a strategy is not something overcomplicated and unachievable, but rather is something manageable and flexible. When making significant changes, school leaders must put the student’s education as the top priority and ensure that cultural implications are not overlooked. Most importantly, an inspirational leader must be able to take criticism, hold their hands up to mistakes and be able to follow through with a plan.
www.education-today.co.uk 19
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