Edsby uses embedded analytics to deliver full-spectrum learning and unlock new opportunities

From gathering pictures, anecdotes, and other learning materials for the youngest students to helping high school students prepare for college, K–12 educators must meet a broad range of learning needs. Across North America, almost 2 million teachers, administrators, parents, and students in nearly 11,000 schools and school districts use the Edsby Learning Management System (LMS) to manage, assess, and report childhood learning across the entire K–12 spectrum—all in one application

A cloud-based LMS, hosted on Microsoft Azure and using other Microsoft technologies such as Office 365 and OneNote, Edsby provides a set of standard services, including classroom management tools, gradebooks, and parent communication, with premium add-ons. When the company decided to add a premium analytics service, it used Microsoft Power BI Embedded to build advanced analytics and data visualizations directly into the Edsby experience.

“We saw a lot of demand and great potential for data solutions in education,” says Edsby Cofounder Scott Welch. “We also saw the opportunity to help our customers uncover the stories behind billions of Edsby data points.”

To build or buy?

The company wanted to deliver custom and customizable analytics dashboards in Edsby, targeted to the right groups, and keep the service priced appropriately for the education market. The question was: should Edsby build its own analytics and data visualization layer or buy existing technology and embed it into the application?

“By nature, we’re builders, not buyers,” says Welch. “And it’s complicated and risky to consider trusting the security of student data to third parties. But we have a good relationship with Microsoft, so we were excited when we looked at Power BI Embedded and discovered what it was capable of.”

With Power BI Embedded, Edsby developers connect to data sources, create reporting layers, and embed .pbix files into the Edsby application. “Using Power BI Embedded removed 80 percent of the development effort,” says Welch. “We deliver Power BI dashboards and let Microsoft provide the analytics power, support, and documentation—while we focus on core education value.”

A lot of data + a lot of sources = a lot of insight

Districts and schools connect the Edsby advanced analytics service to high volumes of data from student information systems, standardized test scores, records of what users do within Edsby, and other sources. They use Power BI dashboards within Edsby to visualize data sets such as grades, attendance, student performance, or parent engagement.

“Our customers use Power BI Embedded to spot trends and identify where and how students or programs may be falling behind,” says Dallas Kachan, Vice President of Marketing at Edsby. “With row-level security built into Power BI, school districts can carefully manage how students, their parents, and educators exchange information and which groups get to see what.”

More education value

Edsby uses Power BI Embedded to deliver more value to educators and parents at a cost its customers can afford. Schools can supplement assessments with data visualizations that put a student’s grades in context with attendance and other factors, as well as past—and expected—performance.

That helps teachers find and act on opportunities to maintain the right course, while students and parents can work toward and plan for the right future. “We used Power BI Embedded to deliver the advanced analytics our customers need, at a cost structure that makes business sense,” says Welch.

New revenue opportunities

By delivering an advanced analytics add-on to its standard offering, Edsby monetizes its application data and creates entirely new revenue streams. The company is working with state, provincial, and national departments of education on using Edsby analytics—decoupled from the Edsby LMS—to help identify, understand, and resolve broad education issues.

“We are pursuing revenue opportunities that we would not have previously considered before using Power BI Embedded to enhance Edsby analytics,” says Kachan.

Better student outcomes

With advanced analytics and data visualization capabilities in Edsby, school systems can use their data to improve outcomes for students—from kindergarten through high school graduation and beyond. They can now better identify challenges, establish KPIs, and build tools that deliver insights directly to the people who can make a difference for children.

“With Power BI Embedded, we are giving educators powerful new ways to focus on kids’ success,” says Welch.

Find out more about Edsby on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.