Choosing the Right Education Management Software

A software with a limited set of features that are fully utilised in an educational institution is better than a software with many features but limited usability. The decision of choosing the right school management software for your institute must go through a few check boxes. Out of which, features provided by the academic management system would be just one of the check boxes. When analysed properly, one will find that there are parameters of greater importance than just the features included in a school management software suite.

• Convenience and impact on learning: The best education management software systems focus more on modules with direct impact on the performance and growth of a student. More than the content, it is the delivery on student’s academic front that counts, through modules like performance monitoring, assessments and grading, attendance records, etc. that makes the cut. Is there a co-relation between the kind of library books borrowed, the courses being learned by the student in this semester or academic year and his performance in exams? If a software can analyse this and establish a trend, won’t it be ground-breaking for the entire academic eco-system? Before making a purchase, ensure the software contains modules like the above.

• Flexibility, Scalability & Ease of use: The school management software must be easy to use. The user-interface should be user friendly, built with the intent that it is to be used by students, teachers, admin staff and parents who have little to no exposure towards software and related areas. A black screen with atypical fonts might scare them or give them uneasy vibes. Hence, the user design and navigation should be between very basic to moderate, taking example from some of the more popular applications currently used now.

• A simple change in a workflow or routing of the school’s administrative process should be taken care of by making edits to the admin setting, rather than making hard code changes in the system. The school management system must provide for that flexibility. Depending on the usage, the software must provide for scalability as well and be charged accordingly. Down the road, additional processes might need automation or users might just add up! An academic management system with batch user licenses or having a pay per use model shines above the rest here, as it scores high on scalability.

• Long term support and constant upgrades: Make sure the vendor has had a few successful implementations in the past. It gives security of long-term support from the vendor in case any issues arise! All records, archives and documents of institution-wide importance are then safe with the software vendor and can then be procured through on-demand availability either through desktop or mobile access.

Technological advancements sooner or later will hit every aspect of the economy and social lives, and education is no exception. The goal of a school management software is to make life simpler for the stakeholders of an educational institution. While making a purchase, the decision makers need to make a complete assessment of their needs and make sure that the software fulfils it.