School Spirit Engagement Kiosk

College campuses are centers for growth an innovation, and technology plays in important role in maintaining that status. Students, as well as faculty, expect their schools to keep up with new and emerging technologies to remain the cutting edge institutions we know them to be. We have worked with many colleges of all sizes, small one school colleges, as well as multiple colleges within a university setting - and we find the needs for student services kiosks are very similar in either setting.

Top 10 Uses for Student Services Kiosks

We wanted to share the top 10 requests we have seen over the past year for interactive kiosks on college campuses with our existing education customers, many of whom have expanding to implement greater functionality for their current kiosks. and also to inspire potential customers through sharing how their peers are utilizing self service technology.

Student Printing Kiosks:

We have had a larger number of requests for our Document Kiosk and also our Laser Kiosk to be added to various locations throughout college campuses to act as printing stations for students. These printing stations are not only utilized for printing schoolwork before classes; they are also placed in strategic locations for easy printing of important documents such as financial aid forms, registration documents, emails, research papers, and much more. If there is a need for easy printing that is not tied down to a computer lab, an interactive kiosk will fulfill that need.

Click on our case study to read about the University of North Dakota's strategic planning initiative, Exceptional UND, and the use of printing kiosks.

We've made the decision to give students services versus hardware. Instead of building more computer labs, we need to meet them where they are.

-Joshua Jones, Associate Director, Center for Instructional & Learning Technologies, University of North Dakota

College Building Directories:

Depending on the college, buildings can be two floors and easy to navigate or they can be twenty floors with different departments on each floor. The layouts of certain buildings can also be quite confusing if you are visiting for the first time, or only need to stop by occasionally and forget how to navigate. There may also be security in place that requires you to call and alert a department that you have arrived. An example of where an interactive kiosk and a building directory kiosk would be able to streamline processes would be at the Harvard Lab for Developmental Studies. The lab is located in one of Harvard University's busy buildings and requires a phone call for an attendant to come down to bring you a parking pass and the to walk you to the lab. Needless to say, it would be much faster and easier to have an outdoor kiosk like the Enviro Kiosk, where a visitor would be able to touch the screen to call the lab to check in for their appointment as well as print a parking pass out for their car. By utilizing an interactive kiosk to check in, the lab could also alert the researcher to let them know that their next appointment has arrived. Other visitors to the building could use the kiosk to locate the department they need to visit, and print a badge if they are required to for security purposes. Interactive Kiosks are able to deliver a high level of service through the use of a self service building directory.

College Campuses Wayfinding & Navigation:

If certain buildings on college campuses can be confusing, then college campuses as a whole can be intimidating to navigate for both visitors as well as incoming freshman. Gone are the days of the paper map handed to freshman during orientation as today's generations of students are digitally connected and they have an expectation that self service technology will help them navigate to where they need to go. Certain college campuses are part of a much larger university and navigating through a university campus can be challenging. By installing outdoor kiosks at key navigation points throughout campus, students and visitors can use self service technology to guide them to their intended destination.

Display Important Student Information:

Classes may have been cancelled or rescheduled, an exciting event may be coming to your college campus soon, or there may be an urgent safety alert that needs to be updated as new information becomes known - these are only three of many reasons why college campuses are investing in computer kiosks in order to display important information. Students may change their phone numbers and not update them with their school for SMS text message delivery, and not everyone checks their email at important times, which is why college campuses are turning to computer kiosks to provide timely information to students, staff and visitors.

College Event Calendars:

Both large university campuses who want to promote their events to everyone, as well as specific college campuses (Performing Arts, Engineering, Law, Architecture, etc) who have their own specific events, can benefit from an easy-to-use event calendar software. Instead of having someone submit an event through a slip of paper to then be input online, why not have events submitted through a online form where event calendar administrators can then approve or deny the event with one click? Our event calendar software, EventsCrier, incorporates this functionality and offers both a version of the calendar for interactive kiosks and desktop computers, but also provides a mobile version for smart phones and tablets. Provide easy access to what is happening on campus with event calendar software that both your students, staff and visitors will want to use.

