Mobile Apps in Education

August, 2011

Interviews with key marketing and admissions people RE: Digital Communication Strategies: Web Based (Digital Editions) Mobile Communications: Smart phones and tablets (iPhone, iPad, Google Android smart phones and tablets) Needs addressed: Budget issues have been and will continue to be a huge issue for marketing communications and admission communications o Current methods of communication have a large print element Printing costs high Postage costs high o Serious consideration is being made to diminish the print element and look at digital communication strategies as the future prime method of communications However, the need to communicate to the market (future students) and current students is more important than ever o Communication needs Marketing information to future students Admissions information to prospective and current students Internal communications- student handbooks, employee handbooks (HR needs) Student information Course information Course or instructional packets Book store needs General administrative needs Market expectations for communication methods (Discussion) o Internet or Web Based o Mobile communications Strategy Technology

Summary Observations All participants agreed that digital communication strategies will be the dominant form of communication- that print and its related costs are on the wane Budget issues are forcing many to re-evaluate monies spent on print and postage- it is a key (if not the prime) reason for many to accelerate their research and implementation process towards digital communication strategies Market acceptance to digital communication methods is wide spread- all industry studies point to large scale adoption and utilization of smart phones and tablets in the near term future Web-based digital communication methods will most likely be the first stage of implementation Mobile digital communication methods will quickly follow- the quick and pervasive adoption of smart phones and mobile tablets by the marketplace offers a readily accessible communication channel that must be implemented quickly. There are many advantages to this approach. Challenges will be with administrative beliefs in legacy marketing methods (Who will be first? Who will suffer through the growing pains? Are we risking too much by abandoning existing communication methods? Are our assumptions and tactics correct?) The Coghlan Group 570 Asbury Street Suite 301 St. Paul, MN 55104 info@thecoghlangroup.com

Summary of findings 1) Century College Mark Vukelich and Ed Lube (CECT) Century College currently using a web-based digital publishing strategy (WebBook program) for all course catalog and course guide information o http://www.century.edu/currentstudents/default.aspx Six month usage metrics: 22,000 unique visitors 45,000 visitors 710,000 page views o Tremendous support from students, faculty and administration o Large cost savings (print and postage) Next steps o Implement a trial mobile application o Choose limited number of students and faculty o where class is being held now times and locations o Bookstore Ability to buy things at bookstore from phone o Discussed trying this out on group of students and teachers Demo app For course catalogs Registration guides Search for classes Download course instructional packs o Pursue demo for smart phones first o Overall- agreed mobile applications necessary component of the communication matrix o Possible next step Produce a demo app for the basics- course catalog, registration guides, campus map Let some of the student advisory group and some faculty/admin people try it for a few weeks and get feedback

2)Normandale- Geoff Jones and Matt Crawford Spending on printing and postage for marketing and admissions needs (maybe other depts.?) approaching $500,000 annually o Cost savings from a drastic reduction in these types of costs will meet the budget reduction demands and could allow some of the savings to be applied to improving internal operations Definitely examining how to use web-based communication methods and mobile devices to communicate to the students From a recent conference ( NCMPR- Natl Council of Marketing and PRKansas City) Top 10 things to provide to students via their mobile phones Course information Course schedule Campus maps Registration guides, Admission guides Registration information Financial aid information Safety information o Shooter alert, weather warning, e911 News Events Key need would be to readily access the MNSCU e-Services information from both web-based applications and mobile devices Continuing Education could use this process Internal needs Student handbooks HR- employee handbooks Student course instructional packs Robust reporting metrics available with digital communications would provide valuable feedback on the tactical effectiveness Disability accessibility Everything needs to be accessible

3) Minneapolis Community Technical College- Dawn Skelly o In the process of re-doing main web site May include a few .mobi pages

o Hasnt addressed need for other mobile communications techniques yet, but does see a possible need o After discussing how the iPad, iPhone and other smart phones and tablets work and seeing some other college applications- some ideas on how this might fit: First- the initial apps would probably have to be simple, relatively easy to implement and address a basic need Course catalogs Havent printed any for the last few years Only prints a few hundred for the counselors However- still must go through the process as it spells out the information and requirements needed for all the courses- used by the faculty, admissions, students and other needs There are many changes that occur to the course catalog o With an app it is easy to change information within the publication o Easy to refer to information in one publication rather than look for same info on multiple spots on line o Can set up the app to automatically download the updated version of the publication when the user accesses the apps Campus maps Another good application- something the students, prospects could easily use Book store Possible app for the eBook on line selling process o Just like the iTunes store- the user could view the titles and then buy and download the eBook into their smart phone or tablet This concerns the Textbook Exchange project (where students can exchange, buy or sell used textbooks) o Possible app that indicates the book inventory4 Course packs Possible application to have instructors load their course packs into a MCTC Course Pack app o Students could search on line and download for free

4)Doug Olson- Chippewa Valley Technical College Course packs

o Specific to the teacher of the course- sold in book stores- produced by copy department at the school. Problem is people when they sign up for courses dont know who the teacher is. Teachers have the option to teach the classes they want to teach (probably time, etc) thus the teachers arent assigned until later. The students dont know which teacher, so they wait until they find out, find out what course pack is required and then go to the bookstore. The bookstore could be sold out of course packs by that time Some discussions on textbooks from the course pack info Course catalogs Registration guides Course schedules Notifications (via texting function?) o Weather related o Attack or active shooter warnings o Faculty sick- class canceled o Class location moved Registration Financial aid information Campus maps or Wayfinding app Ability to text important o Had annual service that cost $16,000- too expensive dropped them Hard to email mass emails o Run afoul of spam barriers Reporting to board on the use of smart phones o The RCU (credit union) is seeing huge uptick in account access via smart phones (decline in web access) o Evidence of changing habits From the web to smart phones

5)Moraine Park- Judy Urban Judy, Jean and Kelly (Melissa Worthington is the supervisor) Why use an iPad? Why not just the laptop? - Wasnt clearly evident on the iPad Saw lots of people using smartphones They us Course Modules (which are the course packs in CVTC) They print them out (who does this?)

6)Hamline - Frank Hernandez and Kendra- Continuing Education for Educators Continuing Studies

$1.5 Million budget (must be amount of revenue they bring in??) Average per credit cost is $246 to $337 The dean wants more enrollment Information needs to be easy and quick Easy to search for courses Course descriptions Does this translate to Lowering costs Enrollment increase Need to address new group of teachers They more apt to do things on line (Are they more apt to do things with their smart phone? LOOK FOR EVIDENCE OF INCREASING SMART PHONE USE) Cant do email campaigns Email blasts run afoul of spam filters Wanted to know how to make people aware of the digital publication Not so sure about postcards Teachers get flooded with info Cak as an example- OT class stuff Anecdotal evidence that people still like the paper version Hamline sends this to school lounges- lays around on tables They have 9,000 names- that is the mailing Spending about $40,000 per year (3x) They are able to react quickly to the market needs- very nimble No certification requirements Can find someone to teach easily Recent Guidance Counseling class as an example They have no admission process (like the undergraduate colleges) Has a one page registration form in the paper catalog People still use it and send it in

7) Western Technical College-Amy Thorton Talked about study packets Similar ideas as others Expensive to copy/print Waste is problem Not sustainable Apps in general Tough budget currently Spends a lot (over $100,000 annually in print costs?) Large sustainability move Believes students would readily accept going to all digital Liked the University of Oregon concept 7

News Events Maps Course information Safety alerts