Digital Transformation

Colleges and universities across the U.S. are seeing declining enrollment, but digital engagement tools could be part of attracting a generation of digital natives, meeting them where they are, 24/7, in any time zone.

A West Virginia school district will use a new mobile app to share information and alerts with students and families, giving select users the ability to send messages via text or social media with the push of a button.

A North Carolina school district will give money to a local consortium for the design, building and operation of a CBRS/5G wireless network to provide Internet access to homes in designated high-density areas.

Former television news reporter Danny Rubin created an online curriculum of assignments, videos and quizzes focused on writing and speaking, used by more than 100,000 K-12 and college students in 35 states.

Working with ed-tech companies like Full Measure Education, universities are crowdsourcing photos and videos on social media to build virtual campus tours, supplementing information packets that cost thousands to mail.

By offering free home Internet service to low-income families, a Tennessee school district has nearly eliminated racial disparities in parental involvement and opened the door for virtual parent-teacher conferences.

With visible signage and a 30-day warning period, the automated enforcement system from Redspeed International uses cameras and radar to monitor up to 350 cars simultaneously, supposedly accurate within 0.1 mph.

Officials at the University of Texas Permian Basin created a robot with a 360-degree camera that can act as a conduit through which remote students can tune in to lectures and interact with classmates.

Newark has a new student service center through Gateway U, which is not itself an accredited college but gets online faculty, curriculum and other academic resources from the Southern New Hampshire University.

The nonprofit Center for Data Innovation praises a partnership between the University of Florida and tech company NVIDIA as a model for other institutions to develop AI research and education.

The GIS software company Esri recently recognized the city of Grapevine's GIS team for digitally mapping the layouts and access points of a local school district's campuses so first responders could plan for emergencies.

Since having to make the switch to remote learning in early 2020, veteran teachers now readily use digital platforms such as Google Classroom, myON, Padlet and Screencastify to enhance lessons and communications.

A mobile and desktop app, developed by the Center for Schools and Communities and connected to the state Department of Education's homeless youth program, gives students and families 24/7 access to help and support.

A West Virginia school district is in talks with Rank One Computing to install facial recognition software that would create a database of known faces and flag anyone on campus who's not supposed to be there.

The tide shifting toward remote work and learning seems unlikely to turn back, but fret not: properly deployed and administered cloud environments can help students and staff be safe and productive from home.

Both K-12 and higher education expect to see interest in online full-time and part-time options grow in the long term. Some view hybrid learning as a way to mitigate the negative effects of online-only instruction.

Imported from Boston College, the City Connects program at Poughkeepsie City School District and Dutchess County is tracking student well-being and linking those in need to local support services.

A South Dakota school district’s revamped website and mobile app give families a livestream of news and announcements, including staff contact info, upcoming events, lunch and breakfast menus and school supply lists.