Queuing for Student Services:

College campuses have their fair share of extremely busy administrative offices. We tend to see requests from financial aid offices, walk-in advising or career services, as well as from the registrar's office. It can be challenging to keep student wait times low, especially if you only have speculative data on when your busy times are or how long appointments generally take for different student needs. By implementing a queue software service, you can measure key pieces of data that keep your team's productivity up and address all student concerns within what you determine is an appropriate amount of time. Queue software also provides reassurance to your students about how long their anticipated wait time is and also allows them to monitor their wait time on their smart phones or tablets. If it's a beautiful day, why spend your time waiting inside, when you can monitor your wait from the quad in the sunshine? Queue software offers many advantages for both students, as well as the office team who are working to best serve their students and keep retention rates high.

Checking in to Appointments:

Similar to queuing and monitoring wait times, being able to check into an appointment at student health services or in a greater community capacity, such as the University of the Pacific's School of Dentistry is utilizing with their kiosk project, is an important self service functionality that college campuses have been implementing more and more in recent years. The obvious benefit to the school is that by automating the check-in process you can save on additional overhead salary costs by assisting your front desk staff through automating certain tasks. Another, perhaps less obvious reason, is that by offering a self-service check-in procedure, you monitor who was in your facility, for how long, who they were there to see, and why they were there in the first place. This is an important security benefit and ensures that only those who are supposed to be there are there.

We are the first dental school to have this kind of controlled entry system that uses kiosks, turnstiles and seamless integration into our clinic management system in order to ensure the privacy and safety of everyone in the building.

-Raybel Ramos, Director of Information Technology and Telecommunications, University of the Pacific

Displaying Nutritional Information:

Throughout recent years we have had greater access to nutritional information than ever before, and students expect to know what is in their food as well as what the nutritional content is of their food. By displaying nutritional information you empower students to make smarter food choices. You can also highlight special menu items, dining hall hours, and most importantly, identify ingredients for student who may have food allergies or sensitivities.

Hall of Fame Presentations:

Celebrating and creating community on your college campuses can be enhanced with the use of interactive hall of fame presentations. You can work on storytelling the history of your hall of fame members through interactive, self guided journeys on kiosks. Add videos, audio clips, photography, statistical information, and anything else that will showcase the accomplishments of your hall of fame members. In the same vein as hall of fame presentations, you can highlight your generous alumni donors. You have an amazing school that they were so proud to attend that they have given back to the school from their lifetime accomplishments. Acknowledging your accomplished alumni donors is an important part of your school's culture.

College Recruitment Through Email Acquisition:

When prospective students visit your campus, why not engage them with interactive kiosks and encourage them to submit their email addresses for updates about what is happening on campus? Strategically placed interactive kiosks can be mentioned on college campus tours as a way for prospective students and parents to stay in the loop in terms of important applicant information, such as financial aid dates or application deadlines, exciting programs that the college offers, or notable alumni and what they have accomplished.

In addition to these top ten uses that are popular on college campuses when investing in interactive kiosks, there are additional benefits on the administrative end. Your interactive kiosks will provide you with reporting and data that many schools find useful. For example, you can collect data on how many people are using the student services kiosks, what the busy times of day tend to be for your kiosks, how much traffic their location on campus tends to receive overall, and what visitors to the kiosks are finding of value by their interaction with self-service technology. You can test different interfaces and make changes easily from where ever you are with a cloud-based solution.

College campuses have come a long way from the days of tacking a promotional flyer on a bulletin board, standing in long lines to register for classes in the blazing heat or freezing cold, and getting lost while trying to navigate through large campuses and confusing buildings. Self service technology is here to make both student, as well as faculty and administrator, life easier and more productive.

Just 30 years ago, technology was first introduced to the classroom. This started with comprehensive computer classes where students had access to a desktop for about a half hour the whole day. This was a time when you could get a full nap in waiting for the internet to load, and your version of the search engine started by actually flipping through the books in the library as your only resource.

Today, students are equipped with a fountain of knowledge powered by smart boards, laptops, school kiosks, and even their own cell phones. Now in just seconds, a student can get the answer to most any question using technology.

I understand the hesitation that comes with the idea of technology in the classroom. Teachers are often met with difficulty when using technology as a tool and not a distraction. Since I’m not a teacher, I figured I should ask the professionals what they think. So I took to social media and facilitated a conversation between educators about technology in the classroom.

