The Mobile World Students Live In

Millennials saw the rise of digital mobile communication and for a while everyone wanted the smallest pocket sized phone that did all the basics and didn't take up too much space. Around the year 1998 (it's debatable but exact year isn't really relevant), Gen Z was born. By the time they hit junior high, mobile phones had changed a lot. Now they've emerged on college campuses and as young contributors to the work force, and the world within their phones sometimes makes their parents and other wonder if they're shallow or simply running on autopilot. But turns out, we were so wrong. 

Brain Storage In The Palm of Your Hand

One big thing that's changed about mobile phones is the screen size. The little flip phones of millennial college students have been exchanged for larger screens and stylus pens. This means we can interact with our mobile devices in a lot more ways. We can write, scribble, draw, talk, and take video. Essentially it's extra storage for our brains. We never have to forget another thing because we can dump it right out of our brains and into a searchable, ready to save, database that is accessed with the touch of a button. 

Social Media and LMS Integration 

Most schools have some kind of learning management system, or LMS. This is a place where students often participate in class discussions, especially for online learning. Groups on social media managed by the college can provide more opportunities for busy students to get involved with the school. Which seems more likely- A student responding to a post on social media, or a student expressing physical interest in something unprovoked? The two can work together! Social media integration can help engage students in real life and increase communication between students, professors, and even administrators.

Use Modern Technology to Your Advantage 

You don't have to be content to watch the zombie faces of your students as they shuffle around campus appearing chained to their mobile devices. Get involved in the vast universe that's happening inside those phones and learn to use these devices to communicate better, smarter, and more effectively. 

For information on how to best draw in potential students and grow your university's brand, contact us here at Furman Roth Advertising. We're happy to help!

University Apps: a Campus in Your Pocket

Time magazine recently proclaimed smartphones "the new backpacks.”  Indeed, with note-taking apps, recording apps, and research apps, today’s college student likely feels as naked as a campus streaker without his or her smartphone.  Nearly gone are the days of massive physical textbooks and backpacks bulging with papers.  

While some voices of academia continue to bemoan the ever-presence of technology in the classroom, universities have begun to embrace the medium of smartphone apps.  They can range from simple homework and grading platforms (think “Blackboard” to go), to university-wide social media sites.  In some cases, the social media apps are too popular among co-eds: Florida A&M’s app “Yeti – Campus Stories,” has recently come under fire for a lack of regulation of explicit sexual content, including an assault.  

Of course, plenty of campus apps find a balance between the cachet of a social component and the functionality of a class component. Many universities have successfully cultivated a smartphone presence, offering the benefits of a campus community with pocket-size portability. Here are a few worth noting: 

University of Virginia: UVA’s “The Good Old App” employs “augmented reality technologies,” in order to create a comprehensive experience for users.  Users on campus can tap into restaurant listings, directions, and even security escorts back to the dorm.  Arguably the coolest feature is that you can snap a photo of a building or landmark on campus and receive information about it.   
 Ohio State University: The Buckeyes were early on the trend, and their mobile app has, for years, offered all sporting event information, course communication, campus announcements, and a photo sharing feature that has become popular for alumni across the globe. 

MIT: As you might imagine, for a school that offers courses in app creation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology has an expansive app that provides the usual services (courses, restaurants, announcements), but also offers a self-guided campus tour, top news, and access to campus librarians and maintenance help.  

Harvard University: Harvard actually has a slew of mobile apps, from the standard campus app, to Harvard Virtual Tour, to the Arboretum Explorer (featuring plant identification tools), to Shoestring Strategies, a budgeting app created by Harvard undergraduates.  Ever the overachievers!  

…And there are many more.  It’s worth a quick search to find if your current academic home or alma mater offers an app of its own.