If you're in charge of optimizing your school or university's print environment, you might wonder whether it's worthwhile to pivot to a fully digital learning model.
Especially since the pandemic, educational institutions have leaned more on cloud based digital learning platforms for everything from homework to syllabi to report cards.
Yet, schools are still printing. As one of the major industries that still relies on printed materials for various purposes, it's here to stay--at least to some degree.
If you're wondering about the true value of printing in education, and how it measures up to modern clous platforms for effective learning management, here's your guide to digital vs printed materials in schools.
Do Educational Institutions Still Need To Print?
Despite the digitization of the education system, there are still many applications of print for both K-12 and higher education institutions. Some common materials that instructors still print regularly include:
- Instructional materials
- Tests and other assessment materials
- Adminstrative documents
- Communication materials
- Special event flyers, newsletters, etc
Schools may also rely on printing for things like medical records, permission slips, or certificates such as diplomas. For this reason, printing must be treated as a given in any non-remote educational setting.
Because of this, it's not a matter of if schools need to print, it's a question of how much, how often, and what capacity they will need to print. Some of these details to iron out when deciding on your print strategy include:
- Print volumes by department
- Necessary print speeds
- Types of prints (ie. color posters, monochrome worksheets, etc)
- Size format needs
- Scanning needs
- Extra features like stapling, folding, etc.
How Do Digital Lesson Materials Measure Up to Printed Worksheets?
Although printing is a fact of life when considering the education system, digital learning has grown in popularity as well. Many schools offer tablets and other devices to loan to each student to complete schoolwork at home, and parents can often access things like report cards online.
In terms of instructional materials, there are many benefits and drawbacks of digital learning to consider.
Benefits of Digital Learning
Digital learning has solidified a place in most school systems due to greater accessibility, efficiency, and easier oversight by teachers. Some common benefits that lead teachers to gravitate towards cloud based learning platforms offering digital lessons, games, assessments, and more include:
- Easier organization
- Easy to assign & track homework and assessments
- Grading on-the-go
- Easy to edit
- Eco-friendly
To learn more about how K-12 schools and colleges are leveraging cloud tools to enhance learning, check out our blog: 5 Ways Colleges and Universities Can Use Cloud-Based Communication
Drawbacks of Digital Worksheets
Along with the perks of modern technology, you will often lose out on the traditional, tangible benefits of assignments, activities, and assessments delivered on paper hard copies. Some issues you could run into with digital learning include:
- Data security concerns
- Lessened ability to teach handwriting skills, especially without touch screen devices.
- Expensive & complicated device management
- Greater risk of cheating
The emergence of AI and its accessibility to a tech-savvy generation of learners has also created the issue of academic integrity. Copying and pasting generative AI responses to assignments is an issue for schools offering devices with internet access to students.
Even with controls in place, it's much easier for students to cheat with AI for e-learning assignments on smart devices than it is for them to do the same with written assignments.
Benefits of Educational Printing
Although e-learning has its place in the learning environment, printing is still necessary for developing many different unique skills. Some of the benefits of investing in your school's print capabilities include:
- Ability to teach proper handwriting skills
- Tangible worksheets teach responsibility
- Physical flyers or reminders are harder to miss
- Cloud printing simplifies document security & reduces waste
- New devices are more cost-effective than older models
If you're curious how schools are saving their print budgets and protecting data with modern technology, read our blog: 5 Ways Cloud Print Management Can Save Schools Time & Money
Drawbacks of Educational Print Management
Printed materials, although a traditional method, are not without their flaws. Many of the common issues with printed materials inspired their digitized counterparts, such as concerns for sustainability and organization. Some negative aspects of printing in schools include:
- Greater risk of misplaced homework or assessments
- Need for teachers to carry and organize printed materials
- Less eco-friendly
- Outdated print environments can be costly
- Abandoned prints create toner and paper waste
- Unresponsive or unhelpful print services for education can slow down operations
- High upfront costs for printer purchases
If you're concerned about the price of buying vs leasing printers, check out our blog: To Lease or Not To Lease: Here Are Your Options When Your Copier Lease Ends
How to Find Managed Print Services for Educational Facilities
School administrators also debate the traditional vs digital learning issue for tools like SMART boards vs regular chalk and dry-erase boards, which you can read about here.
As technology advances, there are bound to be modern technologies that challenge traditional teaching and learning methods. However, you don't have to be left behind if you stick to tried-and-true practices like printing.
If you're curious how printing in the digital age can enhance your learning environment, staff experience, and budget efficiency, click the button below to speak with a managed print professional.
