We are currently living in a society where communication is more important than ever. Where time-critical information needs to be updated almost instantly. We also know that building strong communities and celebrating success can help navigate us through these difficult and different times.
So what mechanisms do our schools and colleges have in place to keep everyone updated and their communities positive? From websites to mobile communication apps and virtual learning environments, there’s a myriad of online technologies available. Many use the power of social media and let’s not forget printed posters are still very much favoured.
But are we missing the perfect medium for communication?
Recent statistics from Futuresource Consulting tell us there are just over 700,000 Interactive displays in UK K-12 classrooms, which is a considerable number. Couple that with historical digital signage screens and we have a large blank canvas for communication.
In the world outside classrooms, large format displays are used to great effect. Government announcements, along with essential health and safety notifications are all digested through a network of widescreen and portrait screens. These are dotted throughout our high streets, shopping centres and commuter routes to work.
So why does education often fail to make the connection between their estate of digital screens and communication?
Has digital signage in education always been more about having a screen on the wall more than whether it makes an impact? This isn’t helped by solutions promoting zonal content full of clocks, logos and ticker tapes. We often call this set and forget signage and it has little impact on viewers. Digital signage is an art in any environment, and for its success, it needs a plan and a strategy. Ask yourself, where are screens located, who is the audience, how long do you have to capture your audience? Once you have answered these questions, it’s then about the content, and as the saying goes ‘Content is King’!
“All 3 of my primary schools have TV’s that are around the school that I have never seen turned on! These sit in reception or in large corridor areas. It is something that I am going to bring up with the heads at the schools when I get a chance.” Dan Sapseid TKAT – IT Manager – Coast
The main role of interactive classroom panels is for daily teaching. So many staff are unaware of the sharing and showcasing capabilities they offer. With a more tech-savvy generation and increased training, teaching staff are becoming more confident with technology, thus willing to try out new applications and approaches. Over time they will move away from simply connecting their laptop via the blue VGA lead to using more built-in interactive screen features and third-party apps. Classroom panels can also be set up and managed centrally using an MDM such as Radix. This means important content and communications can be set to play at certain times throughout the day. Imagine inspirational content playing as students arrive in class, during the lunch hour or as they are packing up to go home. All set up centrally with a few adjustments and scripts on the MDM solution.
This is a perfect setup for Multi Academy Trusts who want to manage and add content to screens centrally. Marketing and Communications staff able to keep the brand professional as well as standardising content across all schools such as group values.
At TrilbyTV, we understand the impact that using and growing an estate of digital screens can have. That’s why we created an Unlimited Screen package for our education customers. Whether it’s digital signage screens in areas such as the reception or interactive panels in every classroom, all can be easily connected, managed and updated with one simple TrilbyTV licence.
Our ongoing partnership and offer with leading interactive screen provider CTOUCH means schools and colleges can get a year-long flavour of how using classroom screens can enhance communication.
So at a time when communication is more crucial than ever let’s not forget how perfect digital screens are for sharing information and showcasing content. And let’s not forget how celebrating success and sharing learning outcomes helps all stakeholders stay positive during these different and challenging times. With that last thought, I’ll leave the final words to Matt Gilbert, headteacher at Barry Island Primary School in Wales,
“TrilbyTV is an effective tool that enables the celebration of pupils’ successes across the school. With ease, classes share pupils’ achievements from one classroom computer display to another. Year 6 pupils have successfully read stories to younger children utilising TrilbyTV. This has enabled readers to further develop confidence when reading to a larger audience”.