Digital signage is taking the world of education by storm. Learn how teachers and schools are using digital signage in real-world applications.
Schools are changing and evolving to add more functional elements to the classroom. Chalkboards, desks and charts are still a mainstay in the classroom, but there’s also been a massive change in recent years: digital signage in schools.
What is Digital Signage?
Digital signage is a combination of hardware and software that is easy to change and adapt to the classroom. For example, if there’s an emergency alert, administration can change the screens in the entire school within minutes, keeping students safe and parents informed.
A campus emergency alert can be displayed with critical information on what students and teachers should or shouldn’t do next.
Signage can use state-of-the-art graphics and interactive content management to allow teachers to use the screens for slideshows or something similar. Some digital signage solutions also offer turnkey integrations, with app compatibility to further boost the usefulness of the signage in the classroom.
If you’re thinking of using digital signage in your classroom, here are some clever ways to begin using digital signs on campus.
1. Assignment Instructions
Teachers can provide oral assignment instructions to their students, but there will always be a percentage of students who will miss the instructions. However, when the instructions are on a digital display, they can’t be missed.
Placing the signage in the front of the room can help you:
- Explain instructions
- List hours
In fact, teachers should add the most common questions that students have to the digital signage. You can instruct students that they shouldn’t talk and need to raise their hands if they have a question.
Teachers can save time and reduce reliance on paper instructions.
2. Display the Daily Schedule
Skip going to the copy machine and put the schedule right on the digital signage. Students need some sort of structure, and a daily schedule is a perfect opportunity to provide structure. Teachers only need to point to the screen when students ask about the daily or weekly schedule.
Signage can be an invaluable tool at the start of a school year and helps teachers remain sane by eliminating the common questions they’re asked day after day.
3. Make Announcements
Do you have to make routine announcements class after class? Not only do your announcements interrupt the class, but they’re often unnecessary. For example, if a student comes to class late, the teacher has to make the announcement again.
If students are absent on the day of the announcement, you’ll need to repeat the announcement again.
Often, a teacher will forget to tell absent students about the announcement, so they miss pertinent information. Instead, signage can be updated to provide announcements for:
- Exams
- Days off
- Project and essay writing due dates
- School events
- Welcome back, Etc.
Anytime you have something to say, add it to the announcement. Students can never say that they missed the announcement when it’s in the front of the class every day.
4. Recognize Achievements
Praise and achievements can go a long way toward keeping students engaged, hard-working and happy. You can add achievements, along with pictures, to the screen to praise students for their hard work.
For example, you can put achievements on the screen to:
- Show the most improved student
- Show the highest grade in the class
- Highlight superb test scores
- Much more
If you want to do away with the stars and praise students through achievements, it’s possible with digital signage.
5. Showcase Student Work
Did students just complete a major assignment? If so, you can showcase their work on the digital signage. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase delicious foods that students made in home economics or science projects.
The big screen is a motivator for students to give projects their all and truly reach their potential.
It’s not often that students try and put themselves in the spotlight, but when you showcase their work, they’ll work harder. For a teacher, showcasing a student’s hard work is a way to tell them that you’re proud of them and how hard they’ve worked all year.
Conclusion
Digital signage benefits schools because it can provide educational material and new ways for students to learn. Classroom collaboration can improve, and when used in multiple classrooms, signage can also encourage a feeling of community, which isn’t possible with just a standard chalkboard.
