While churches, mosques, and synagogues practice traditions dating back thousands of years, they are implementing cutting edge technology to make worship more accessible and impactful for their congregations. Religious organizations are using digital signage software to display worship services, announcements, and even emergency alerts to their communities.
Virtual Worship Services
Many religious organizations began offering virtual worship services during the COVID-19 pandemic. While virtual worship services were started out of necessity, they are still offered as a convenience to many congregations today. Worshipers who can’t attend services because of distance or health concerns are still part of their practices.
Churches use digital signage software to display worship services on screen in church, but the same content can be accessed from any devices with a stable internet connection. Congregation members can view services, announcements, or any other church digital signage content from their phones or laptops. Expanding their congregations beyond borders and around the world.
Digital Alerts and Announcements
For various reasons, services or classes may be delayed or postponed. Many religious organizations notify local news stations of closings or delays and rely on the news to get the word out.
Digital signage software allows churches to communicate with congregations outside of traditional media formats like the local news. Members can see announcements on digital signs on location, but they can also access content from virtually any modern web browser.
LEARN MORE about how churches are using digital signage to stay up to date.
Digital Displays during Services
Some religious organizations are actually implementing digital signage into in-person services. Digital signs display hymn numbers, bulletin information, as well as Bible, Torah, and Qur’an Readings.
Digital signage is also used to display images or videos during services to make them more immersive.
Expanding the worshipers engagement, including the ever elusive children that are overly distracted and bored with services, and bringing more people to faith is the goal of many organizations.
Increased Sustainability
Many churches are shifting from traditional paper bulletins, pamphlets, and flyers to digital signage because it’s a more sustainable way to communicate. Most of the time, traditional paper products like bulletins aren’t reusable and need to be thrown away. Digital signage software allows religious organizations to save money, time, and resources by using the same reliable tool to deliver information.
Updates to digital signage content are quick and easy to make, and users often schedule updates well in advance. A synagogue may have a special Hanukkah worship service in December. With the use of premade digital signage templates, they can easily schedule appropriate Hanukkah content in November, or any time throughout the year.
No need to allocate time and money towards printing paper materials that will inevitably be thrown away.
More Congregation Interaction
Making worship services more interactive increases congregation engagement. Church members send each other messages of encouragement, and share prayers and scripture verses using digital signage software. Depending on how a religious organization wants to use its digital signage, content can be made publicly available or private. Publicly available content allows religious organizations to branch out and gain members. It also allows congregation members to view content from anywhere with a stable internet connection.
Privately published digital signage content only allows users with sign-in credentials access. Digital signage is used to recognize members for donations, good works, or just birthdays and anniversaries. LEARN MORE about interactive digital signage.
Improving Religious Education with Digital Signage
Digital signage is an excellent school for churches because it makes services, announcements, and events more accessible for all. Churches are able to reach far more people outside of their four walls, especially when there is inclement weather. Digital signage brings an interactive element to church, thus improving congregation engagement. Overall, digital signage is a sustainable, scalable, and interactive tool religious organizations use to improve communication.
Government agencies are using digital signage to communicate more effectively and efficiently, both internally, and with the public. Strict compliance standards are in place for government devices to protect sensitive data. Unfortunately, government agencies will always be a high value target for cyber attackers. It’s crucial that government digital signage is secure and constantly updated to prevent potential vulnerabilities.
Secure Digital Signage Hardware
Any hardware the government uses needs to be 100% locked down. Chrome devices are state-of-the-art for government digital signage use, because they allow users to lock them into kiosk mode. Kiosk mode prevents changes from being made to content displayed on digital signage, and it also prevents access to sensitive data. Compared to Android and Windows devices which don’t have kiosk mode or an equivalent, which makes them a target for hackers.
While it’s a powerful tool for government agencies to communicate internally, digital signage benefits the public too. Waiting in line for a driver’s license or government issued ID can be both boring and time consuming. Digital signage is improving the process, allowing citizens to:
• Upload documents • Check in • Track their place in line • View infotainment content like news • Navigate the building
Data is encrypted, protecting the most vulnerable information, like social security numbers, from falling into the wrong hands.
Flexibility in Deploying Content
When we think of government digital signage, large buildings with hundreds of screens may come to mind. While digital signage software is capable of displaying content to thousands of screens simultaneously, it can also be scaled for local governments. It’s extremely easy to add new screens as needed, so local government organizations can scale digital signage as their needs grow.
