Modern education faces many challenges from attracting students to keeping them engaged. Visual displays are one such strategy which institutions use. Wide format media, such as posters and banners, have long appeared in education. However, modern marketing concepts are changing the way educators approach these tools.
Wide format printing offers greater freedom in the visual displays which schools produce. Posters and banners have wide applications throughout schools. They also frequently find creative applications in student projects.
Whether in the classroom or representing the school, using professional, visually appealing displays creates a statement about a school’s commitment to its image and learning environment. Here are four ways that wide format printing can transform schools and classrooms.
1. Custom printing helps to maximize student engagement.
Wide format printing is common in classrooms, but do they actually work? That was the question of a 2011 study which analyzed posters found in classrooms. All too often, educational posters featured stuffy graphics, crowded text, and poor-quality images. The lack of attention towards design decreased engagement, even if the content itself was interesting.
Conversely, posters which were engaging and connected to the curriculum received more attention. Displays which encouraged further interaction with the subject also increased engagement. Such displays also often appeared in classrooms with higher student engagement.
The study showed that posters are an opportunity for students to engage with subjects beyond the textbook. When employed effectively, they do work. However, the least successful posters were often the ones sent from educational companies.
In contrast, the flexibility of wide format printing offers a way to sidestep this. It allows instructors to tailor their classroom environment by creating relevant and eye-catching pieces.
2. Digital technology facilitates career-preparedness and learning.
The digital nature of our world demands familiarity with technology. Likewise, many students will go into careers oriented around its use. Embracing technology in the classroom spurs innovation and fosters competitiveness. This is especially true when such technology applies to career preparedness.
Wide format printing is common in many industries, such as in the production of architectural and engineering blueprints. By introducing students to this technology early, it helps get them excited about these potential careers by creating beautiful and professional projects.
However, classrooms can embrace wide format printing for a variety of projects. With in-house wide format printers, students can wave goodbye to poster boards and time-consuming, hand-drawn work. Working on a computer brings many advantages. Students gain more control over the design aspects while learning modern project management processes.
Why? With an in-house print production facility, the students will need to visit the printing lab. This adds a layer of professionalism to the process. The project will need to be planned, produced, check and double-checked before printing.
3. Wide format printing gives school branding a facelift.
The applications of visual media go far beyond simply what they can do in education. Branding matters in all professional fields, even for schools. Whether it is attracting prospective students or engaging current ones, wide format printing is versatile. Some examples of how banners, posters or other wide format content can augment a brand include:
· Presenting cohesive and polished representation at fairs or events
· Increasing awareness, interest in and pride for school athletic teams
· Creating campaigns promoting healthy lifestyles or nutrition programs
· Producing eye-catching advertisements for school events such as homecoming
· Engaging the wider community with advertisements for events or fundraisers
· Promoting school values in classrooms
In other words, school branding is about fostering community in order to create a sense of pride and spirit. Wide format printing facilitates this.
4. Having trained staff unlocks creative potential.
Having access to technology such as wide format printers is only half of the advantage. Knowing how to use these devices and optimize designs for printing on them is the other half. A school which plans to make use of wide format printing should consider printing training courses for staff.
A printing certification familiarizes staff with the entire printing process. Schools may not see themselves as participants in the advertising or printing industries. Thus, they may overlook the need for a trained professional.
However, wide format printing opens the door for many possibilities in visual displays for schools. This includes school branding, communication, and student projects. A trained specialist can unlock this potential. He or she can provide insight into the most effective designs and efficient settings for all uses.
Get Started Today
From encouraging student engagement to creating a professional, enticing event media, wide format printing has many uses in the academic setting. Posters and banners are a way to encourage student engagement with curriculum material. They also facilitate school branding.
DSI, Inc. offers custom print solutions to fit the needs of your school or classroom. Contact us today to get started.