“Technology in the classroom definitely has its pros and cons. The use of technology for typing and/or dictation for students who may struggle verbally or motor skills wise is a huge help. However, I have other students who are too used to the availability of technology and cannot go an entire day without the use of it as a buffer. Here, I'm talking games on the iPad that have no correlation to the school day”,

Meghan Gregoire, Special Education (grades 9-12).

“I would have to agree with Meghan when it comes to technology having pros and cons. In my student teaching experience, I definitely had to constantly check that students weren’t misusing their technology. In the school in which I was placed, each student is issued an iPad, but plenty of those students use it to play games during classroom time. This adds yet another element for a teacher to manage. Of course, there is the possibility of technical difficulties when using technology in the classroom. This can cause a lot of anxiety since every moment in a classroom is important and any time lost is distinctly felt by the teacher”,

Hannah Hounsell, English Education.

“I am a big technology fan in the classroom- to a certain extent. I love booking time in the library for students to use technology to make assignments of higher quality and more fun to do. I am also a heavy user of technology in the classroom because it is how I present material and have the students engage in practice. However, because of the high need for teenagers to always have a phone in their hands, there have been a new policy in classrooms where students have to keep their phones in a calcpad storage unit for the class. The main reason behind this is that there are students that will not be productive in class and/or potentially distract others from doing their work”,

Cristina Coffill, Spanish Education (grades 9-12).

So, from this perspective, we can likely deduce that cell phones are not the best idea for the classroom. However, the teachers interviewed did have a positive opinion about non-handheld devices. “I highly recommend smart board use. I use the smart board for lessons at least every other day and my students respond very well to that!”, Gregoire. While there is reason for concern, there is evidence to prove that technology can be used for good.

According to a PBS LearningMedia survey, “69 percent of teachers polled said that educational technology allows them to ‘do much more than ever before’ with students”, Jeana Lee Tahnk of Huffington Post. Technology can cause distraction if mismanaged, but can also be a great help. Essentially, technology in the classroom should engage the students, not distract them and cause more stress for the teacher. In some cases, teachers have found a way to manage handheld devices.

“I used tons of technological tools in the classroom that wouldn’t have been possible without iPads and the time lost due to technical difficulties was minimal. The kids are also almost intrinsically engaged by new technological tools. They would much rather have an activity that they can do on their iPads, than one they must do with pen and paper. That includes tests and quizzes. Unfortunately, the school that I was in didn’t have smartboards, but I would simply project lessons made in Quizlet, Kahoot, Playposit, PollEverywhere, Prism, Schoology, etc.”, Hounsell.

With the average attention span of students dwindling, it is important to develop lesson plans around what gets the attention of the students. At one time in history, that was lincoln logs and rubix cubes. Today, it’s ipads and cell phones that take up the attention of youth. Rather than resist this movement, it’s important to recognize the significant role technology plays in your student’s life and find ways to integrate technology into the classroom. Some ways educators have done this is by:

• Playing interactive class exercises on a smart board
• Use kiosks so students can access surveys and personal information
• Using google docs to do live peer edits in groups
• Downloading educational apps onto student’s phones for class (like socrative)
• Creating visually appealing presentations that will keep students engaged
• Inform students of upcoming events using a lobby kiosk
• Use technology to automate POS for school lunch

Schools that are optimizing the use of technology have seen extremely positive effects. According to the Pew Research Center, “92 percent of teachers said that the Internet has a “major impact” on their ability to access content, resources and materials, and many are finding that it helps their ability to interact with students. Even more importantly, instructors have reported that digital technology in the classroom has increased students’ academic performance” (sourced by Jeana Lee Tahnk’s article on Huffington Post). The problem is not technology, it’s the way it’s being utilized. With a lesson plan, and time restrictions, technology can be a useful tool for improving engagement and attention in the classroom.

Kirnelius Williams, a master of business administration (MBA) student, uses the information kiosk in the College of Business and Economics.

