Alfred Essa Director, Analytics Research
and Strategy Desire2Learn Inc. alfred.essa@desire2learn.com http://alfredessa.com B(ig) D(ata) in E(ducation)∳

Why? problems we expect to
solve What? approach in education Demo student success system

Less Data, More Insights

Preliminaries∳

• Education needs an enduring
technology partner • Supporting learners lifelong • 24/7 service and support • 14 available languages • Now over 800 employees worldwide • Global SaaS capabilities • Over 8 Million Clients WW Desire2Learn Inc.

Full Suite of Learning Technology
Desire2Learn Learning Pla.orm Learning Environment Lifelong ePor.olio Repository & Discovery Advanced Analy<cs Binder & Mobile Apps Capture & Mul<media Other Analy<cs and Data Sources 3rd Party Applica<ons Publisher Content Authen<ca<on Systems SIS and HR Systems Desire2Learn Valence -­‐ Open Web Services, APIs, Integra<on Packs and Standards

Why?∳

“As a disruptive innovation—an innovation
that transforms a sector from one that was previously complicated and expensive into one that is far simpler and more affordable—the rise of online learning carries with it an unprecedented opportunity to transform the schooling system into a student-centric one that can affordably customize for different student needs by allowing all students to learn at their appropriate pace and path, thereby allowing each student to realize her fullest potential.” Clayton Christensen

Seth Godin “As we get
ready for the ninety-third year of universal public education, here’s the question every parent and taxpayer needs to wrestle with: Are we going to applaud, push, or even permit our schools (including most of the private ones) to continue the safe but ultimately doomed strategy of churning out predictable, testable, and mediocre factory workers?”

“The next stops, I believe,
are education, financial services, health care, and then ultimately government— the huge swaths of the economy that historically have not been addressable by technology, that haven’t been amenable to the entrance of Silicon Valley-style software companies. But increasingly I think they’re going to be.” Marc Andreessen

Problem: Iron Triangle in Education

Quality
Cost
Access

solution: analytics at scale

problem: changing business model

volume value

solution: analytics as accountability

problem: diversity of learners

homogeneous heterogeneous

solution: analytics as personalization

problem: education sucks

solution: analytics powers interactive, immersive
learning

conclusion: analytics is focal point
of innovation in education

What?∳

Every breath you take Every
move you make Every bond you break Every step you take I will be watching you Data Internet Philosopher Sting

informationvalue insight Risk Forecasting Predictive
Modeling what will happen? STAGE TWO ReportingData Access what happened? what is happening? STAGE ONE Optimization Strategy what do i want to happen? STAGE THREE Analytics Maturity

optimization means finding the best
path among multiple options

who is under-prepared for college?
who is under-prepared for class? who won’t remain in class? who won’t re-register? who won’t pass a class? who won’t have a high GPA? who won’t pass a class? who won’t remain in a program? who won’t graduate? who won’t get a job who won’t get a high-paying job? Student Success Lifecycle Identify the Students Understand the Cause Apply Intervention Track Success

Demonstration∳

a 360-view of student academic
progress, including risk Student Success System

interrogate the data understand the
problem consult with others prescribe a course of treatment track the success https://fusion2012demo.desire2learn.com/

Let’s Make Education Dance! Thank
You∳ http://alfredessa.com linkedin: alfred essa twitter: @malpaso