Higher Education Needs to Leverage Data Management to Meet Emerging Student Needs, Says Info-Tech Research Group in new Blueprint

As student experience becomes an increasing challenge, improving the experience requires effective integration of operations and insightful analytics on student behavior.

TORONTO, March 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Since the beginning of the pandemic, there has been a marked shift in students' preference toward online and hybrid modes of instruction. This sudden change has increased the demand for technology in learning institutions. Additionally, focus on improving the student experience is becoming an increasing challenge for colleges and universities as it expands beyond the institution's historical area of technological competence. As a result, institutions are struggling to fulfill the student's high expectations amidst a decline in enrolment and low funding. To help institutions connect their students beyond the classroom, through social interactions and academic engagement, global IT research and advisory firm Info-Tech Research Group has published its latest industry blueprint, Align IT With Institutional Priorities for Student Experience.

The firm's new blueprint for the higher education industry implies technology has an important role in improving the student experience. However, most institutions' current technology ecosystem cannot meet the challenge. One of the primary challenges is that the technology for learning and communication does not meet the student's expectations. Also, the technology for operations is not optimized to support the student's needs. In order to compete and improve the student experience, institutions must have better data management and efficient data governance.

The research further suggests a better student experience requires effective integration of operations and insightful analytics on student behavior, neither of which can be achieved without strong data management. Info-Tech advises that institutions seeking to improve student experience should identify the primary concerns of students and what technology is required to address these concerns. It is also important to address support for faculty and train them to use new technologies.

Technology for student engagement directly supports the students' learning and wider experience. Therefore, Info-Tech recommends institutions consider the following factors for a smooth shift in their technological advancement:

• Virtual Engagement: Institutions are advised to carry over the methods of virtual engagement from the pandemic, such as virtual campus tours, video explanations of financial aid processes, and online meetings with advisors.
  
  
• Student Portal: Although most institutions have a student portal, many come up short in meeting students' expectations, such as a mobile app for the portal and virtual engagement. It is recommended that institutions provide a mobile-first solution portal, offering frictionless and transactional services.
  
  
• Classroom Technology: Institutions should promote hybrid learning environments as they become increasingly prevalent. The key component for the progress is a collaboration between faculty, instructional design, and IT.

Info-Tech's research emphasizes that measuring these technologies' effectiveness and adoption has paramount importance to student experience. Therefore, learning institutions should try to obtain student feedback through surveys and leveraging the student council and other student organizations. It is also recommended that IT should do its best to gain student representation on their technology or innovation councils.

To learn more about the research and recommendations for higher education institutions to improve in the current technological landscape, download the complete Align IT With Institutional Priorities for Student Experience blueprint.

For more information about Info-Tech Research Group or to access the latest Research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and Twitter.

Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world's leading information technology research and advisory firms, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals. The company produces unbiased and highly relevant Research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For 25 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with IT teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to Research across IT, HR, and software and over 200 IT and Industry analysts through the ITRG Media Insiders Program. To gain access, contact [email protected].

SOURCE Info-Tech Research Group