Updated technology in higher education can vastly improve the student’s and faculty’s experience. Historically, colleges and universities have always used a lot of paper, enough paper that could plaster classrooms and hallways.
Potential students would sign up for classes by walking into a building, choosing the courses from a thick paper roster or booklet, filling out several copies of paper forms, taking those forms to many different departments, and filling out more paperwork. Then they’d pay with more paper and signatures, all while interacting with employees face-to-face. Employees would then take the paper forms, fill out more documents, physically file them, and create paper records for every student and class every term. Instructors would get a paper roster with their students and their information. At the end of a semester, even final grades were posted on papers hung by a classroom or on an office door.
Schools used a ton of paper when there were no mistakes. However, they used even more if one or more documents had errors and they had to rewrite them again. In addition to consuming natural resources, each time someone filled in a form, it was a potential misstep waiting to erupt, thus requiring a new document with another set of papers. Each step relied on not having human error bumble the entire process.
The behind-the-scenes requirements of that age have changed. Gone are the days of only paper forms and colossal filing cabinets. Technology is increasingly eliminating the need for vast amounts of physical storage units. Technology has replaced outdated and cumbersome paper records with hard drives and cloud storage.
Moving from paper data storage to computerized storage is an obvious must in the 21st Century. And while we’ve come a long way, we at Full Stack Data Solutions can help your organization use technology effectively–to help save your organization space while improving information retrieval, redistributing the information more straightforwardly and cost-effectively, and reducing potential errors that prevent wasting valuable time, money, and human resources.
Today’s computers hold more information than stacked file cabinets filled with paper files. Simply put, documents occupy less space when they are in an electronic form verse their paper form counterparts. In fact, a USB drive smaller than the palm of your hand can hold millions of individual files. Imagine what a hard drive with individualized programs can hold and do for your organization. A university’s computer system that is optimized to the needs of a student body would not only take up less space than having all those files printed and stored on campus, but would reduce overhead and create space for other needed programs and departments.
Searching a computer database for a specific file is much easier than retrieving it from a storage room. And because accessing records is a daily occurrence in university life, freeing employee time and resources by enhancing retrieval allows for a more efficient overall operational structure. Its advanced search function makes it fast and easy to search for any document on a computer. This enables the user to find and locate a document using a specific word or phrase within it. No more searching through someone else’s filing system.
Policies change. Updated technology in higher education means being able to quickly revise documents and redistribute them to your employees and students. It is more accessible and cheaper when you can target and update the specific information that has changed within the document instead of redrafting the entire thing. Institutions can quickly send digital copies through mass emails, social media, and other online avenues.
With digital records, there are no wasted paper or printing fees. And faculty, staff, and students can see what you need them to see instantly.
Any record keeping has the potential for errors. Those errors, however, can be quickly spotted and fixed with modern technology. Computers have functions such as spell check, copy and paste, and formatting tools that help prevent mistakes before the document is saved and sent out. Grammar programs have come a long way in helping us humans from various backgrounds be more consistent in writing. Errors and policy changes can be quickly revised when updates are needed. Computerized records make finding and fixing inaccuracies as simple as pressing a few keys.
Some Universities may be apprehensive about switching to a digital filing system because they think it may be complicated. Anything new may feel like a massive undertaking. The truth of the matter is that updated technology in higher education is a must and, luckily, digital filing systems are easy to learn and operate. The most resistant paper-lover can find the support of a digital system to be quite a relief. Universities can outsource many tasks needed to switch from paper records to a primarily digital system to avoid bogging down their employees with additional short-term tasks. Although switching over might initially have a few inconveniences, the benefits will quickly outweigh the short-term hassles. Switching to computerized data storage is the first step to saving time and money so that the university can focus more on its students and community. Let us help your institution get the most out of the latest technology.
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