Tip: Don’t have the budget for a kiosk? Read this article to find out how to get a kiosk using grants

Technology isn’t just useful within the classroom. Technology can be used to improve the library, cafeteria, and lobby of the school. School kiosks can be used as efficient printing clusters, POS for cafeterias, and digital signs to display maps and information in lobbies. They can even screen for mental health, providing students a way to get valuable resources for mental wellness. Organizations all over the country are connecting grant organizations to schools to bring kiosks into education.
Teachers understand their students. They can assess what type of technology can benefit their students and which ones distract them. “Overall, I think technology enriches the classroom and I am excited to try out most any tool (as long as I think it’s worth it, of course)”, Hounsell. At the end of the day, under the right conditions, technology can be a great benefit for schools. This means both in and out of the classroom. “Overall- it's all about balance. Technology really is a strong component of learning nowadays and when used responsibly it makes a positive difference in learning”, Coffill.

Grants for Self-service technology in schools all over the country

Self service student kiosks are surging as a means to improve check-in, wayfinding, print clusters, registration, check-out, POS, information distribution, advertisement, and much more.

Unfortunately, funding for schools varies state to state and depends widely on the average income of the town in which the school resides.

This results in a surplus of budget in some areas, while other schools struggle to provide basic supplies for their students. Those schools that already have funding problems may not even look to consider self-service technology using grants to solve problems within the school.

Luckily, there are grants, scholarships, and networks of donors available for schools to receive funding for these programs.

Once implemented, a kiosk returns the initial investment by decreasing costs on paper and resources while providing teachers with more time to focus on the classroom instead of routine tasks. Kiosks are used to:

• Give students a place to print and scan quickly with less wait time
• Check students into the classroom
• Give students directions and information about the school
• Let students buy themselves lunch with a self-checkout POS
• Advertise fundraisers, clubs, school events, and other opportunities for students

Aside from federal funding, there are plenty of ways to fund a kiosk implementation in schools. Government grants, private company grants, crowdfunding, and donation communication are all ways for teachers to create a funding campaign or apply for a grant. Oakland University used a local Michigan grant from the Flinn Foundation to fund the screening for mental health kiosk they implemented in their school’s library.

This is a list of different resources available to most states in the U.S. for STEM based technology grants.

Government Grants

• Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship Program
• Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Title III Grant Projects
• Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII): Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Program (CSP): Grants to Charter Management Organization for the Replication and expansion of High-Quality Charter Schools
• Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE): High School Equivalency Program
• Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE): College Assistance Migrant Program
• Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program
• Interdisciplinary Preparation in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services for Personnel Serving Children With Disabilities Who Have High-Intensity Needs
• Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII): Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) Grant Program
• Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII): Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program
• Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII): Education Innovation and Research Program--Expansion Grants
• Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII): Education Innovation and Research Program--Mid-phase Grants
• Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII): Education Innovation and Research Program--Early-phase Grants
• Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE): Opening Doors, Expanding Opportunities
• Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII): Magnet Schools Assistance Program
• Training and Information for Parents of Children With Disabilities: Community Parent Resource Centers
• Office of Elementary & Secondary Education; Overview Information: Race to the Top Fund

Donors Programs

List of Resources from ‘Positive Learning’

https://positivelearning.com/blog/2016/2/11/7-ways-to-get-funding-and-grants-for-technology-in-your-classroom

And eSchool News: Daily Tech News & Innovation

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2015/04/03/technology-grants-568/

Technology Donors Program

• Make account
• Compile ‘wish list’ of technology
• Create profile with stories and experiences as an educator
  
• Get connected with donors to fund project
• No deadline

Donors Choose

• K-12 and public charter schools
• Donors help fund project
• When project is fully funded, the teacher gets the items delivered to them

Digital Wish

• Teachers submit a lesson plan
• Entered to win up to 50 grants
• Share stories with donors
• Rolling deadline

Corning Incorporated Foundation

• Apply for over 130 grants
• Totals about $3 million 

Funding Factory

• Free funding program for schools, nonprofits, charities
• Donation of devices or funds
• If a teacher donates old technology it can gain points and be exchanged for new technology or cash
• Ongoing deadline

Lockheed Martin STEM Grant

• General grant for STEM
• Handful of states not eligible
• Funding is flexible
• Deadline is rolling

