Opinion piece – Dr. Teri Higgins, PhD
As establishments throughout New Zealand enter the 2018 Orientation interval, I discover myself reflecting on my time as Affiliate Director of Residence, the place right now of the yr I’d be about to embark on a journey with a model new set of incoming freshmen. As Residence Life employees we have now to be seen, be obtainable and be alert. I like to consider us as ‘skilled multitaskers’, managing a crew of RAs, coordinating occasions, programming tutorial help initiatives and offering pastoral help to a cohort of scholars who’re dwelling away from residence for the primary time. It’s essential that we rapidly set up efficient technique of communication with our new college students. We have to catch their consideration at orientation: the vital second when they’re motivated to take part, wanting to study and are actively looking for to determine new interactions and friendships. Trying again, I recall my very own frustrations in looking for an efficient means to speak with my college students. Whereas e mail reached some, others typically ignored my messages. In an try to succeed in these college students, I turned to posters and television screens, in addition to social media. Fb was a great tool, however college students had been typically reluctant to blur the traces between their social house and their tutorial community. In hindsight, having the ability to ship my residents focused push notifications (particular person, cohort, mass) would have been a easy answer. Assembly college students the place they had been already: on cellular. With Gen Z embarking on tertiary careers throughout the globe, it’s maybe extra necessary than ever that universities and polytechnics start adopting focused push notifications and personalised cellular messaging. A number of of our Prepared Training accomplice establishments have already put this technique of direct communication into follow and have been met with constructive outcomes. Peter Goodman, Director of Pupil Life at San Diego Christian Faculty, notes that whereas e mail nonetheless performs an necessary function for sharing necessary data and paperwork, push notifications can present one other, extra quick avenue for speaking and interesting with college students:
“[Push Notifications] are the easiest way for us to ship out fast reminders about occasions and actions. Whereas we do nonetheless ship e mail (that nobody checks anymore…) and cling posters, a push notification pops proper up on [the student’s] cellphone reminding them. I prefer to ship [push notifications] out the day of, typically even a couple of hours earlier than an occasion is ready to start. College students are fairly busy and infrequently need to attend issues we’re doing however simply overlook or don’t find out about them.”
Pupil Success Counsellor at Nova Scotia Faculty of Early Childhood training, Katrina Braun, views Prepared Training’s push notifications as an integral a part of each day communication:
“At NSCECE we discover that push notifications are the best method to talk with our whole scholar physique. The Prepared Training platform makes the method easy and fast! We use them in varied eventualities similar to reminding college students of upcoming occasions like Staff Challenges and Success Seminars. They’re additionally extraordinarily useful when we have to get a message throughout to everybody rapidly, similar to faculty closures.”
Regardless of being an exemplary technique for disseminating necessary campus data rapidly, push notifications don’t need to be restricted to administration; they could be a enjoyable and modern method to construct campus tradition. Whether or not used as a discussion board for supporting your faculty’s sports activities crew or encouraging faculty spirit (“Go Wolves Go!”), a spot for sharing useful well being and wellness reminders (“It’s sizzling out, don’t overlook to drink water!”), or a method to have fun campus historical past (“Completely satisfied one hundred and fiftieth Birthday OUSA!”), push notifications generally is a game-changing device for any higher-ed administrator. Need to study extra? Ebook a free demo with one in all our certified product specialists. Already a accomplice and need to study extra in regards to the potential for focused push notifications? Contact your CM for a complimentary refresher course!
