Tech stack creep is a real worry many institutions have today. Many colleges and universities are incredibly eager to adopt the latest technologies for their students. They’re aware that they’re catering to a digital generation that is up-to-date with the latest technology offerings and excited about what they can accomplish with it.
Unfortunately, that can quickly lead to tech stack creep: the steady rise in the number of apps students are expected to use regularly. While this can offer some advantages, including making access to many of the tools students need easier than ever, it can also offer some challenges.
The Problems Associated with Tech Stack Creep
Your tech stack is the “stack” of tools, including apps, programs, and platforms, that your students use regularly. It includes student email, school apps, and any specific apps and programs used for the classroom, including platforms like Blackboard and Canvas. Tech stack creep occurs as you steadily increase the number of tools that students are expected to use regularly.
Tech stack creep can pose several issues for students.
Students may struggle to adopt multiple technologies at the same time.
A student who started using the school app and Blackboard or Canvas successfully in their freshman year might have no problems adopting additional apps one at a time as the year goes by. An incoming freshman, on the other hand, might struggle to adopt multiple new platforms simultaneously. There’s a learning curve associated with each new platform or app students are expected to use, no matter how intuitive it might be. The more apps and tools you add, the harder it becomes for students to use any of those tools effectively, especially in their early years. It’s also important to note that many college students are adapting to additional challenges in their early years, from learning how to be more independent to juggling a job alongside school–and with multiple challenges in front of them at the same time, students may end up suffering significant barriers to learning and success.
Students may struggle to juggle all the platforms they’re expected to use.
Teacher A prefers to use Blackboard alone to communicate. Professor B, on the other hand, wants students to communicate entirely through email–while Adjunct C wants students to schedule an appointment during his office hours (using a virtual scheduling system unconnected to any platform used by the university) to discuss any problems they might have in person.
For students, this can quickly become overwhelming. At the beginning of each semester, they have to learn a new range of tools and preferences to communicate effectively with their professors and classmates. When an emergency does come up, whether it’s a lack of understanding over the latest project or a personal problem that requires an extension on a deadline, students may struggle to get in touch with the right individuals to address those challenges. Which platform did Professor B use, again? Why isn’t Adjunct C answering his email? The larger the tech stack grows, the harder it can be for students to use any of the platforms effectively.
Pronto Can Help
Using the wrong apps and platforms can make it difficult for students to adopt and communicate through the technology options available on campus. Using the right platform, on the other hand, can make a huge difference–and Pronto could offer the solution you need.
Pronto is an all-in-one communication option
It allows you to easily and effectively communicate in a variety of ways, from sending out classroom-wide (or even campus-wide) announcements to hosting video chats. You can allow students to communicate with one another in either small groups or larger groups. It makes meetings and even classroom sessions as simple as possible. Students don’t have to learn how to use multiple platforms, because they have Pronto at their fingertips.
Pronto integrates seamlessly with the platforms your students are already using
It’s designed to integrate with Canvas and Blackboard, two of the most popular platforms across college and university campuses. That makes it simple for students to quickly and easily access the information they need most when they need it–and to transfer back and forth between features offered by Pronto and the content on Canvas or Blackboard.
Avoiding tech stack creep is critical for your campus and your classrooms. Pronto gives you a communication option that will not require you to add on more features and platforms with each year that passes. Contact us today to schedule a free demonstration of our app and learn more about how it can transform your classroom communication experience.