More Websites to Apply

http://www.foundationcenter.org

http://www.eschoolnews.com/funding/

http://www.grantwatch.com

https://twitter.com/winmoregrants

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/

https://www2.cpsb.org/Scripts/abshire/grants.asp

http://www.getedfunding.com/c/index.web?s@TeKUg_AZOmZyE

If you would like to learn more about how you can get a kiosk in your school, contact a project consultant at 603-865-1000

Student Printing Kiosk Solutions at UND Making the Grade

The Challenge

In 2010, the University of North Dakota entered an institution-wide strategic planning initiative known as Exceptional UND. Fortunately, the Information Technology division was ahead of the game. Having undertaken its own strategic planning process in 2008, it identified Core Technology Services, outlining final recommendations for each with implementation beginning in 2010.

Computer labs were of course flagged as a Core Technology Service, and chief among the central recommendations was the following dictate:

Print Stations:
Throughout the core technology discussion, various constituency groups have expressed the need to further develop the University’s print services. These services should be available for use from student-owned systems and be strategically placed across campus.

This objective reflects a reality of today’s higher education culture: students are coming in with, and prefer to use, their own technology. Center for Instructional & Learning Technologies (CILT) Associate Director Joshua Jones explains, "We’ve made the decision to give the students services versus hardware. Instead of building more computer labs, we need to meet them where they are."

The Solution

UND developed its own system called UniPrint. With UniPrint, students download installers that allow them to print from their personal computers to

designated campus printing centers. A student sends a print job to the physical location of her choice, assigning it a "release password." At that point, she has two hours to go to the print location, swipe her U Card (UND’s student ID card), enter the password and pick up her print job. The U Card automatically deducts the printing charge (4¢ per black and white page) from the student’s account. An $8/semester student technology fee is preloaded on the card for printing expenses. Money can of course be added to the card if/when the allotted fee runs out.

The UniPrint system necessitated additional hardware to meet students’ increasing demand. In addition to UND’s computer labs, CILT established print stations – computer/printer combos on old TV carts – in closely monitored areas. The carts are a clunky, unattractive but utilitarian solution, as long as manpower is available to provide the security the equipment lacks.

Interactive kiosks were the obvious solution for high-traffic spaces that could not be staffed 24/7. After putting the project out to bid, CILT chose Advanced Kiosks because the company was best able to provide five key elements of self-service technology:

Flexibility

UND came into the project with a specific list of criteria, but remained open to input from potential vendors. "When we went out to bid, there was another company that wanted to build custom enclosures to fit a single printer model," remembers Jones. “But we realized, ideally, these kiosks are going to be around a lot longer than any of the equipment inside them. We really appreciated Advanced Kiosks’ adjustable shelving." It makes swapping out printers and other components easy to do. Design skill and thoughtful engineering are apparent in the Documentation Kiosks.

From there, CILT and the Advanced Kiosks team worked together to configure Documentation Kiosks with UND’s unique combination of desired features. "For our U Cards, UND is standardized on one card reader. We told Advanced Kiosks which one we use, and that’s what they gave us,” Jones explains. "We chose to include the phone handset feature and hardwire it directly to our IT Support. They also covered the standard external USB ports with plates so users can’t intentionally or unintentionally compromise the system, but if we ever do decide to repurpose the kiosks, the plates can easily be removed." Similarly, the keyboards can be removed for touch-screen-only operation.

Security

UND wanted computer kiosks for printing locations that could not be staffed around the clock. College students can be depended on for heavy and hard use of shared facilities. "We wanted that armored ATM machine look," recalls Jones. The Documentation Kiosk has an approachable, sleek-but-sturdy look that appeals to students. The plates over the USB ports also protect UND electronics from being compromised by viruses, malware and a host of other threats. "That small customization works perfectly with our UniPrint system, which locks out desktops. The kiosks can only be used for printing," Jones says.

Visibility

Advanced Kiosks hardware isn’t just engineered for maximum efficiency; it’s designed to look good too. With a wide choice of colors, cut vinyl and/or graphic wraps, kiosks fit right in with the customer’s brand, including logos and mascots. These are aesthetically pleasing, high-tech units that call out to users in high-traffic areas. However, for those who still shy away from experiences with new technology, UND installed signage to reassure new users that printing kiosks are the way to go. At peak times in the College of Business main computer lab, for example, there can be daunting lines with significant wait times to use one of the 49 computers. Signs are posted to direct students who only need to print to the kiosks standing ready and available throughout the building.

