Higher education has seen many changes as a result of cloud adoption. From collaboration software to social media platforms, educators and their students can work more closely than ever to ensure positive educational outcomes. With educational outcomes not guaranteed for the work world, educational institutions are looking at additional methods, platforms, and technologies to ensure their students are prepared to compete with a global workforce.
As the marketing manager for cloud solutions here at Perficient, I like to brainstorm the potential that our technologies have on our industries. Higher education is particularly interesting to me since I am a recent graduate and still engage with many friends who are pursuing educational opportunities. With the recent announcement of our Dell Boomi partnership, I thought I would go back to some of my early roots and explore what iPaaS can offer the ambitious college student or forward-thinking university IT administrator.
Use Case #1: Connected Learning Experiences
Learning is no longer isolated to the classroom and is a continuous experience combining a healthy mix of activities including current event discussion, lecture attendance, and networking events in addition to mobile applications. The addition of wearables and Internet of Things (IoT) devices into the mix further enhances learning experiences by offering live feedback, especially with educational experiences involving a higher level of activity. With iPaaS in the mix, professors and universities can connect learning experiences together while also gathering data on student success.
Consider the following ideas:
- In a tough engineering class, professors offer multiple technology platforms for student learning. With many platforms including collaboration, social networking, and mobile applications, students can be monitored for their success. With some students falling behind, the teacher’s assistant reaches out pre-empted to ask if there is any help needed and if there can be any resources of use.
- For an anthropology course, students are required to survey an archaeological dig. Carrying their wearable devices, professors can have a good understanding of whether their students understand how an archaeological dig is conducted, leading to higher quality learning as well as application in the field.
- A business major uses a variety of applications to test student learning, including live survey tools that follow the student throughout their academic career. Professors encourage student engagement throughout class with the answering of survey questions around business best practices and upload answers to the student’s profile through an educational software API. Supported by iPaaS technologies and stored in the cloud and on university servers, students can gauge their progress and understand what type of professional they will become.
- A chemistry student conducts DNA sequencing research and is looking to digitize the data. With massive quantities of data coming at once, collecting sets on external hard drives is neither dependable nor inexpensive, especially given tight budgets. Using a DNA sequencing application API, the student can connect to the cloud and store data at a cheaper cost to the department, allowing for faster interpretation and faster innovation in their chosen field.
Use Case #2: IT Application Capabilities
Higher education institutions are known for running many applications at once including email servers, storage, and collaboration platforms. With all the data stored locally, the cost to maintain can be expensive. As costs are passed onto the students, making the college experience far more expensive, campus IT organizations must consider alternative methods to enable positive futures without sending the future into debt.
iPaaS offers a credible solution due to its combination of on-premise and cloud offerings. As we mentioned in Use Case #1, there are numerous ways for professors to engage students in the classroom and enhance learning opportunities. With IT looking to iPaaS, these opportunities manifest at a much lower price tag.
Use Case #3: Technology Transition
Traditionally higher education institutions are places where past knowledge is shared and the future is researched. Similar to the educational paths taken, higher education institutions also tend to stick with older technologies as long as they still function, risking data breaches and hacking attacks in the process.
In general, cloud can aid with the technology transition because higher education institutions don’t need to invest everything right away to become modernized. Much like enterprise companies who are exploring the viability of cloud on their legacy technology, higher education institutions can do the same by connecting into hybrid cloud situations like iPaaS and into relevant APIs. Not only is this cost-effective, but also leaves IT to solve greater problems, like student laptop connectivity.
Closing Thoughts
Where do you think iPaaS can benefit higher education outcomes? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
For more information around our Dell Boomi practice, please email us at sales@perficient.com.
