A data-driven approach to education
Posted on 03.10.2022
The Dutch education system has a problem.
According to Minister of Education Robbert Dijkgraaf, 25% of students drop out of their first education at higher professional education and universities. 10% of them stop studying altogether.
That has to change.
A data-driven approach can help initiate that change:
– Make progress and decline of students transparent
– Protect students from pitfalls
– Insight into which learning methods do or do not work
– Better testing of the quality of the teaching material
This is how we make the future of education bright again. Because that potential is definitely there!
– Happier students
– Happier teachers
– Higher success rates
Educational institutions are ideal for data-driven working. With the help of data, it is easy for lecturers to visualize the progress (or, conversely, the decline) of their students. This makes it possible to set out a path in consultation with the student that protects them against pitfalls and ensures that their potential is optimally utilized. This increases the chance of success and at the same time increases the success of the educational institution.
In short, when the organization is running well, more attention can be paid to the student. A data-driven approach therefore indirectly also has a positive influence on students.
But how do you handle it? That’s where Wave5 comes in. Together with the educational institution, we ensure the implementation of the necessary data platform, on which we then build in a number of so-called Landing Zones. For example, a Landing Zone for the data from Educator, Eduarte or Magister. In this way, we bring data from these systems to a new environment where the educational institution can determine for itself how this data can be used. Our ultimate goal is that the educational institution gains control over its own data and therefore decides for itself how to turn this data into information that really helps them to make better decisions.
We build the data platform using Microsoft’s Azure Cloud. This is technology that almost every educational institution already uses to a greater or lesser extent. The Azure Cloud contains a large number of services that help turn data into useful information. This includes supplying information for reports, developing models that predict imminent student dropouts, or connecting sensors for operational processes and analyses. These services are bundled in Azure Synapse Analytics and is our favorite tool to enable data-driven working and decision-making. With Azure Synapse, we are able to start quickly and scale up step by step, guaranteeing optimal manageability and flexibility.
Because we think data-driven working in one fell swoop is very ambitious. Looking step-by-step at what works for you and what doesn’t? That is also possible and is our preference. And because Azure Synapse combines your data integration, enterprise data storage, and big data analytics, you have the freedom to query your data under your own conditions and at a self-determined scale. This way you make your institution resistant to, for example, a change of data supplier or the speed of innovation of the application supplier. After all, the data is with you!
And, most importantly, it doesn’t have to be expensive. It is possible to get started easily and at low entry costs, because you only pay when you actually use the product. Do you want to start quietly with, for example, one query per day? Then you only pay for one query per day. That gives you the flexibility and space to easily scale up or down when necessary. In this way we ensure a streamlined organization that can act and respond quickly when necessary.
Especially at a time when education is struggling due to teacher shortages, a data-driven approach can work to relieve the pressure. It takes certain tasks off your hands so that education can better focus on the most important aspect: the student. Wave5 is happy to make an important contribution to this. We take away fears and doubts about data-driven work and clearly show how good use of data allows educational institutions to take major steps towards, for example, higher success rates. Together we ensure that the data strategy, technology and employees are well aligned.
None of this means employees need to retrain to become full-time data professionals. We help improve data skills within the organization, and are available for further explanation or additional information where necessary. In this way, everyone can make decisions at their own level on the basis of reliable data, i.e. facts. And again, we do all this with the main goal of happy successful students and teachers.
Do you want to learn more about what Wave5 and technology like Azure Synapse can mean for your educational institution? Then contact us soon!