Ease of Use

UND’s printing kiosks are both easy for students to use and for support staff to maintain. "Advanced Kiosks products are just designed great," Jones applauds. The service doors are located in the front for easy access. The screens move forward so you can easily get to the computer and monitor. "For us, the same key opens all units across campus. It’s secure without being cumbersome."

For students, Jones likes the touch-screen keyboards because they offer users fewer options and no function keys. "They keep users locked into our software, and that’s exactly where we want them," he explains.

Responsive Service

UND has relied on Advanced Kiosks for fast, dependable service from the beginning. "It only took a few weeks from ordering to delivery," says Jones. "We placed our order for the first batch of kiosks in July and got them right before school started." The three-year, end-to-end warranty never lets you down. From offering technical support to replacement parts, Advanced Kiosks provides what you need, when you need it.

The Results

CILT has accomplished exactly what it set out to do. On one hand, there’s been a dramatic decrease in waste from the wide-open printing days when students had no incentive to minimize their use of paper and toner. On the other, internal statistics prove if you give people what they want, they will use the service loyally. In just one year of kiosk use, UniPrint has gone from 1.2 million pages printed to almost two million.

The Future

In 2012, Jones’ first order was basically a pilot program with four printing kiosks going to the College of Business and two purchased by UND’s main campus. The results were promising enough to add six more kiosks in the same calendar year, and the plan is to place a third order in 2013. "Our goal is to have one public print station in every building," Jones says of the 240-building campus.

In many ways, the University of North Dakota serves as a thought leader for the other ten schools in the North Dakota University System. As UND’s experience and success with interactive kiosks gains momentum, other institutions will see them as viable and attractive solutions not just for student printing, but for every aspect of university life, from paying bills to registering for classes to weighing dining hall options. Computer kiosks are ideal for budget-conscious schools that cater to technologically savvy students preparing for life and work in an increasingly digital world.

Call us today to save your campus money and manpower with a full-service turnkey solution from Advanced Kiosks.

This UND orientation video introduces students to the new UniPrint Stations located throughout campus.

Download UND Case Study (PDF).

The world is constantly evolving, and it’s no different when it comes to the self-service industry. New applications, new hardware and new software are being introduced on nearly a daily basis.

Advanced Kiosks is proud to be at the forefront of many of those changes. And to share what’s taking place at the company and the new offerings we’ve introduced, we’ve launched a quarterly newsletter.

Here’s a sample of what’s been happening at our New Hampshire headquarters and beyond:

New software

Advanced Kiosks recently released Office Extension 3.0, a groundbreaking update to its popular self-service office management system. This update is in conjunction with a major update of Zamok 3.0, Advanced Kiosks’ proprietary kiosk management software.

Key features of Office Extension 3.0 that have been updated and added include new translation capabilities, new and improved secure file upload, human detection technology and much more.

Expanded deployments

Validating the value of those new features is a project that’s taking place in Prince William County, Va. In an effort led by Circuit Court Clerk Jacqueline Smith and funded by Virginia Technology grants, the Circuit Court of Prince William County has rolled out 11 of Advanced Kiosks’ Office Extension 3.0 kiosks to increase public access to services.

The kiosks are located in several locations throughout the county (no longer just the courthouse) to accommodate the busy lifestyles of residents who are unable to visit the courthouse during restrictive office hours. Here’s our case study on this project.

New hardware

For those who need self-service solutions in places where deploying a traditional kiosk might be difficult or impossible, Advanced Kiosks has introduced a new No-Power Kiosk, a tablet kiosk that does not require 110 power. Instead, it draws electricity via an ethernet cable that serves as an all-in-one power source and internet connection. The No-Power Kiosk is offered in both a wall-mounted or counter-based version, making it ideal for uses where space is tight and access to an electrical source is limited.

Because the No-Power Kiosk doesn’t require a power outlet, it opens the door to new possibilities for customer engagement or information dissemination. It can be easily moved around and placed in unconventional or remote locations such as temporary events, trade shows, conferences, or pop-up installations.

