How higher education is embracing the digital future

In recent years, there’s been a fundamental shift in how we think about the office. The spaces where and ways in which we work, collaborate, and accomplish key tasks and goals are no longer physical, but digital. Now more than ever, organizations rely on software to drive the business outcomes that matter most.

This digital shift—accelerated by the pandemic—is by no means limited to the business world. You can see the same trend transforming the higher education sphere. If the office is no longer a strictly physical space, the same is true of the classroom, and even the university as a whole. The digital transformation of higher education brings amazing opportunities for students, faculty, and administrators to learn, teach, and work better. 

But with these opportunities come potential hurdles. Facing the headwinds of falling enrollment and greater competition for students, as well as changing student demographics (more adult learners, etc.), higher ed institutions need to adapt to new realities if they want to thrive going forward. The good news is the right technology solutions can ensure the digital future is one that enriches education experiences for all.

Building a better user experience for teachers and students . . . 

When you think of the digital shift in universities, the growth of hybrid and online learning is likely what first comes to mind. Gone are the days of lectures given, slides shared, and assignments submitted only in the physical classroom. Learning management systems now enable instructors to update class materials and allow students to access them in a centralized location anytime, anywhere.  

What’s more, students engage digitally with higher ed well before classes even start. From the moment they begin the application process, to when they accept admission and register for orientation and classes, they’re using apps and software to complete key processes. The same is true for instructors, who regularly use digital tools around curricular, HR, and countless other functions. 

. . . and the administrators who support them

We may think of higher ed institutions as primarily places of learning. While that’s true, they’re so much more than just that. Think of athletics programs, admissions, alumni and donor relations programs, research programs, and the greater university administration required to keep all these and other initiatives moving and on track. Such a large array of departments and programs use countless software tools for their operations—everything from traditional enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to donor relations software, content management systems (CMS), marketing tools, etc. 

How Pendo empowers higher ed users

While the scope and purpose of higher ed digital tools can vary widely, all these tools have one thing in common: People rely on them to do important work and achieve important goals, and they want their experience using them to be as painless and friction-free as possible. That’s where Pendo comes in. 

With Pendo, technology and operations professionals working in higher ed get the solution they need to make sure their institution’s digital tools are providing real value to both their users and the organization as a whole. The power of in-app notifications and guidance lets them deliver contextualized support to users—whether that’s students struggling to register for next semester’s courses or a new donor relations manager who needs to properly input an alumni gift into a donor management system—where and when they need it most. 

Rich analytics gives higher ed administrators a window into how students, instructors, and staff are engaging within and across apps, and helps identify areas where users may be getting stuck. And the ability to segment users by metadata (e.g. role, department, tenure) and behavior (e.g. whether it’s a person’s first time in an app) means admins can get the right help and information to those who need it—without bothering those who don’t. The University of Phoenix, for example, uses Pendo guides and segmentation to help students choose their degree program and enroll in courses. 

Building a better tomorrow for universities and communities 

Digital transformation in higher education promises to create better, more equitable experiences for a diverse set of users pursuing a diverse set of goals. At Pendo, we’re ready to support these institutions as they work toward building a better tomorrow for all their stakeholders. 

Learn more about Pendo’s work with higher education here.