Gen Z students are our “Digital Generation,” and school administrators and educators are paying attention to their unique needs. Gen Z has lived in a world where the Internet and digital technologies have always existed. Research tells us they embody technology, influencing how they “communicate, consume information and learn.”
To meet all students' learning needs and demands—especially Millennials, Gen Z and Generation Alpha—the best digital signage solutions for schools are delivered in new and innovative ways across campuses worldwide. As you shop around for digital signage software for education that checks all of your boxes, there are three features you’ll want to keep at the top of your list.
How digital signage solutions for schools can transform your screens
While print fliers, sign-up sheets, and forms will always be available, the best digital signage software solutions are changing the game and the way students, teachers and parents are accessing information across the country.
Digital signage software is a content-management tool that allows schools, businesses or organizations to display need-to-know information to a target audience across digital screens.
Digital signage software in your classrooms and across campus can:
- Keep students informed of critical announcements and emergencies as they unfold.
- Display maps and other logistics for campus visitors and new students.
- Advertise club and sports meetings, practices and events to fortify school spirit.
- Showcase campus news.
- Broadcast the academic calendar to include spring-break dates, reading days and exam schedules.
What to look for in your digital signage software for education
Effortless installation and setup
Unlike hard-wired digital signage with its bulky and expensive hardware and maintenance, cloud-based digital signage software has simplified content creation and management, and you can do it from anywhere. The first feature to look for in the best digital signage solution is no-sweat installation and setup.
In general, a top digital signage software will power your TVs or other digital screens so you can display content via a media player. You’ll then use the software’s content management system (CMS) to create, manage and disseminate your content remotely on a screen-by-screen basis.
Intuitive district-wide content management
Remote content management makes it simple to control and change digital displays from anywhere, even if administration buildings are off campus. Some digital signage software for education, like UPshow, even makes it possible to assign role-based account profiles so that different departments and faculty members can contribute as needed.
This way, you can hand the keys, so to speak, to any faculty member or administrator located anywhere, so they can create and display content anytime they want.
UPshow’s digital signage solution is the leading on-premise performance marketing cloud for university campuses and businesses worldwide. Content management is intuitive and will save you time all school year by:
- Allowing your faculty and administration to create and schedule content playlists anytime.
- Plan short-term or long-term content campaigns and pause or resume them anytime.
- Update your content on a location-by-location and even a screen-by-screen basis.
Content creation that is simple and secure
Your screens can do more than just signpost, they are also meant to engage your school’s community! These tools should communicate your school’s spirit and values, showcasing your commitment to spirit, pride and open communication.
With UPshow’s in-app Canva integration, any account holder can create content simply and securely. With the help of education-themed design templates or our in-house managed services team, you can use your screens across campus to:
- Create student, organization, and event spotlights to raise awareness and show your investment in the student community.
- Display a contact directory, complete with emergency numbers and more.
- Let students know what’s on the menu for lunch this week.
- Post interactive, campus-specific trivia.
- Remind students, faculty, and staff of early releases or school closures.
Nice-to-have features of digital signage solutions for schools
Don’t opt for digital signage solutions for schools that skate by on the bare minimum. The best digital signage solutions always shoot for extra credit by going above and beyond with these features.
QR code campaigns for easy interaction
Students, staff and parents are always on the move. When they are, they likely have a phone in their hand. UPshow’s top digital signage software allows you to create QR-code campaigns to display on your screens so that you can interact and engage with your school’s community, even when they are on the go.
You can use QR-code technology to share:
- Forms (financial aid, health services, etc.)
- Campus maps
- Academic Calendars
- Exam schedules
- Link to the student portal
The possibilities are endless, and likely far more effective than mass mail that gets buried in student inboxes.
Advanced scheduling and analytics make planning the year a breeze
If there is one thing educators know all too well, it’s that with access to the correct data and insights, they can observe what’s working and what isn’t and then make necessary shifts for improvement.
UPshow’s school digital signage solution gives you a seat at the front of the class when it comes to monitoring your insights and analytics. In the platform, you can visualize how your content is performing at any location, screen-by-screen.
These performance and engagement metrics are also available to download, so you can analyze them and later optimize your content if necessary. This makes it easy to share engagement metrics with different department heads or faculty members.
UPshow's digital signage solutions for schools can get you more out of your school’s displays
Building strong district-wide communication strategies may feel impossible. With so many students to reach and so much to share, information overload and mass mail can often feel overwhelming. Luckily, your screens can help share everything that is need-to-know in a more consumable way.
Put your school’s most important information front and center in your hallways, auditoriums, libraries and more with UPshow. Sign up for your custom demo with UPshow, and discover how digital signage software can help you connect with today’s students.