Ten Additional Higher Education Institutions to Share Expanded Data
Pool of More than One Million Student Records and Best Practices in
Shaping Learning Outcomes
CHARLES TOWN, W.Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 30, 2012--
American
Public University System (APUS) today announced that it will
continue its leadership role for expanded research under the Predictive
Analytics Reporting Framework (PAR) project, initiated by the Western
Interstate Commission for Higher Education’s Cooperative for Educational
Technologies (WCET).
Funded by a new grant and supplemented by ten additional institutions,
the consortium will validate and extend the successful, ground-breaking
PAR work concluded in early 2012 by six schools exploring effective uses
of “big data” predictive analytics to help improve student learning
outcomes.
The Predictive Analytics Reporting (PAR) Framework helps predict risks
to student retention and progression in their pursuit of a
post-secondary degree or credential. The trends identified through the
PAR Framework and shared through reports and risk profiles allow
institutions to take steps to remove obstacles to student success and
reduce problems with student retention. In his continuing role as
principal investigator, APUS Vice President of Research and Development
Dr. Phil Ice will oversee technical and analytical strategy for the
program, which incorporates many of the best practices and award-winning
predictive analytical methods for which he has been recognized by the Sloan
Consortium.
The grant funds will enable the creation of a unique, collaboratively
created multi-institution dataset containing more than one million
anonymized student and five million course records from across 16 WCET
member institutions. A dataset of this size will enable the
identification of trends at the course, student, institutional and
pan-institutional level.
“With 16 participating institutions sharing over one million anonymized
student records, we'll be even better able to identify trends
contributing to student success, program momentum, and online course
completion,” said Dr. Ice. “The cross-section of community college,
four-year and online institutions, offering traditional to progressive
and competency-based programs, will also help significantly advance our
modeling capabilities.”
The WCET member institutions include the six founding PAR Framework
partner institutions American Public University System, Colorado
Community College System, Rio Salado College, University of Hawaii
System, University of Illinois Springfield, and the University of
Phoenix as well as ten new institutional partners, each committed to
raising the quality bar on student success and online learning
excellence. New partners committing to share their student and
institutional data, and best practices for student intervention with the
project include Ashford University, Broward College, Capella University,
Lone Star College System, Penn State World Campus, Sinclair Community
College, Troy University, University of Central Florida, University of
Maryland University College, and Western Governors University.
About WCET
The WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies (WCET) is a
cooperative, membership-driven, non-profit provider of solutions and
services that accelerate the adoption of effective practices and
policies, advancing excellence in technology-enhanced teaching and
learning in higher education. More information about WCET's
institutional membership resources, services and common interest groups
can be found on WCET's website, wcet.wiche.edu.
About American Public University System
American
Public University System, winner of the Sloan Consortium’s 2009
Ralph E. Gomory Award for Quality Online Education and two-time
recipient of Sloan’s Effective Practices Award, offers 87 online degree
programs through American
Public University and American
Military University. APUS’s relevant curriculum, affordability and
flexibility help more than 100,000 working adults worldwide pursue
degrees in subjects ranging from homeland security to management and
liberal arts. For further information, visit http://www.apus.edu/
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the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2011, and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended June
30, 2012, as filed with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to
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Source: American Public University System
American Public University System
Brian Muys, 571-358-3145
bmuys@apus.edu