LEARN MORE about the scalability of government digital signage.
In Case of Emergency
Government agencies are expected to handle security threats and protect citizens. They need to be organized, and a plan must be in place for each and every scenario. Digital signage is a powerful tool for streamlining communication and alerting people to danger immediately. Through integrations with emergency alert software like ALERTUS, digital signage proactively warns government agencies of impending danger. Doppler radar and live weather alerts are automatically deployed, and emergency plans are displayed across thousands of screens simultaneously.
Using government issued mobile devices, digital signage extends to cell phones, displaying emergency messaging to any location with an internet connection.
Government Wayfinding
Government buildings can be difficult to navigate, and certain areas are likely restricted.
Digital signage provides wayfinding for citizens in courthouses, department of transportation buildings, and police stations. Meeting times and attendees are displayed outside of conference rooms. Maps clearly display where citizens need to go, and where access is restricted. Updates happen instantaneously, and content is scheduled in advance. Scheduling allows government agencies to tailor content to specific times, buildings, and days as needed.
Law Enforcement and Public Safety
Law enforcement agencies need to communicate as quickly and efficiently as possible to apprehend criminals and keep the public safe. Digital signage is an excellent tool for keeping government and law enforcement agencies up to date on missing persons and wanted criminals. Digital signage also displays current road conditions. Law enforcement agencies use the road conditions displayed on digital signage to decide which routes to take when responding to calls. Picking the best route could result in lives saved, so additional information on road conditions is critical.
Modernizing Courtrooms
Courtrooms are one of the best use cases for government digital signage. Screens display wayfinding and are still equipped with emergency alerts, but they are tailored to the court system. Many attorneys use video and digital images as evidence in proving cases. It is easier for jurors to understand visual cues that go along with testimony. You can also displays case numbers, courtroom numbers, and what times individuals need to appear in court. Infotainment content like news and sports are often displayed on digital signage in waiting rooms throughout the court house.
Strengthening the Military
There are many military applications for digital signage since it is secure, updates instantaneously, and informs massive groups of people. Military branches like the U.S. Navy and Air Force use digital signage for training, announcements, and even entertainment. Sports scores and Twitter feeds are displayed along with cafeteria menus. Training, classroom, and weightlifting schedules are also published so personnel know exactly where they need to be at any given time. The military runs on efficiency, which is exactly why digital signage is such a valuable tool for military branches.
Effective Government Communications
Digital signage is an excellent tool for government agencies because it saves time, money, and resources. Government agencies are using Chrome devices to lock signage down into kiosk mode, making displays tamper proof and secure. Showing current road conditions, training schedules, and emergency alerts.
Federal, state or local governments using digital signage software to display vital information helps inform government agents in real-time, so they can make better decisions during critical moments.
Things have changed a lot in the classroom over the last two decades. Students have gone from hauling around backpacks full of heavy textbooks to reading off of tablets and laptops. The usage of this technology not only provides convenience today, but it prepares students for the utilization of future technologies. Following is over 10 ways to use digital signage for school districts.
Schools need a way to display pertinent information to students and faculty, and it needs to be secure, efficient, and reliable. Digital signage is the technologically advanced solution. Enterprise digital signage solutions provide schools the tools they need to display anything they deem valuable to students and faculty and the ability to remotely manage and communicate.
1. News and Announcements
Digital signage software makes it easy to keep school announcements up to date. It can be used to answer the all important question: what’s for lunch? In fact, with the use of excel spreadsheets or Google sheets, the lunch menu can be fed to the software, automating the process. Someone in the cafeteria simply needs to access a spreadsheet containing the lunch menu, and they can update the menu items for the week or schedule the month.
Students and staff can see the menu on the screen as soon as the content is pushed live. Schools don’t need to spend time announcing news and lunch over intercoms every morning anymore, making more time for learning. READ HOW Oak Lawn Community High School saves time everyday with Arreya Digital Signage.
Many schools have countless events throughout the year, football games, parent teacher conferences, and concerts just to name a few. It can be difficult to keep up with, especially if all the signs are paper or handmade. They often need to be thrown away or replaced after the date of the event has passed. Digital signage not only makes it convenient for events to be updated, but it also reduces waste.
2. Wayfinding and Orientation
Trying to make it to all the new classes on time can be stressful, especially if it’s a student’s first year in a new building. It’s easy to forget where all the classrooms are and when each class starts. Wayfinding can reduce some of this stress. Digital signage can come into play here to direct students to the right classroom from day one. It can also display when each class begins and ends. If the presentation is made public, students can access this information right from their phones or laptops.