Value-added services

And to help ensure each self-service project is a success, Advanced Kiosks provides an onboarding service, an essential offering that gets customers up and running quickly and helps deliver maximum results. The onboarding service includes everything needed to get your solution deployed. An onboarding specialist continually monitors the production timeline and schedules regular check-ins to keep your project running smoothly.

These are just a few of the exciting things happening here at Advanced Kiosks, so be sure and check out the newsletter page to see what else is happening. If you’d like to learn more about what we do and read a few or our success stories, visit our Resources page.

Keep an eye out for the next edition of the newsletter, slated to come out in December. If you’re interested in exploring self-service solutions for your operation, contact one of our experts.

Language-based communication issues in K-12 schools have long been a challenge for educators. More than 70% of teachers who participated in a recent nationwide survey said they have taught students for whom English wasn’t their first language, and 56% said they were concerned that the parents of these students didn’t have the English language skills to effectively participate in parent-teacher conferences and aid in their child’s education.

The challenge is only expected to grow. Statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of Education indicate that the number of students in K-12 schools learning English has increased by more than 1 million over the past 20 years.

Having a convenient, cost-effective way to communicate with those who have a limited command of English can help improve education outcomes for students and provide a way for parents to better participate in their child’s education.

Helping to overcome language barriers is the InterpreStation from Advanced Kiosks. The InterpreStation allows those who do not speak English as a first language to ask complex questions and receive answers instantly through a human translator, at a fraction of the cost of hiring an interpreter.

By leveraging the services of LanguageLine Solutions, the kiosk offers interpretation and translation services in 240 languages plus American Sign Language, with weekly usage reports and personal information security. School systems pay by the minute for substantial savings.

The countertop kiosk features a built-in webcam and 4K monitor large enough to capture details including facial expressions and hand gestures. The system includes two VOIP handsets for crisp, clear audio communication.

InterpreStation is an excellent fit for school systems where many students and parents have limited command of English.

Contact Advanced Kiosks today for more information.

Delivering HR Services in the Modern World

Manufacturing facilities, hospitals, logistics hubs, and other 24-hour operations face a variety of challenges when it comes to providing human resources services to their employees. HR offices are typically only open during weekdays, but a significant portion of the workforce may be on the job at night or the weekends, or work in remote locations not large enough to support a dedicated HR office. That disconnect can make it difficult for employees to accomplish tasks such as submitting vacation requests, updating personal information, or making changes to insurance information.

Complicating those challenges are the dual effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and an ongoing labor shortage. Even if an HR office is fully staffed, having face-to-face interactions with employees is likely discouraged, making the delivery of services even more difficult.

To adapt, HR departments around the country are incorporating technology to both cut costs and improve service.

Increasing tech investments

A recent survey of 764 HR professionals across various industries in the United States, conducted by business technology review site TrustRadius, spotlighted some of the issues facing HR departments as well as the ways technology is helping to address those issues.

The survey found that the vast majority of HR teams (74%) feel challenged by the pandemic, with 38% saying they are exhausted. They’re increasingly turning to technology for respite, with 55% of HR professionals saying that their companies are spending more on HR technology right now. Of those, 45% are spending to upgrade their existing tech stack, while 38% are purchasing new tech.

And in many cases, those investments are in self-service technology that allows workers to perform many HR tasks on their own, without the need to interact with a member of the HR team.

Advanced Kiosks’ Office Extension 2.0 is the perfect technology solution for providing HR services even when the HR office is closed. Placed in the break room, cafeteria, or other easily accessible location, the kiosk and software solution serves as an extension of your HR department, providing your employees with the best possible experience whenever and wherever they’re on the job.

For a company, deploying Office Extension 2.0 as an HR solution can:

• Provide 24/7 employee access
• Reduce HR staffing demands
• Ensure documentation accuracy
• Audit and track user activity
• Increase employee engagement and satisfaction

For workers, implementing an Office Extension 2.0 HR solution allows them to:

• View time clock and payroll information
• Submit vacation and PTO requests
• Sign up or make changes to benefit
• Schedule HR appointments
• And much more

In addition to these features, the Office Extension 2.0 solution can provide services including MSDS access, the delivery of company communications, and employee orientation and training. When combined with an optional VOIP handset, users can place phone calls through a directory or slideshow of quick-dial buttons. To date, the VOIP handset on existing Office Extension 2.0 deployments has been used to make more than 46,000 calls.

