How Do I Implement Digital Education in my Institution?

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Regarding educational institutions, the ideal situation is that all considerations revolve around the student: having teachers who provide the highest quality education, comfortable and adequate facilities, and relevant resources to the student’s academic needs, among others. The goal is to enrich their educational journey so that, from the beginning of their professional careers, students have all the necessary tools to make the right decisions that positively impact society and its future. Therefore, institutions must consciously put all their efforts into the well-being of their students.

Students must learn to use the latest platforms, hardware, software, etc., to stay updated in this vast digital world. Therefore, most educational entities must continuously update themselves to learn about new technologies and eventually decide to integrate them into their curricula. Adopting them entails a whole process that impacts students and the entire educational community.

However, technology must be used with its objective in mind. When we acquire a new device, such as a cell phone, we know we need it because we want to keep in touch with colleagues, family, and friends. Then, we choose a model according to our preferences: we may want an excellent camera to take pictures; perhaps we want a larger screen or a cheaper phone, among other features. The purpose is to meet our needs, and for most people, acquiring a mobile device is also a significant expense.

The last example is similar to educational technologies implemented in schools, where, like cell phones, choosing a new technological tool to integrate into the curriculum requires defining the institution’s needs and then deciding among the wide range of technologies that best suits its vision; otherwise, if a tool is simply acquired because it is a novelty or thinking “all schools have it,” it may end up unused and an economic loss.

Maribell Reyes, who works in the Vice Rectory of Educational Innovation and Academic Regulations area at Tecnologico de Monterrey, draws upon her experience to propose six tips to implement a relevant Digital Education (DE) plan successfully:

Six Tips to Implement a Successful Digital Education Plan

Define the main reason for incorporating DE into the institution. The objective must be clear and related to the academic entity’s vision and values.
Know the objectives and what will be achieved by integrating the tool within the educational entity, which should be directly related to the first tip.
Specify the human resources (experts who will facilitate and manage the technology) and the required materials (facilities, furniture, software, etc.) to implement the DE correctly.
Consider that this change entails training and preparing the personnel who will carry out these modalities, and assembling the corresponding team in charge of supporting and providing instructional advice for didactic strategies.
Align all entities. Implement change management campaigns throughout the university community about introducing the new tool. Faculty, schools, and technological areas must work together to achieve the institutional objective.
Define and prioritize an action plan that indicates where you will start and begin developing everything necessary to reach the final goal.

Note that the first tip is crucial for introducing a new technology; otherwise, their presence at an institution would not make sense. Despite how complicated it may be to understand and adopt new technologies, institutions must look ahead and prepare for everything that follows the selection of a new tool.

Digital Education has come to stay, and there is no turning back. However, academic institutions’ purpose remains to provide their students with the highest educational quality to develop professionally in their chosen areas.

For more information about Digital Education, consult the IFE Insights report, Digital Education in Universities: A Comprehensive Implementation Guide, which you can download by clicking here. The IFE Insights are a series of reports developed by the Observatory for the Future of Education aimed at educational decision-makers. They are dedicated to exploring different educational topics and trends. Expect more editions soon!

Translated by Daniel Wetta