Remember the old PSA: “It’s 10 p.m. Do you know where your children are?” That simple question reminded parents to stay aware and stay informed. For higher education, the question you should be asking is: Do you know when, if, and how your applications are being used?
Unlike K–12, where student safety online is a legal requirement, higher ed’s interest in application usage isn’t about surveillance; it’s about strategy and asking vital questions:
- Which applications aren’t being used?
- When are students logging in, and on which platforms?
- Who isn’t logging in at all?
Answering these questions can improve student engagement, technology ROI, and operational efficiency.
The Cost of Not Knowing
Institutions spend millions on SaaS tools, yet studies show 30–40% is wasteful spending on underutilized or unused licenses.
Without visibility, campuses risk:
- Overspending on tools that don’t add value
- Missing opportunities to reallocate resources
At Laramie County Community College, IT governance committees use application usage data to justify continuing or discontinuing digital tools. If the clicks aren’t there, conversations shift.
That’s accountability in action.
Once institutions gain visibility into what’s being used (and what’s not), the next step is using that insight proactively.
Timing Is Everything
Help desks often operate in reactive mode, responding to support tickets as they come in. But with usage analytics, IT teams can anticipate demand:
- Identify peak login times
- Track preferred platforms
- Create training resources for recurring issues
Are most students accessing LMS tools via mobile devices? The help desk can refocus resources on mobile support. It’s not just solving problems faster. It’s about preventing them from occurring.
Using Engagement as a Signal
For student success teams, digital engagement is more than just a metric. It’s an early indicator of outcomes:
- Students with fewer logins than their peers may be struggling or at risk of withdrawing.
- Usage data can trigger timely interventions, giving advisors the information needed to support students proactively.
At Dunwoody College of Technology, leaders use analytics to inform enrollment, marketing, and retention strategies. Pairing access data with grades, attendance, and other indicators gives student success teams a full picture of each learner, enabling targeted support and improved outcomes.
Creating a Culture of Insight
In an era where digital transformation drives institutional success, visibility into technology usage isn’t just IT data: it’s strategic intelligence.
Shifting toward data-informed decisions goes beyond saving money and increasing efficiency. It creates a culture where insights drive action.
When IT, finance, and student support teams share visibility into application usage:
- Students get the support they need
- Institutions maximize technology ROI
- Teams make proactive, evidence-based decisions
It’s 10pm. Do you know if your apps are being used?