D2L Launches The Learning Analytics Blueprint to Help Organizations Get Started With Data in the Classroom

WATERLOO, ON--(Marketwired - February 18, 2016) -  Today, D2L, a global edtech leader and the creator of Brightspace, releases The Learning Analytics Blueprint, a visual guide to rolling out a successful Learning Analytics solution organization-wide. The Learning Analytics Blueprint provides organizations with a best practice framework for optimizing learning data. The Learning Analytics Blueprint is supported by D2L's team of experts in change management, data governance, and data sciences.

"We've heard from customers that they want to use data to improve learning outcomes, but they don't know where to start. That's why we're excited to release the The Learning Analytics Blueprint to help organizations create their plans for using learning analytics to improve student success," said John Baker, CEO of D2L.

D2L's ability to provide powerful analytics to create a more meaningful learning experience is globally recognized, as the company was just ranked #6 on Fast Company's list of The Most Innovative Companies of 2016 in the Data Science sector, amongst Spotify, IBM, Costco, Google, and Blue Cross Blue Shield.

The Learning Analytics Blueprint responds to a growing market need. Gates Bryant from Tyton Partners reported that: "…2015 was a turning point with notable shifts in how technologies are built to capture data, how campuses use data, and even the business activity in the data analytics space. These changes signal that colleges and universities are on the precipice of being able to take student success data out from behind the glass and use it to engage students and improve retention and graduation rates."¹

Despite the accelerating demand, most organizations don't know where to start with learning analytics. They have discovered that having access to data is not enough when they don't know how to turn it into knowledge that can be acted upon. The power of learning analytics comes from turning data into knowledge and ultimately into purposeful actions that drive results. The Learning Analytics Blueprint was designed to clear the path to success. Kelly Calhoun from Gartner reported: "The training needed to make full use of analytics is a major challenge to K-12 education. Skills in data science are in short supply globally, and demand for these skills is increasing exponentially in the private sector. A significant part of the future challenge will be to strategize how best to bring in levels of analytics capabilities that the organization is ready for and capable of leveraging, whether with existing staff or via vendor resources."²

With The Learning Analytics Blueprint in hand and analytics successfully implemented, K-12, higher education institutions and organizations can be confident they will see an increase in student success. According to a recent Ovum report, "D2L was given a perfect score for student performance and retention because it has moved beyond basic reporting and alerts, and no other OLP vendor has grasped predictive analytics in the way D2L has." Fast Company also validated D2L's approach to analytics, naming D2L one of its Most Innovative Companies of 2016 in the Data Science sector, and users can attest to the impact D2L's analytics have made across their schools as well:

• By using Brightspace analytics, Georgia Southern reports that it is able to predict student outcomes to within a letter grade 67% of the time as early as the fourth week of classes. That accuracy reaches as high as 88% by week 18.
• At Academy Online High School, Principal Rick Tanski shares that "More kids are passing with Cs or higher and fewer kids are in the D to F range. From 2013 to 2014, we've reduced our failure rate by 36%" upon utilizing D2L's predictive capabilities.

For more information about the Brightspace Learning Analytics Blueprint, visit www.brightspace.com/learning-analytics-blueprint/.

ABOUT D2L
D2L is the software leader that makes the learning experience better. The company's cloud-based platform -- Brightspace -- is not a common one-size-fits-all learning management system (LMS). It's easier to use, more flexible, and smart. With Brightspace, you can personalize the experience for every learner to deliver real results. The company is a world leader in learning analytics: its platform predicts learner performance so that you can take action in real-time to keep them on track. Brightspace is used by learners in higher education, K-12, and the enterprise sector, including the Fortune 1000. D2L has operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, Brazil, and Singapore. www.brightspace.com

© 2015 D2L Corporation.

The D2L family of companies includes D2L Corporation, D2L Ltd, D2L Australia Pty Ltd, D2L Europe Ltd, D2L Asia Pte Ltd, and D2L Brasil Soluções de Tecnologia para Educação Ltda.

ALL D2L MARKS ARE TRADEMARKS OF D2L CORPORATION. PLEASE VISIT D2L.COM/TRADEMARKS FOR A LIST OF D2L MARKS.

¹ Unlocking Predictive Analytics to Improve Student Engagement and Retention

² Gartner, Top Five Business Trends Impacting K-12 Education in 2016; Published: 13 January 2016

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