Blackboard Acquires Predictive Analytics Company Blue Canary
Blackboard today announced the acquisition of Blue Canary, a higher education predictive analytics company focused on retention.
The move marks Blackboard's latest investment in learning analytics and student success. Earlier this year, the company acquired X-Ray Analytics, data analytics technology that is being integrated into its product lineup.
"We recognize the importance that educators and institutional leaders place on understanding the data that exists around their learners" said Jay Bhatt, CEO of Blackboard, in a press release. "That's why we've assembled a robust analytics portfolio and why we continue to invest in the technology and the talent that will advance our leadership in this area. Predictive analytics is the key to helping institutions support more students effectively, whether that support is in the form of a high-touch engagement from an advisor, or in the form of an integrated, student-facing dashboard."
Blue Canary president and founder Mike Sharkey will head the analytics business line for Blackboard. "We look forward to joining the Blackboard family and advancing a strategy that has an extremely rich analytics offering. Blackboard has the breadth and depth of skills, resources and intellectual horsepower to make an enormous impact on learner retention and to enable the institutions that serve them," said Sharkey in a prepared statement. "We're excited to join a team that shares our vision for data-powered decision making in education, as well as our keen focus on innovation and fostering success for learners."
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Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].