The past few years have been a time of explosive growth for the education technology (EdTech) market, with much more to come. This year, the market reached a total value of $144.64 billion USD. By 2032, it is projected to be worth $598.82 billion USD.
School districts and higher learning institutions alike now integrate digital technology into the learning experience. This has led to massive improvements in both the quality and accessibility of education, with benefits that include greater flexibility, deeper personalization, more access to resources, and increased collaboration.
Unfortunately, the path to digital transformation is not without its roadblocks. Problems such as insufficient training and support, poor infrastructure, lack of digital tools, and budget restraints can impact technology adoption and integration at all system levels.
In this post, we’ll look at some of these challenges and how they can be overcome.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to treat cloud software as a cure-all for your district's problems. While it's true that schools at every level can benefit immensely from a cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution, you cannot deploy such tools blindly. There are certain growing pains you'll need to address first.
Education is becoming more personal and student-focused, and schools must do more than rearrange their furniture to adapt. Modern education has long since shifted to a stronger focus on mobile and remote learning. For this option to be accessible — or even feasible — you need a solid technical foundation.
In its 2021 Infrastructure Report Card, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave public school infrastructure in the United States a D+. According to the report, available data indicated that 53% of schools needed improvements to get to “good” condition. Another 24% of schools were said to be in “fair” or “poor” condition.
As schools invest in their physical infrastructure, they must also invest in IT, including better networking hardware, electrical upgrades, and better devices.
Most educators have long since acknowledged that digital tools can greatly improve the student learning experience. Unfortunately, many schools lack the resources to invest in those tools due to limited funding and constricting budgets. Given the future of education funding is uncertain in both the United States and throughout Canada, this problem will likely worsen before it gets better.
The good news is that the right EdTech can still be incorporated into a district or institution's budget even in the face of funding issues — one need only make the case for how updated technology can cut costs, reduce the workload of teachers and administrators, and boost productivity.
Before going digital, education had become stagnant. It had always been about maintaining set rules and curriculums, focusing solely on the teacher. The landscape has changed a lot since then, and it continues to evolve.
For teachers and administrators to be successful, they need to be able to evolve, as well. That means staying up to date with the latest teaching strategies and technologies. To maximize the use of digital tools and software, schools must provide their teachers with the three key components of professional development — access, training, and support.
An adequate training program not only improves digital readiness but can also increase job satisfaction, which is incredibly valuable at a time when teacher burnout has reached unprecedented heights.
So, what should you do to ensure digital readiness? How can you establish a solid technical and professional foundation that'll help you make the most of modern EdTech? And how can you achieve that goal while remaining within your budget?
The first question you must ask is whether your current Wi-Fi connection is good enough for teachers and students to stay on top of their day. If your network is outdated, everyone in your district will waste time waiting for pages and apps to load. For students, this could mean spending more time on waiting than learning.
Also, consider security and student privacy regulations. Using outdated technology and not updating critical network apps can leave your district vulnerable to data breaches and hackers, creating a compliance nightmare for your district.
Many teachers face barriers that make using EdTech tools challenging, burdensome, and overwhelming rather than rewarding. This can lead to inconsistent implementation of digital tools and an unwillingness to give them the chance they deserve. Equipping teachers and administrators with the right training and proper support reduces their resistance to change — this buy-in is crucial to making your transition successful.
Before committing to any EdTech platform, hold a staff meeting to let your team know a transition is in the works. Let them know that their concerns and opinions matter, and ask them for their input on which features they’d like to see included in your technology stack. Reassure them they'll have access to the necessary support before, during, and after the transition.
You should also ask your staff about any challenges they currently face. This could be anything from scheduling and grading to not having enough time in a day and feeling overwhelmed. explain how transitioning to a digital platform can help them overcome those challenges and make their lives easier. Consider these challenges when deciding on your EdTech solutions.
Not all digital tools are created equal, after all.
Let teachers and faculty know what's in it for them. Why should they support digital transformation? Some possible benefits to bring up include:
Determine who will most likely lead the charge when adopting new technology. Those are your change champions. They're the ones who will review any software demos you request, and they're the ones who'll get colleagues excited about making the jump.
Administrators, teachers, and students can waste a lot of time dealing with slow computers, unreliable networks, and finicky printers. Upgrade your devices and invest in a proper lifecycle management strategy. Consider using integrated platforms that allow teachers and administrators to dedicate extra time to creating learning opportunities and experiences for their students.
Finally, it's time to make the move to the cloud. After making the switch, you'll likely see immediate benefits. For one, you'll save a ton of money on physical supplies, as written paperwork is replaced by automated forms and printed textbooks are replaced by digital experiences.
Moving to the cloud can also reduce your reliance on costly hardware, such as on-site servers, which often create significant maintenance and electrical costs. Plus, you'll also reduce your district or institution's carbon footprint. Depending on your location, this could mean access to carbon credits that give you even more room in your budget.
At Sparkrock, we understand the challenges technology poses both inside and outside the classroom.
That's why Sparkrock 365, our cloud-based ERP software, is specifically designed for educational institutions. It's a comprehensive one-stop shop for reducing costs, streamlining operations, and improving efficiencies — more importantly, its customizable nature means your institution can tailor the platform to its needs.
Our platform isn't simply a student information system, either. It's fully integrated, consolidating key functionalities such as employee management, accounts receivable, payroll administration, and fund accounting. It also serves as a centralized repository for student and employee data, with advanced reporting capabilities to give valuable insights into everything from student performance to budgeting.
All this is tied together by an intuitive user interface and security powered by Microsoft Dynamics 365 by a vendor dedicated to helping you overcome your digital transformation challenges. Thinking of taking the next step in transforming your school district? Schedule a demo and we'll show you how to get started