Maps of the school can be displayed and updated in real time, so if you have new teachers, classes that need to be added, or renovations that are being done, you don’t need to create a new map altogether and throw out the original. This allows teachers to be more flexible and utilize classrooms that best serve the needs of each individual class, while simultaneously showing students where they need to be throughout the day.
3. Roll Call/Attendance
Trying to keep track of student attendance can be a difficult task, and it’s imperative that staff know where students are at all times. Digital signage can help by allowing students to interact when they come in or out of a class. They could be required to type their name, upload a file, or simply touch the screen to show that they are physically where they need to be.
4. Digital Assignments
The more technical and digital skills students can learn, the better. Some schools are already allowing students to create and upload presentations to their digital signs as assignments. Teachers are able to monitor the content they upload prior to pushing it live to their screens, so there’s no risk of inappropriate content being uploaded. Students get to see the work they did come to life on devices across the school, whether it’s artwork, something they wrote, or just a normal powerpoint presentation. CHECK OUT other ideas on how students can get involved with digital signage software.
5. Alerting Students and Faculty of Danger
While everyone is at school to learn and grow, safety is always the number one priority. In the event that there is ever a lockdown situation, or impending dangerous weather, digital displays have the ability to notify everyone instantaneously. The signs can display instructions to everyone on where to go and what to do, reducing panic, and giving people vital information they need to stay safe. Digital signs can be connected to softwares like ALERTUS , which allow staff members to push alerts to all signs with the tap of a button on a smartphone. A few seconds could make the difference in a dangerous situation. That’s why having a plan in place is so critical.
6. Cancellations or Delays
Every winter, schools in cold-weather states have to deal with snow, ice, and possibly frigid temperatures. Occasionally, the decision needs to be made on whether or not school should be delayed or if a snow day is in order. Administrators can use digital signage software to push out notifications if school or extra curricular activities are delayed, postponed, or canceled. As long as the content is public, anyone can access it from their own device to stay up to date, extending communication beyond students and faculty. CHECK OUT how Franklin Middle school uses Arreya Digital Signage. See how digital signage meets their challenge of engaging with stakeholders outside of their school building and motivating students.
7. Graduation Ceremonies
Graduation is a time for everyone to celebrate. The students’ hard work has paid off, and now it’s time to recognize them. Digital signage can be a great way to do this, not only because it looks great, but because it’s extremely easy to implement. It would work particularly well for a graduation ceremony, because a spreadsheet could be used to feed information about the graduates, similar to the lunch menu we mentioned above. In fact, once the format for the graduation presentation is set, a new spreadsheet could be uploaded each year, and the information on the signs would be updated automatically. This removes the need to print or create new signs each year, reducing waste, and saving time and money.
8. Display Educational Material
Teachers can utilize digital signage software in their classrooms by displaying content relevant to their courses. They can upload previous lectures, notes, videos, deadlines for projects, or the class syllabus. Teachers can even allow students to comment on course related topics, and everyone would be able to see what they wrote on the display.
9. Secure Displays
One of the biggest concerns that come to mind with digital signage in schools is hacking. The last thing parents and faculty want is something inappropriate being displayed on their screens. There are many options in terms of locking things down, but one of the best we have found is Google Chrome’s kiosk mode. Kiosk mode prevents students or anyone else from tampering with or changing the content that is being displayed. It won’t allow them to access the web browser, and it won’t allow them to change any text, images, or any other content that has been scheduled. CLICK HERE and Google explains kiosk mode and how to activate it. WATCH A VIDEO on setting up kiosk mode.
10. Social Media
Schools can use digital signage to display live feeds from their Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram accounts. This is just another way to engage with students and update them on what’s going on. Some schools will have Twitter accounts for each team or club they have, and they will post updates on scores or competitions throughout the year. Digital signs are an excellent way to display all of these social media accounts on one screen at the same time.
Total School District Integration
Digital signage software can play a vital role in keeping both students and faculty up to date and engaged. It’s also a great tool to communicate with stakeholders outside of school. It can be used to keep people safe by integrating alert software, and it can be used to recognize students and faculty for their achievements. Hopefully this post gives you some ideas on how digital signage software can benefit your school, not only saving time, money, and resources, but by enriching the learning experience as well.
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Increased Sustainability
