Higher Education's Top 10 Strategic Technologies and Trends for 2018

Published:
Briefs, Case Studies, Papers, Reports
Author(s) and Contributors:
Source(s) and Collection(s):
Sources(s): EDUCAUSE Research Collection(s): Research Hub Research Interactive Graphics and Infographics Research Report
ParentTopics:
Active Learning Analytics Cloud Computing and Services Compliance Cybersecurity Data Security Digital Learning Encryption Infrastructure and Research Technologies Intrusion Detection and Prevention IT Governance IT Service Management IT Support Services Learning Analytics Mobile Computing Mobile Learning Privacy Risk Management Security Risk Management Student Success Technology-Enabled Advising

Reports and Supporting Materials

Trends and Technologies Report

This report provides a snapshot of the relatively new technological investments colleges and universities will be spending the most time implementing, planning, and tracking in 2018, and summarizes the influence of related trends on institutional IT strategy.

  • Top 10 Strategic Technologies

    1. Uses of APIs
    2. Active learning classrooms
    3. Incorporation of mobile devices in teaching and learning
    4. Mobile apps for enterprise applications
    5. Technologies for improving analysis of student data
    6. Technologies for planning and mapping student educational plans
    7. Blended data center (on premises and cloud based)
    8. Predictive analytics for student success (institutional level)
    9. Database encryption
    10. (tie) IT asset management tools (e.g., CMDB)
      (tie) Student success planning systems

  • Most Influential Trends

    1. Complexity of security threats
    2. Student success focus/imperatives
    3. Data-driven decision-making
    4. Contributions of IT to institutional operational excellence
    5. Increasing complexity of technology, architecture, and data

Technology Domains Report

This report reviews each domain's component technologies and their associated trends. The domains are listed below.

  • Analytics Technologies
  • Cloud Technologies
  • Infrastructure and Operations Technologies
  • Student Success Technologies
  • Mobile Technologies
  • Research and Scholarship Technologies
  • Security, Identity, Privacy, and GRC Technologies
  • Teaching and Learning Technologies
  • User Support Technologies

Related Resources

Issues, Technologies, and Trends Resources

Higher education leaders and decision makers use the annual Issues, Technologies, and Trends resources to know what's important and where to focus in their IT planning and management activities. When viewed together the resources provide more complete and nuanced guidance on institutional IT priorities.

The lists are created by the community for the community, with support from EDUCAUSE staff. The Top 10 IT Issues list is developed by a panel of experts comprised of IT and non-IT leaders, CIOs, and faculty members and then voted on by EDUCAUSE members in an annual survey. The Top 10 Strategic Technologies are derived from authoritative sources that annually identify emerging and maturing technologies and trends in higher education. The ELI Key Issues in Teaching and Learning list is crowd-sourced by surveying the higher education teaching and learning community to identify the issues and topics most important to them.