3 Reasons COVID-19 Should Spur Digital Transformation in Education

At the end of 2019, college presidents were asked what they saw as the greatest challenges for higher education in 2020 and the results are fascinating given the way the year has gone. Although none of the responders knew just how drastically 2020 would change higher education, their responses still reflect the most valid concerns in the industry – digital transformation.

It’s become clear that COVID-19 has effectively become the “tech tipping point” for higher education, and although the current educational landscape poses significant challenges, it also offers unparalleled opportunities to develop long-term digital transformation and new strategies in academia.

The current educational landscape provides colleges and universities with the opportunity to evolve the traditional education model into one that not only addresses their short-terms needs, but also helps tackle the biggest challenges in education – including affordability, student-centric learning, and adult studies.

Making education more affordable

For many students, the cost of higher education prevents them from attending a traditional learning institution. With a world-wide closure of educational institutions, it’s time for college administrators to take a look at how eLearning programs can improve accessibility for more students.

A successful eLearning program requires an infrastructure that can support the various ways students and instructors interact–a screen full of text or a recorded lecture will simply not engage students. Furthermore, no matter how affordable an eLearning platform might be, if it does not engage the student, it will not be cost-effective. The most successful eLearning platforms will provide:

• A virtual classroom, which includes features such as a whiteboard, live class recording and the ability to run PowerPoint presentations or videos.
• Enough storage to allow instructors to upload all materials at one time so students can learn at their own pace.
• The ability for instructors to personalize instruction without impact to the primary course content.
• Tests and assessments that allow professors to create exams in different formats, including multimedia exams.
• Mobile capabilities that allow learners to participate from any location using mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets.

No matter what platform or tools an institution chooses to use, colleges and universities need to shift their focus to how, when, and where students learn to be truly effective in today’s virtual world. Much like how digital transformation takes a look at the customer journey, institutions need to focus on how students navigate their way from initial contact through graduation and beyond.

Providing student-centric learning through graduation and beyond

The most pervasive barrier to a student-centered approach is the existing culture at most institutions of higher learning. Faculty are focused on what the student needs to know, not on how the student wants to learn that information.

Colleges and universities should evaluate what steps they can take to meet student needs. For example, finding ways to optimize course schedules can make it easier for students to enroll in high-demand courses that are required for graduation. While offering core classes at 1:00 pm twice a week makes it impossible for adult learners to participate, providing a blend of in-person and online delivery methods makes it easier to juggle work or family schedules.

Furthermore, students need help when it comes to providing assistance with a course or deciding which class to take. With today’s limited in-person resources, finding help with degree programs and graduation requirements can be frustrating for students. Developing a tool that can help students map out their degree program, plan out their schedules and monitor their progress towards graduation – and allow them to access it as needed – can help keep students on track while providing the comprehensive experience that they want.

Georgia Southern University is a good use case of how to use online learning tools. By collecting data from an online learning system, Georgia Southern was able to predict a final passing grade with 82 percent accuracy at mid-term and with 87 percent accuracy by week 16. Armed with this data, the university plans to allocate resources to improve graduation rates.

Bridging the gap between colleges and continuing education

Adult learners and working professionals don’t always have the flexibility in their lives to attend traditional classes, but they represent a largely untapped market for higher education institutions.

Traditional four-year institutions have tried to address adult students’ needs without much success, offering credits for prior work or military experiences, developing weekend-only degree programs, and providing childcare services. The most successful have been online programs such as Southern New Hampshire University and Western Governors University, which offer highly-flexible degree programs.

Faced with a changing landscape in higher education, institutions should rethink how to create an environment that is more conducive to the lifestyle of working students. In other words, higher education institutions must work with corporate partners to design learning environments that benefit both the employer and the employee.

Many employers offer some type of educational benefit to attract and retain employees. For example, employers are more accepting of micro-credentials as an educational option, especially in industries where a labor shortage exists. For many, the competency is of more value than the degree, and this is something higher education institutions should note. By using micro-credential classes as building blocks to a more formal degree, universities can establish relationships with adult learners that go beyond a single course and create pathways for adult students to acquire industry-specific certifications that can be leveraged toward a degree.

Another option is to create an experiential learning option that builds on existing work experience and incorporates existing on-the-job opportunities. For adult learners, internships, apprenticeships, and capstone projects are separate assignments that require time away from family and work.

Experiential learning allows students to incorporate their work engagements into an academic assignment. Rather than an added requirement, this option lets students identify opportunities in their work environment that can provide academic credit. This form of learning is far easier in today’s connected environment, where technology can link work and education seamlessly. For example, they can offer online classes that allow content to be delivered to a student’s phone or computer during working hours. With the right technology, institutions can offer educational solutions that are more attuned to their working students’ needs.

The current pandemic presents a huge opportunity for higher education to transform itself in response to changing learning environments. As colleges and universities look to the future, creating the right digital strategy will enable instructors to provide a learning experience that better aligns with student needs.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

DXpedition
Icom Powers 3Y0K : Ham Radio’s Most Ambitious DXpedition to Remote Bouvet Island Part 1
July 11, 2025

Bouvet Island sits at the edge of the world. It is frozen, uninhabited, and almost impossible to access. Fewer people have set foot there than in space. That level of remoteness is exactly what makes it so valuable to amateur radio operators. The island ranks tenth on ClubLog’s list of Most Wanted DXCC entities,…

Read More
entrepreneurial success
The Hidden Key to Entrepreneurial Success: Build Momentum Through Personal Branding and Authentic Networking
July 10, 2025

What if the biggest pivot of your career started with a conversation?  In this episode of Professional Quotient, host Jason Winningham welcomes Fanny Dunagan, CEO and Content Strategist of PathLynks, LLC. Fanny shares her journey from high-pressure consulting in Singapore to founding her own media and branding company — and why learning to network…

Read More
Q2 2025
RM Q2 2025 Wrap Up
July 9, 2025

Rogue Marketing continues to lead with intention in a space often driven by noise. Q2 2025 reflected a strategic focus on substance, where each initiative supported long-term brand growth. The team transformed internal recognition efforts into enduring brand assets and refined event strategies through immersive, results-driven experiences. Website launches during the quarter balanced visual…

Read More
amateur radios
Hamvention Spotlight: Emergency Preparedness Led PrepHam Paul to Amateur Radios and a Rising Voice in the Field
July 9, 2025

PrepHam Paul (K5VLP) celebrated his first visit to Dayton Hamvention by marking a major channel milestone. He hosted a giveaway of the  IC-2370B mobile radio from Icom to thank viewers for helping him reach 10,000 subscribers. His passion for emergency preparedness, rooted in his experience as an Eagle Scout and later studies in emergency management,…

Read More