Six Predictions for Campus Technology in 2020
While millions of college students head back to school for the new semester, many institutions are focused on innovations and changes in the higher education ERP industry. We asked our Workday Student team at Avaap to look into their crystal ball and share predictions on the role ERP and technology will play in higher education in the upcoming year.
Prediction #1: Institutions Will Expand Student Recruiting Methods to Serve Students Better
Yadira Tate, Principal Consultant, Student Solution Architect, Student Recruiting & Admissions, Avaap
Workday Superpower: Innovation
Higher education organizations will have to become more creative in how and who they recruit to their institutions. The typical college student is ever-changing. Institutions need to create strategies that focus on recruiting underserved and diverse student populations. Technology will play a vital part in creating various avenues for institutions to reach these populations.
Prediction #2: Institutions Will Push the Bar on Innovative Offerings Through Technology
John Tinney, Principal Consultant, Student Solution Architect, Student Financial Aid, Avaap
Workday Superpower: Knowledge and Understanding
Traditional institutions will continue facing a reduction in funding, changing demographics, and increased competition from non-traditional institutions. Therefore, they must adapt more non-traditional approaches. Brick and mortar schools will continue to increase access through online degree offerings and non-term or competency-based programs in an effort to increase enrollment and allow students to complete their degrees faster and cheaper. Technology will continue to develop and adapt in order to facilitate this shift.
Prediction #3: Greater Focus on Data Governance
Josh Kelley, Student Architect, Student Core and Records, Avaap
Workday Superpower: Persistence
There will be an increased emphasis on higher education system platform governance, mirroring the growing efforts around corporate platform governance. We're seeing big technology companies already taking steps to protect user data. With the growing cloud presence in higher education, I imagine a similar trend taking place to protect student and employee data to enforce already-present policies, such as FERPA and HIPAA.
Prediction #4: Increased Focus on Student Advising Data Analytics to Improve On-Time Graduation Rates
Carter Cochran, Principal Consultant, Workday Student Reporting and Advising, Avaap
Workday Superpower: Analysis
The need for more meaningful analytics and predictive measures in higher education for student data will continue to grow, alongside Workday Student's ability to respond to those needs. The focus will be on student advising data that enables the institution to better serve student to graduate on-time with skills that allow them to be more successful in the workforce post-graduation.
Prediction #5: More Institutions Will Invest in Developing and Sustaining High Performance Project Teams
Melissa Kay Feehan, Sr. Consultant, Higher Education, Avaap
Workday Superpower: Collaborative teamwork, like a well-oiled, high performing machine!
Software deployments are only as good as the teams who deploy them. High performing teams take time to develop. Educational Psychologist Bruce Tuckman identified a common understanding of team processes and procedures that allows teams to work faster and more efficiently, through the five stages of team development. He called the stages: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning.
Higher education organizations undertaking a large-scale deployment must be able to work together to collectively contribute to team outcomes. Paying attention to not only the people you choose for your project team, but also how they progress through the stages of team development will influence the likelihood for deployment project success.
Prediction #6: Institutions That Invest in Change Management Will Achieve Higher Adoption
Annaleah Morrow, Project/Engagement Manager, Higher Education, Avaap
Workday Superpower: Guiding Change
Helping leaders understand how to lead their institutions through the changes of new student systems will become as important as well as understanding the systems being deployed. We are no longer able to merely provide a new way for students to register, faculty to grade, or staff to perform functions; we must evaluate individual barriers to adoption, create tailored learning opportunities, and guide people to what they need to be successful.
Our Workday Student team is excited to see how technology will continue to shape higher education and improve processes. Learn more about Workday Student and how Avaap can help your institution begin its digital transformation journey in 2020.