Technology

In a recent article published in CIO Review, Bradley Fordham, Ph.D., Echo360’s CTO makes the case for breaking down technology silos in higher education.

There are many examples in other sectors where single, point solutions have morphed into integrated platforms. Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word is one example. Once the benefits of interoperability were understood, these individual products were combined into Microsoft Office. Even Facebook has evolved from a simple campus networking application to a social sharing, communication, media and advertising platform.

Is a similar evolution possible for higher education? The workflow that exists between teacher and student is very complex and it is not limited to the classroom. It bridges other departments involving student assessment, intervention, research, and more. It is an environment where interoperability and data sharing is critical to student success.

One example is lecture capture technology, which began as a single point solution for one-way, asynchronous training. But Dr. Fordham points out that forward thinking institutions are beginning to use the technology to integrate live streaming for students, with in-class learner data collection and analytics to identify and perform proactive interventions with students who may be at-risk.

Dr. Fordham offers up 4 ways in which point solutions can evolve into a practical platform for higher education:

  • When the needs of users converge
  • The drive towards interoperability and common standards
  • The sum is greater than the whole when the point solutions are combined, and
  • A demand for simple, easy to use solutions

To learn more, read his full article, From Point Solutions to Platforms: Breaking Down Technology Silos to Benefit Faculty in CIO Review.

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