Administrators, faculty and IT organizations are actively looking for new and better ways to integrate technology into their environments. Over the next five years, we envision the Cloud, Integration, Big Data and the Internet of Things as having the most significant impact.
Due in part to security issues, some schools and universities have been a bit slower to “fly into the cloud,” but that is changing fast as more and more institutions are embracing the cost savings associated with the model. Many are using combinations of private and public server farms to dramatically increase their computing powers.
As they understand the full capabilities offered by the cloud, schools will love the ability to ramp up for peak times like enrollment and testing and then scale back during more normal times. In the past, everyone had to build for the worst case scenario and spend the money on equipment and software to support that scenario.
Now they can simply ramp up as needed and then scale back in the “rent as you go” model the cloud provides. This model may have the most significant impact on cash strapped educational institutions.
Education is realizing that by automating and integrating functions across departments and locations there are more opportunities for cost savings and efficiencies. Organizations in the future will automate and integrate things like IT Help Desk Support.
Tools that allow IT Administrators to support users from anywhere in the world via remote support are the wave of the future. To paraphrase a recent article form ATT, Workforce Collaboration that allows people to stay connected is a necessity in today’s rapidly evolving and geographically dispersed world.
Schools and universities are already using advanced workflow techniques to offer online education and they will advance these offerings in the future with online white boards, webinars, interactive videos and more. Distance learning will explode over the next five years.
Big Data (publicly accessible databases containing huge amounts of information) will allow both graduate students and second graders to access an incredible amount of information by simply asking for it. Today’s K-12 students are growing up with the ability to verbally ask for information that is delivered in seconds. Libraries will evolve into integrated learning centers with technology at their centers.
The Internet of Things and Advanced Robotics
The Internet of Things (the networking of physical objects that contain embedded technology) is already revolutionizing the world of manufacturing and health care. Intelligent devices are now embedded in everything from refrigerators to medical devices of all sizes and shapes.
Vendors who provide products and services to the education community are at work developing all kinds of intelligent gadgets and robots to enhance the education of the future.
As educators and administrators look to the future, they will embrace opportunities to integrated support functions like their IT Help Desk. They will add more distance learning capabilities, embrace the cloud and explore ways to exploit the Internet of Things and Robotics.