How PDF Course Catalogs are Holding Your Higher Education Institution Back

In the age of digital transformation, higher education institutions are increasingly aware of the need for modern, efficient solutions to enhance student accessibility. Yet many schools still rely on PDF formats for their course catalogs. While PDFs may have been a standard choice in the past, they are no longer the best option for managing and publishing content. In fact, continuing to use a PDF for your course catalog could be detrimental to the accessibility and overall success of your catalog. Keep reading to learn how Clean Catalog supports a seamless transition from your current PDF format to a modern web-based version.

Clean Catalog Supports PDF Exports

Our innovative PDF export feature allows you to create streamlined PDFs from your online content, in case you need a PDF document to submit to the VA or your accrediting agency.

Accessibility Issues

Most notably, PDF-only formats pose significant accessibility challenges. For students with disabilities, PDFs are less accommodating than web-based formats. Screen readers and other assistive technologies can struggle with PDFs, particularly if they are not properly tagged or if the text is embedded in images. This can hinder the ability of students with certain disabilites, like vision loss, to access critical information about courses and other program requirements. Web-based catalogs can be tailored to the viewer and their particular needs.

Modern web-based catalogs, such as those provided by Clean Catalog, are designed with accessibility in mind. They adhere to web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG), ensuring that all students can easily access and navigate the information they need.

Limited Searchability

PDFs are notoriously difficult to search through. While you can use the search function within a PDF reader, the results are often imprecise or fragmented. For students trying to find specific course information or prerequisites, this can be a frustrating experience. Additionally, PDFs lack the capability for advanced search features like filtering and sorting.

Clean Catalog addresses these issues by offering a robust search functionality that can easily filter by program, credit hours, semester, or any other qualifying tag. Students can quickly locate specific courses, requirements, and updates, making the process much more efficient and user-friendly for today’s tech-savvy students.

##Challenges with Updates and Maintenance Keeping a PDF course catalog up to date can be a labor-intensive process. When courses change, new programs are added, or requirements shift, the entire PDF often needs to be revised and redistributed. This not only consumes valuable time, but can also lead to the distribution of outdated information if changes are not communicated effectively.

Clean Catalog simplifies this process by providing a dynamic platform where updates can be made in real-time and site-wide. Changes are instantly reflected globally, both in the online catalog and the PDF version. For example, if you edit the course title of Accounting 102, it will then be updated everywhere that course appears within your catalog. By easing the editing process, you reduce the risk of circulating outdated information and ensure that students always have access to the most current details.

Subpar User Experience

The user experience of a PDF catalog is at best frustrating, and at worst dysfunctional. Parsing a multi-hundred page document can make it time consuming to locate the information you’re searching for, and the static nature of PDFs equates to a lack of interactive features. For today’s tech-savvy student population, a subpar user experience typically leads to higher bounce rates and less interaction with your catalog overall.

Web-based catalogs offered by Clean Catalog provide an intuitive, interactive experience. On the frontend, user-friendly navigation, automatic PDF generation, clickable links, and searchability make it intuitive for students. On the backend, API integration, revisions portals, templates, customizable workflows, user permissions, and SSO lessen the burden of managing catalog content for your staff.

Lack of Integrations

PDFs are standalone documents that cannot easily interface with other institutional systems such as student information systems (SIS), learning management systems (LMS), or enrollment platforms. This siloed approach can lead to inefficiencies in data management. By requiring staff members to submit course changes in multiple places, you increase the likelihood of inconsistencies across publications.

Clean Catalog’s platform, on the other hand, is designed to integrate seamlessly with other institutional systems using our powerful API, including many LMS and SIS platforms. This ensures that course information is consistent across all platforms, reduces manual data entry, and improves overall efficiency.

Making the Transition with Clean Catalog

Switching from a PDF course catalog to a web-based platform like Clean Catalog doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Clean Catalog offers a user-friendly solution that requires minimal lift for your institution. The transition process is designed to be smooth, with support provided every step of the way.

By embracing an online catalog solution with Clean Catalog, your institution can enhance accessibility, improve searchability, streamline updates, enrich the user experience, and benefit from seamless integrations. The result is a more effective and modern approach to managing course information, ultimately benefiting students, faculty, and administrators alike.

In conclusion, while PDFs have served their purpose in the past, it’s clear that they are no longer the most effective tool for managing course catalogs. Transitioning to a web-based version with Clean Catalog can significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your institution’s academic resources. Make the change today and experience the benefits of a modern, accessible, and user-friendly course catalog system.