The video and IT literate generation has come of age, and this is particularly relevant to education; going digital is a necessary transition for today’s schools and universities. Students are accustomed to interacting with technology on a day to day basis with the majority of children having grown up with computer games, camera phones, music videos and You Tube. Video and images are increasingly their medium of choice for communication, so incorporating this into their school experience will help to engage them in the classroom, and improve their productivity.

The way information is consumed has and is continuing to change eg News 24 not News at 10. The newsletter email is no longer as effective: 75% are deleted without being opened according to one manager we spoke to. More is communicated on the fly in spare moments rather than at planned times through e.g email, twitter, iphones.

Following this trend, digital signage is also becoming ubiquitous. Educational establishments can choose to adopt it and use it effectively to improve and enhance their students’ learning experiences. Those that are less innovative are likely to get left behind and will have less to offer the individuals they teach.

The Education sector in the UK is enjoying huge investment with increased government funding for technology. As yet there is little investment in Germany or France but this is expected to change. There is considerable investment in US, and substantial investment in the Middle East where there is a large young population to be educated. In Australia and New Zealand where their economies are robust, there is also significant investment in schools and universities.

Why do schools and universities need digital signage aka School TV?

The simple answer is that we are all bombarded with information and schools and universities need to compete. Just as the blackboard had to give way to the interactive whiteboard as technology developed, now the noticeboard must be replaced by more contemporary technologies if schools are to be seen as stimulating modern places that are fun and exciting to work and learn in.

To compete with iPods, Twitter, text messages and the barrage of other messages hitting teenagers every minute, schools and universities need to use vibrant technology to reach students. This is where digital signage comes in.

A digital signage solution for education replaces static text and pictures with an eye-catching display that can incorporate moving images, video, TV, scrolling text and highlighted messages to create an impact. This effectively replaces the noticeboard and effectively creates ‘school or college TV’
Digital Signage can be used in education, from Primary Schools through to Higher Education establishments. Through the use of screens placed in reception areas, staff rooms, canteens and boarding houses Digital Signage is a proving an effective way to communicate to pupils, students, staff and guests. The majority of universities and higher education establishments in the UK now either have or are planning to install Digital Signage.

Some examples of how Digital Signage can be used in schools and universities include:

• Ensuring staff and students are up-to-date with latest information: e.g. schools can spend a lot of time printing class timetables, only to encounter confusion when classes printed in timetables are cancelled or rescheduled. While e-mail can be helpful, dynamic message boards, updated in real-time, help reach students who aren't near a computer.

• Fully customised branding to reflect the school’s image, particularly across a large site, enabling a school to stand out from other schools in an increasingly competitive environment where differentiation is critical. Accurate and consistent presentation of graphical and editorial elements (official logos and colour scheme, for example) to both internal and external audiences can be easily managed using a digital signage system.

• Emergency Overrides: the speed with which a digital signage network can disseminate information throughout a large school building can be literally a lifesaver should a serious emergency arise. Fire evacuations are just one example, when instructions must be conveyed quickly, clearly and with authority.

• Community Development: Traditional bulletin boards and printed posters cannot keep up. With a digital signage system, information can be communicated instantly across an entire site, replacing existing noticeboards with dynamic, eyecatching screens. Flat screens in a public environment are still a novelty, particularly in an educational environment, and by their use alone audience attention is captured. A digital signage network instantly informs students of speakers, sporting events, student achievements, class timetables, photos of school plays and out of school activities.

• Restaurant / Canteen Menus: Whether the students are standing in line or sitting down to eat, digital signage is a great way to catch attention and for example post daily specials in addition to the standard menu. It is also used to promote the Government’s campaign to encourage healthy eating.