Adapting a school management system is essential for schools nowadays. Parents are generally busier and making affairs with the school (which are numerous) a problematic consideration. Coordinating all the functions of a school by consolidating all information that needs to be accessed instantly is vital to keep the school running as much as helping achieve the goals in educating children. The demands on a school has mounted a lot. Even transport schedules should be shared with busy parents. Case studies of school administrators and swim school owners yielded problems when they adapted school management systems the wrong way. Here is an enumeration of the issues and how to address them.
- Considering Cost Alone: The adage “you get what you pay for” holds in technology products. What is more critical in selecting a school management software is the goal in getting one in the first place. If the bidding process considers Cost alone, one should expect that the least costly ones have: many limitations, are hard to use, lack support for the long term, and would probably be antiquated. With these limitations, adapting a cheap school management software will ultimately cost a client more money in the long run.
- Not Training The Teachers Hard Enough To Maximize The Technology: In the movie “The Field of Dreams,” there was a voice that whispered, “When you build it, they will come.” This is not true when adopting technology. Simply buying one and placing everything online does not equate to the improvement of education overnight. Training the users, most especially those who will be facilitating it, is essential in implementing technological migration effectively.
- Not Taking Easy-to-Use User Interface: A school management system betrays its purpose if challenging to use. One of the goals of effective school management software is ease of use, especially in keeping all parties up to date on all vital information. Busy parents will not have the time to navigate (and get lost) in a hastily assembled user interface. Moreover, the user interface has to be compatible with mobile devices.
- Not Getting Everyone Access To The Software: The purpose of effective school management software is to keep all aspects of the operation of a school running smoothly. This means all parties should learn how to use it and has access to it. Not only for school staff alone. The system has to coordinate parents, teachers, school staff, and students. Meaningful action can only be implemented when everyone involved has access to vital information.
- Implementing Technology Piecemeal: One of the most common mistakes for schools when implementing technology is by implementing it in sections. Schools usually adopt technology in accounting. The purpose, initially, is to streamline their billings and collection process. However, as the demands for adopting technology become stronger, different software is acquired for other purposes. The various technologies are next to impossible to plug seamlessly, creating more problems than they can solve. Or, at least, make it difficult to use.
A salesman’s pitch should not be the only voice referred to when deciding on an acquisition such as a school management software. The central nervous system of a school is at stake. Note the errors cited above and make sure you don’t make the same mistake. This mistake is eroding tremendous value from your school.
The solution to solve this is simple. The school has to acquire just ONE school management software to support ALL functions. Cost should not be the only consideration when acquiring software as essential as this. An effective school management software needs to be easy to use for all parties. Moreover, the software needs to be supported in the long term. Packages are available where school administrators can coordinate with developers for any changes that may arise at the initial stages of implementation and beyond. Most importantly, the structure of the system should be secure and straightforward. Note that an external database is needed to ensure everything runs even if the local databases go down. Simplyswim software ticks all the boxes. Swim school owners that have used this attest to its effectiveness, efficiency, and ease of use. Best of all, the software has been developed in coordination with swim school owners, school administrators, and software developers with inputs from decades of experience that have brought excellent results in the formation of students.
