Uses Of Sms In The Education Sector

SMS messaging has been used to great effect by an ever increasing number of businesses

across a range of sectors, with companies finding that such a service can help streamline their customer service and marketing operations. But did you know that web-based SMS services can also be of great use for educational institutions ranging from universities and further education colleges to nurseries and primary schools?

One of the great benefits that SMS offers is the way in which it helps to facilitate fast and effective communications between an organisation and its stakeholders. In the case of schools, such stakeholders include teachers, governors, parents and pupils. SMS can offer a more successful means of communication with these stakeholders than conventional telephone or e-mail methods. Not only is SMS instantaneous, it's also widely accessible, with almost every adult and a significant proportion of children having access to their own mobile phone. Furthermore, research has shown that text messages are more likely to be read than e-mails, meaning there's a greater chance that your important information will be seen by the affected parties.

This can be very useful in a range of different situations. With pupils, SMS can be used to help children stay on top of their schedules by sending out reminders of tutor appointments and special events. It can also be used to notify pupils of unexpected room changes, helping to avoid disruption to the school day. SMS could even be used to communicate exam results, thus sidestepping the crush and confusion of results day.

With parents, messages could be sent to notify them of upcoming tuition payments, school performances and inset days. SMS also offers a more discrete form of communication, meaning that working parents won't have to interrupt a meeting to receive a phone call from the school. For teachers, SMS can be used much in the same way as it is used to communicate with employees in other organisations. Whether it's used to alert staff to problems on the school's IT network or remind them about upcoming training days, SMS can help foster a more effective working relationship between the school and its staff.

SMS can be used to effectively deal with unexpected situations as well. While it would be difficult to inform parents and pupils of unexpected closures in a timely manner via email or telephone, using bulk SMS would ensure an instant update. Furthermore, schools can keep tabs on truancy by texting parents about absences in school.

It's also important to note that these functions are useful for institutions above the primary and secondary school, especially in the case of universities where students have a much more multi-faceted relationship with the organisation. Whether it's the academic department, careers service or welfare office, SMS can keep students engaged with the various services that help young adults get the most out of their university experience.

Overall, SMS has a wide range of applications for the education sector and should form a critical part of any educational institution's communication strategy. Not only is it fast, targeted and accessible, it's also cost effective when compared with services that rely on phone or mail, meaning SMS represents an easy way to save time, money and effort.

by: Lisa Hall

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