Digital Signage Apps for K-12 Schools
Digital signage has been used to market and support retail establishments. It has also been used in restaurants and at large events. In fact, it’s matured into an engaging vehicle for communication which is the primary use for digital signage within a K-12 educational setting.
Digital signage has proven effective in school settings. School administrators have used it creatively to interact with students and provide positive, interactive and immersive experiences. College campuses, like Marshall University in West Virginia, have been effectively using digital signage to communicate with students. They continue to implement new ideas, like a digital signage scavenger hunt that allows freshmen to learn the campus in a unique and fun way. It can also prevent bullying with new technology like that of Visionect’s Community HUB that lets students anonymously report violence and incidents that may lead to further problems.
No matter how you look at it, digital signage is giving schools a new tool for interacting, promoting and communicating with students being raised in the “digital age.” And one essential part of that tool are the digital signage apps for K-12 that go with it.
Digital Signage Apps for K-12 Schools
There are a wide range of digital apps available to those using digital signage. Many of those can play a role on K-12 educational campuses. Some of the top apps used in a school setting include:
1. Inspirational Quotes
There’s no doubt that certain quotes inspire us, empower us and make us feel like we can break through walls and accomplish what we’ve set out to do. Inspirational quotes can lift the campus attitude and encourage thought and motivation. Adding an app that lets a campus present new quotes each day, or even each hour, gives a way to continuously send positive messages.
According to the psychology behind inspirational quotes, they coach and affect us in a good way on a primal level.
2. Event Listings
Digital signage lets a school manage instant communication and messages. Events are a big part of schools, and being able to update easily on a digital screen not only saves paper but means you can make last-minute changes to events.
It also drives attendance—students who may not have noticed the various flyers hanging around may notice a digital message easier.
Event listings can include everything from dances and assemblies to group and club meetings, sporting events and school field trips.
3. Social Media
Today’s kids connect and socialize mainly through social media. These digital natives are drawn toward the communication they’re familiar with, which is why schools can engage their students by inviting them to be a part of the school’s social media scene through a digital signage app for K-12 that features social media streams.
Schools can use dynamic displays for Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and more to highlight student athletes or games, show what students are saying, honoring achievements and making the school a stronger community.
4. Emergency Alerts
Emergency alert systems make pertinent information instantaneous. When a campus is dealing with an emergency situation, strategically-placed signs can become a part of the alert system.
Let students know about fires, power outages and other emergent situations that are occurring. Also, emergency alerts can list procedures, so faculty and students know where to go and what to do to stay safe.
5. Stock Photos
Creating a warm, inviting atmosphere is crucial to our psyches. Photos can elevate a space with color, allow people to relax and give them something to help refocus their eyes. It’s a nice break from work and intense study.
A digital signage app for K-12 that displays stock photos is ideal—you can change and adapt images by day, week, season or leave a favorite shot up for the school year.
6. Analytics
Visual support of data is an effective way to retain information. In a K-12 setting, people are getting bombarded by new information regularly—and by giving that visual aid can assist in learning and retention. Spreadsheets can easily be transformed into graphs, charts and other visual tools that give a new perception of the facts.
Analytics can also provide feedback on results from tests, the progress of a project and many other performance-based tasks.
7. YouTube
Videos are a dynamic way to enhance the learning experience. Kids are particularly receptive to this medium. Imagine the types of content you can offer that are rich in value, and that can be specially curated. For example, there can be school playlists, a school district YouTube channel and other educational channels focused on science or broadening exposure to new concepts.
A teacher talking about space can utilize the Canadian Space Agency’s series by astronaut Chris Hadfield to answer a question about what it’s like to live in space. To stream content about different issues, teachers can use TED Education or TEDxYouth. For example, a YouTube app is a top engagement tool and way to broaden education in an impactful way.
Implementing Digital Signage in Your K-12 School
Research shows that implementing digital signage in schools has been an effective way to reduce paper waste, engage more students and expand the learning experience. Schools are getting creative in their uses too. In fact, they can announce birthdays, list exam reminders, and introduce new staff members.
Each school will have different needs and its own vision. So, implementing digital signage and digital signage apps for K-12 will vary by student ages, campus, and size. And while some campuses will choose to introduce the technology slowly, others, like the school district in Fort Worth, Texas, will make a large investment from the get-go. The bottom line is that digital signage is here to stay, and it continues to prove its worth. Digital signage apps for K-12 are a consideration to seriously bring your school into the digital age.
