Improving Accountability and Career Readiness with Student-Facing Technology
Student-facing technology purpose-built for career colleges fosters accountability and helps students learn the soft skills they need to succeed in their careers.
The “no phones” rule has been a staple in classrooms since phones became a staple in students’ pockets. Overall it makes sense—playing Angry Birds or scrolling through social media isn’t conducive to learning. But technology has changed in the years since the “no phones” rule took hold across schools. Mobile student portals empower students to learn time management and accountability for their progress while preparing them for a digital work environment and creating a world-class student experience.
Read on to learn how career colleges utilize student-facing technology to support students through their programs and help them excel in the workforce.
How Technology Improves Student Success Through Accountability
How often do your students ask administrators to look up their progress for them? And how often is the answer they get up-to-date?
Without a system that stores accurate attendance data with a student-facing portal, students are left in the dark—fostering dependency instead of accountability. With dependency comes excuses like “they never told me I was at risk” or “I wasn’t aware of my standing.” Excuses like these simply won’t fly in the workforce.
A high-quality student portal lets them see their progress in every aspect of their program, holding them accountable for their education. They can see if they’re falling behind on asynchronous hours or missing key practical skills required for graduation without seeking an update from a busy administrator.
Damon Fugett, Director of DeHart Technical School, has noticed an increase in student accountability and ownership over their education since implementing a student portal. Instead of students coming to him and blindly claiming that they have attendance discrepancies from months ago, students come equipped with their attendance records to prove they were indeed in class. He knows that the data is verified, accurate, and will reflect whether the student is correct or incorrect because his attendance solution feeds directly into the student portal.
When choosing a student portal, find one with a mobile application that allows students to easily access their records from anywhere. According to Damon, students enjoy seeing their time and attendance in a well-organized portal because they appreciate the sense of responsibility. When students have full visibility into awarded time and assessment grades, they take action to make sure they’re in class on time and not falling behind on hours and assignments.
Career colleges train students for fields that demand a high level of accountability. Helping students foster accountability early on will help them rise to the challenges of their future careers.
Using Technology To Teach Job-Ready Soft Skills
Students in every career-focused program—allied health, nursing, cosmetology, HVAC repair, plumbing, and others—will eventually have to learn some sort of tablet-based software. Whether it’s to track patient symptoms, schedule appointments, or manage a business, learning technology basics outside of games and social media is critical to success in the workforce.
Damon has seen a shift in how HVAC and plumbing shops manage their operations in the last decade. Instead of returning to the office after every call, employees use their tablets out in the field to manage business operations. To prepare for a mobile work environment, his students use CourseKey to manage their attendance, complete assignments, and communicate with instructors throughout their programs. He says once students are ready to graduate, they’re more tech-savvy and experience a smoother transition into the workforce.
Improving Outcomes Through Student-Facing Technology
When used with intention, technology is a benefit, not a distraction, fostering accountability and preparing students for their future careers.
If you’d like to learn more about how DeHart and career colleges across the country use CourseKey to improve student success, compliance, retention, and more, request a demo with a member of our team.
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