European Predictive Analytics Platform Launches in the U.S.
A predictive analytics product already in use in
European
colleges and universities will now be available in the United States.
InfoSystems
will launch the StREAM
Student Success System, which uses algorithms to identify college
students who
may be struggling with their academic work and alerts administrators
when
intervention may be required, in the United States.
The platform, developed by the U.K.-based SolutionPath, will
be exclusively distributed in the United States by InfoSystems.
The technology platform uses existing data to create
predictive models that counselors and administrators can use to monitor
student
work. The models are based on specific areas of study so that a
student's
success can be measured against those in that discipline.
InfoSystems representatives said the StREAM model differs
from other
similar products on the U.S. market because others compare a specific
student's
progress against an entire institution's student population. The
StREAM model, however, would compare a certain engineering student's academic
progress
against other engineering students, as opposed to every student in the
university.
Representatives also said StREAM can be installed and in
full
implementation much quicker than other systems. Setup can be completed
in five
days by the equivalent of one full-time staff member. Predictive models
can be
made available to administrators within 90 days, as opposed to an
industry
average of nine to 12 months.
InfoSystems President and CEO Clay Hales said that,
along with
improving overall student success, StREAM can reduce the impact of lost
revenue
caused by student dropout rates.
"Colleges and universities are losing on average over
$13
million in revenue each year due to student dropouts," Hales said. "This
provides a very fast ROI and quick time to value."
About the Author
Michael Hart is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and the former executive editor of THE Journal.