How can a mobile app help improve the student experience?

There is an expectation among students that their university will provide them with information using technology that they are comfortable with. Combine this with estimates of 62 million smartphones in the UK by 2015, it is clear that the mobile app is a technology that most students will be comfortable with and have access to. It is important to note that a mobile app is often an additional service rather than a replacement, as available information can also be accessed via different methods if needed, i.e. via the web or on campus.

Access to information is a huge incentive when considering a mobile app. The Open University recently won The Guardian University award for its app that allows students to access course information, materials and even textbooks using their mobile app wherever they are. Other universities, such as Manchester Metropolitan University, allow their professors to provide their students with access to teaching material and support resources, such as reading lists, online articles, audio and video clips, etc., using the mobile application of their university wherever they are.

All university mobile apps provide slightly different core information, but the basics are usually a combination of hours, campus maps, staff contact details, a library search option, and event notifications. Each one helps the student discover what she wants to know without having to search for a PC/laptop or come to campus, helping to ensure that the student can participate whenever and wherever she wants.

A mobile app also opens up additional possibilities for student engagement with universities such as Manchester Metropolitan University, allowing students to access chat rooms and discussion forums. Therefore, students can continue discussions outside of the classroom, without having to be on campus. Staff are also usually active in these chat rooms/discussion forums, providing advice and answering questions. Queens University’s NPulse mobile app allows students to ask live questions, hold class discussions, record lectures, and even rate their classroom experience in real time. Having this kind of live online environment, which includes both staff and students, helps improve student engagement in and out of the classroom and enhances the student experience.

Some colleges have added something different by providing information that isn’t necessarily focused on their studies, but still benefits the student experience. The University of Oxford’s Mobile Oxford provides information on travel and events within the city, while others, such as the University of Westminster’s iWestminster, allow students to find each other using GPS.

Something that has already been touched on (but bears repeating) is how the information is presented. A mobile app allows a university to choose what information it displays, as well as adapt the layout to suit the student. These two aspects are very useful in helping to improve the engagement between the university and the student, since only information focused on the student is made available.

This article has focused on current students, but the mobile app can also be helpful in attracting future students, as it provides an opportunity to get acquainted with student events and the community before becoming a student at the university. In addition to prospective students, you can also target alumni to keep them informed about news and events, as well as a way to keep in touch with each other. A good example of this is Aberystwyth’s AberWorld.

more comments

Clearly there are potential benefits to having a university mobile app, particularly the positive impact it can have on student engagement. One of the first thoughts is likely to be the cost, whether it be time or money (or both!). However, as The Guardian article highlights, the cost and time involved are not necessarily as great as you may think and the potential benefits are surely worth the time and investment.