Community College Delivers Messages to Student Phones

At South Arkansas Community College, students won't have to wonder where their instructor is or when grades will be posted. Instead, they'll just check their phones.

This past year, more than 80 of the college's 1,200 students tested a mass notification system, and the rest of the students will be able to use it in the fall, said Terry Patterson, director of distance learning. They rarely check their school e-mail, or even their personal e-mail for that matter. Instead, they're reading text messages, sending pictures and tweeting on their smart phones.

And to meet these digital natives where they are, the college decided to communicate with them by texting or calling.

“If you’re going to retain students, if you’re going to keep them engaged, the only way to do that is really to look at what technology is in their hands right now," Patterson said. "And the technology that’s in their hands right now is mobile.”

By integrating Blackboard Connect with their Blackboard Learn e-learning system, SouthArk instructors send messages to students who sign up for notifications via e-mail, text or voice. They send messages to the entire class, but also send individual messages to students. For example, if they've missed a lot of classes that semester, the instuctor lets them know they need to come see him.

Instructors use the notification system for different things, including posting grades and announcements, canceling class or letting students know they're running late. They like the system because they say that sending a text message is more personal than sending a professional e-mail, Patterson said. And the students like knowing what's going on.

SouthArk serves the impoverished Delta region along the Mississippi River, and many of the students worry about being able to feed their families. But through the notification platform, instructors help them stay engaged and focused on their education.