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Next-generation printing: meeting student’s needs

Former Product Marketing Director
Technology is changing the world, education included. Increasing students’ expectations and requirements means the campus of today needs to be updated for the students of tomorrow. It’s timely to look at how educational organizations can manage their print environment on campus while supporting the changing needs of their students.
 

Campus changes

Today’s students are digital natives and expect more from their school or college. Technology must enhance and improve the learning experience, creating the best possible environment and conditions for students and staff to succeed.

Deloitte’s latest mobile survey shows how 18–24-year-olds are more at home with mobile technology than the rest of the population. There are a few ways in which campuses around the globe are harnessing the power of technology. These include different methods of studying, accessing course notes, submitting assignments, information alerts, accessing library materials, and choices for all these things.

Printing, printing, printing

Digital native students (and teachers too!) demand campus technologies run efficiently, conveniently and save time; this also applies to print and scan services. From assignments, class reports to 3D projects, printing remains a core requirement in the classroom. Print services need to work seamlessly. Students of the digital world expect educational bodies to offer modern technology that makes printing and related tasks more convenient.
 
However, printing on campuses can be restrictive for students. From limited access, complicated devices to poor print infrastructure, printing and scanning can be frustrating for tech-savvy individuals. They have come to expect an easy to use, digital and mobile experience like their banking, and dating apps. This is where we come in.

Supporting Education with Mobile Printing

Campus printing services are used by students and staff. Often, print services are provided to students on a pay-as-you-print basis. More and more, schools are using YSoft SAFEQ print management and document capture to update their print services to meet mobile printing requirements. Methodist Ladies’ College (MLC) in Australia is a good example.
 

“MLC needed a comprehensive print solution that complemented its
technologically-advanced approach to learning. This includes a comprehensive
1:1 laptop / iPad program for all students, making everybody in the
College mobile, and making access to printers through any device, anywhere, essential.”

James Berry, Corporate Services Director, MLC. 
(Read the full story here.)

Tips for modernizing print services in Education

8 ways to provide modern print services

In addition to providing mobile printing, SAFEQ increases security, costs and aids in reducing the environmental impact. This, in turn, helps schools stay focused on improving the learning experience.
 
Here are eight ways SAFEQ helps to manage print on the modern campus of today:

 

  1. Mobile App – Complimenting SAFEQ’s mobile print capability, the SAFEQ Mobile App enables students and staff to use any device to print and collect the print job in a contactless way.
  2. Print anywhere – Our secure print queue holds the documents until the student releases them at any printer. No more frustrated students or staff trying to find the correct printer or installing print drivers.
  3. Easy to use – It’s easy to choose what you want to print or scan, where and when it is wanted. Our scan workflows eliminate navigating through countless menu decisions before the scanning can begin.
  4. Easy to pay – For schools that opt to charge for print services, SAFEQ’s pay-for-print features for 2D and 3D printers include student accounts, Cash Desk accounting and reconciliation using a desktop application.
  5. Time for IT – With YSoft SAFEQ print management, your IT team can focus on the more important tasks that aid students’ learning experience. Reducing the number of servers needed, making your print scan solution user-friendly, and digitizing core processes, all increase productivity. No more crazy help desk calls, less maintenance and support; it is time IT got a break.
  6. Knowledge – about print service activity, that is. Print services can easily spiral out of control with zero visibility on how printers are being used and the costs associated with each printer and print job. YSoft SAFEQ Reporting provides fact-based usage information. This can identify underutilized devices, departments that are heavy users, any suspicious usage patterns, and cost reduction opportunities.
  7. Saving money and the planet - Printing can be one of the largest areas of unnecessary spending on campus, but one of the least tracked. Students and staff can produce high volumes of printing, some of which is wasted with forgotten or unnecessary print jobs. With Reports providing insight into all print activity on campus, administrators can optimize the print fleet, introduce cost-saving print rules and reduce waste. Introducing printing rules, such as double-sided or black and white printing, both cost and waste are reduced. You can also reduce the campus’s impact on the environment through the use of more energy-efficient devices and less wasted paper. No more unintentional printing.
  8. Go 3D – Using 3D printing in education has huge benefits, for both staff and students. BE3D eDee is a flexible 3D print management solution – designed for education – and the same SAFEQ that manages your 2D printers can do the same for 3D printers. No other print management system can offer this extensibility.

Your Assignment

We all know that nothing stays the same. Staying relevant to students and their educational needs is critical to a school’s mission, as is making life easier for your staff. Lifelong learning requires people not only to constantly learn new things but also to unlearn and relearn as the world changes. You can cultivate this ethos as part of your print environment. Enhance the student experience, optimize administrative processes and attract students with new innovations.
 
Find out how to meet the needs of the next generation of students today, get in touch to learn more.
Matthew Wrighton
Matt is a former product director of Y Soft. In that role, he led the product strategy and execution for YSoft SAFEQ, ensuring customer insights and our company’s strategy and goals are supported by those in product development. He's a family man with 3 children. He loves sports, both watching and participating, especially football. Outside of sports, he loves socializing and enjoying a nice glass of wine and good food.
View all posts by Matthew Wrighton

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