Creating Connected Campuses with Digital Signage
The average number of students on an American college campus is 6,354. Add a couple hundred staff members at minimum, and the average footfall of a college campus is no less than 6500 people!
If you’re trying to reach these people, you’ll have to think of a creative way to:
- Ensure information reaches everyone
- Capture their attention and retain it
- Share critical information in real-time in case of emergencies and threats
So, how can you do this? With digital communications solutions.
Whether you’re looking to streamline internal communication or create more interactive campus experiences, digital communication can transform everyday operations on campus.
Let’s see how below!
1. Student and staff communication
Communicating with staff and students can be challenging in large campus areas. Posters, notice boards, and emails work — but they have major drawbacks. The biggest one is real-time communication.
With traditional signage, real-time communication isn’t even a possibility. Besides, posters and paper signage are also hard to replace with every new update, and take time and manual labor. On the other hand, emails often get buried in a sea of other messages. And there’s really no way to surface or escalate important ones.
With digital signage, you can resolve these issues easily. Firstly, you can use digital signage to show important messages on screens to keep students and staff alert. These can be exam updates, new milestones, semester registrations, and more.
Besides being a more effective real-time communication medium, it also captures 400 times more views than static signage. This way, your students are less likely to miss any updates or emergency messages in case of threats.
2. Registration and queue management
Registration can be a tedious process — for your staff and students.
For your staff, manually registering students for a new class or event is a long process. Even worse when there are hundreds of students waiting!
What you can do instead is use digital displays to streamline the process. Picture this: You’ve mounted display screens across high-traffic areas like entrances, cafeterias, and hallways. You share QR codes along with a message to initiate action. Something like “Scan this QR code to register for the Annual Spring Event!”
Besides helping your students register effortlessly, this process also reduces long queues, preventing heavy crowding or congestion. It’s quick, it’s effective — it works!
3. Interactive wayfinding
Stating the obvious, but university campuses are huge. For new students, faculty, and visitors, finding their way can be incredibly confusing. Even worse — Some might even miss important lectures or meetings trying to find their way.
This is a common problem on campuses, but there is a solution. Introducing — interactive kiosks for simplified wayfinding. These touchscreen displays are like mini-guides around your campus.
When students or visitors enter their destination, they’ll get clear-cut directions to reach their destination. This way, your users can follow the pointers and landmarks to reach their location. L Squared offers interactive wayfinding solutions to simplify wayfinding for students and staff.
Additionally, digital maps are a great way to showcase the blueprint of your campus. You can highlight hotspots and landmarks like libraries, cafeterias, event halls, and conference rooms in one vibrant, large screen.
4. Dynamic digital walls
Educational experiences are more than what students learn in the classroom. Most students would highlight that community building and cultural activities are amongst their strongest school/college memories.
So, how can you foster a solid campus community for your institution? Perhaps digital walls are the way to go.
Digital walls are multiple screen setups mounted on a wall. They are used to showcase dynamic content to create vivid and engaging experiences. Here are some use cases for your campus:
- Welcome boards: You can set the right tone for a new academic year by featuring welcome messages and upcoming events on dynamic displays. A simple message like “Welcome class of 2024!” creates a friendly yet professional feel on campus.
- History and heritage: Showcasing your institute’s heritage is a great way to build a sense of oneness among students. Showcasing brand colors, logos, and alumni creates a strong brand image that students feel they belong to.
- Donor walls: Donor walls allow you to showcase donations and acknowledge contributions. They foster a strong sense of community and help promote ongoing initiatives, while also encouraging investors to donate more.
5. Auditorium and classroom experience
One of the biggest use cases of digital signage is in lecture halls and auditorium theaters. With high-tech digital surroundings, you’re equipped to host large crowds and events to stream conferences, milestones, and ads strategically.
Digital signage also makes it possible for virtual speakers and guests to attend meet-ups and participate online. For instance, solutions like L Squared integrate with video conferencing tools seamlessly so you can stream high-resolution video and audio.
6. Emergency readiness
Digital signage can be a game-changer in how schools and colleges prepare for and respond to emergencies. These include high-alert situations like natural calamities, security threats, or healthcare crises.
With a few clicks, you can switch from your current signage to broadcast emergency alerts, guiding staff and students with real-time instructions. You can broadcast evacuation routes, safety protocols, and safety shelters to ensure all your students and staff are safe.
Tip: You can also use audio to support your visual signage to capture attention and guide everyone to safety faster.
Final thoughts
Digital signage is a game-changer in creating more interactive and student-friendly campus experiences. If you’re looking for some pointers to get started, we’ve got you.
- Identify strategic areas: The most viable way to start is in high-traffic areas like entrances, lecture halls, and cafeterias. Install digital boards that display daily campus news, event schedules, and important announcements to streamline communication.
- Increase student engagement: Map out areas where digital signage can make the most impact. For example, promoting student clubs and on-campus drives on digital displays is a great way to get eyeballs and boost student engagement. This not only keeps the content fresh but also fosters a sense of ownership and community.
- Get continuous feedback loops: You can install interactive kiosks where students and faculty can give instant feedback regarding on-campus services. This ensures continuous improvements and shows that you value their input.
Using digital signage doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right solution and the right steps, you can make your campuses smarter and more connected — creating a space that educates, engages, and empowers.