Office Extension 2.0 can also provide the HR department with analytics that can be used to determine the types of services that are most in-demand among workers, increasing employee satisfaction by allowing the department to continually improve the services they provide.

And by eliminating paper-based processes and reducing demand on HR staff, Office Extension 2.0 can trim printing and mailing expenses, save on labor costs, and improve staff retention.

The Office Extension 2.0 HR solution provides employees with 24/7 access to a service portal for all your digital HR resources. Contact us today for more information!

People who work in the technology universe tend to share a common trait: They want to be at the forefront of technological advances. They want the latest hardware, the latest software, and of course, the latest operating system.

It’s no surprise, then, that kiosk manufacturer Advanced Kiosks has been fielding dozens of calls from deployers about the Pro version of the latest Microsoft operating system, Windows 11, and when they might see it on their self-service kiosk systems. Windows 11 has received positive reviews from users for its improved visual design, window management, and an increased focus on security.

But if you’re eager to see Windows 11 Pro as part of your kiosk project, we advise you to be patient.

Advanced Kiosks hasn’t upgraded their kiosks to Windows 11 Pro for several reasons. One of the biggest has to do with what we’ve all come to expect when Microsoft releases a new product. Previously unknown bugs and security issues arise, requiring regular patches. Occasionally, those patches create issues that result in operational problems such as failed updates, system crashes, or applications that no longer function as expected. Occasionally, the device locks up completely and you’re forced to roll back the OS to the previous version.

And if your livelihood depends on 24/7 uptime for your kiosk deployment, those issues are the last thing you want.

Along with the kiosk itself, electronic self-service devices include a host of peripherals, including card readers, VOIP devices, interactive touchscreens, RFID readers, scanners, printers, and more. All of these depend on drivers that need to be thoroughly tested to guarantee they function properly with Windows 11.

We are currently putting our custom kiosk software Zamok through rigorous testing to make sure no issues arise from updating to Windows 11. We’re also testing the custom GPOs and registry changes that assist in locking the kiosk down and creating a secure environment, as well as the drivers that make those peripherals perform.

So, when asked when our kiosks will begin using Windows 11 Pro, our answer needs to be, “As soon as we’re sure our hardware and Windows 11 are ready to work together.”

Advanced Kiosks is at the forefront of kiosk technology, and this includes our commitment to making sure our kiosks are secure and function as intended. Once we complete our testing and Microsoft completes its patching process, our kiosk systems will carry Windows 11 Pro.

The CARES Act included $685 million to help public housing agencies maintain normal operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, but time to take advantage of those funds is running out.

The Office Extension 2.0 solution from Advanced Kiosks is serving as a robotic office for housing authorities across the country. Office Extension 2.0 allows housing authorities to serve residents where they are, at times that are most convenient for them, in a safe and socially distanced manner. The solution is GSA-approved and ADA compliant.

Best of all, CARES Act funds can be used to implement Office Extension 2.0 in your organization.

To secure your funding, all you need to do is sign a purchase order by the end of 2021. Products can be preordered with CARES Act funding as well.

With Office Extension 2.0, your organization can have a 24/7 presence wherever you choose. With Office Extension 2.0, your clients can:

• Scan documents and send to any staff email.
• Fill out forms and submit applications remotely.
• Print forms, documents, or receipts on demand.
• Pay bills through third-party portals securely.
• Place VOIP calls through a directory or slideshow of quick-dial buttons.

The kiosk communicates to your staff via text and email when a customer submits or completes a task. Weekly reports and statistics are also sent from the Advanced Kiosks' server for a tangible overview of Office Extension 2.0 data. Functionality can be controlled remotely.

These features and more position Office Extension 2.0 as an additional 24/7 robotic office for housing authorities of all sizes. Organizations across the country are using Office Extension 2.0 to improve service, reduce staff workload, and cut costs.

For more information, including pricing, please call Advanced Kiosks at 603-865-1000 or visit https://advancedkiosks.com/products/officeextension/.