12-word description of app/product: Perceivant replaces textbooks with cost-effective, interactive and data-driven learning experiences

 

Formats: Web-based with a mobile application for iOS or Android mobile devices

 

Website: www.perceivant.com

 

What does it help with? Universities nationwide are facing the same challenge: how to make textbooks more relevant, meaningful and engaging for students. To overcome this obstacle, Perceivant has strategically designed a platform to make the learning experience more engaging while providing a tool that allows educators to better analyze student engagement and course efficacy. For the fall 2018 semester, Perceivant courses enabled close to 90 percent in student engagement across all university partners, which is an increase of 40-60 percent in the student engagement levels seen without the use of Perceivant. Perceivant partners have also seen a decrease in fail and dropout rates by 50 percent as well as performing more successfully by getting higher GPAs in their courses.

 

What grade and age range? Higher education

 

Is this core/supplemental/special needs/extracurricular/professional development or what?

Supplement in teaching and classroom management.

 

What subject, topic, and standards is it mapped to? Perceivant offers more than 16 core curriculum courses for universities, which cover a wide range of topics such as health & wellness, philosophy, accounting, American government, finance and more.

Perceivant also offers custom publishing which includes editorial expertise, allowing educators to changes to the textbook or create custom textbooks for their courses.

Perceivant helps to meet and exceed partners’ obligations to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by providing access to users with disabilities. Perceivant is HIPAA and FERPA compliant.

 

What is the pricing model? A one-time fee for students to cover the fee for the textbook. The platform doesn’t cost anything to instructors. Each course follows a low-cost, high-efficacy pricing model that is customized based on the needs of each university. According to one Perceivant user, courses are typically “unbelievably cheaper” for students than traditional textbooks.

In addition, thanks to Perceivant’s business model, students could access the online course on the first day of class even if the textbook hadn’t been paid for yet, which assists those who cannot purchase books right away due to cost or delays in financial aid. Given that 50 percent of students who have postponed buying textbooks see their grades suffer as a result, this process heavily contributes to the early success of course enrollees.

 

Are there services around it? Perceivant provides the following:

  • Active learning opportunities: Each course enables students to be more successful with Perceivant’s active learning approach to course and content design.
  • Simple setup: Pre-built modules are included at no additional cost and can be used as-is or customized to align with course goals.

Ease-of-use: Educators can maximize time by managing multiple course sections within one, easy-to-use dashboard. Auto-graded labs and self-assessments also reduce grading time while increasing teaching time.

  • Supported materials: Perceivant provides a library of content that includes PowerPoint presentations, quiz banks, interactive online chapters, self-assessments, discussions, reflections and more that are all carefully curated and professor-approved.
  • Real-time visibility: Each course provides cutting-edge analytics and real-time data that provide visibility regarding course engagement, student engagement, progress and success.
  • Custom Publishing: At Perceivant, no textbook is the same. The company provides editorial design, tools and support for new course materials or to create a custom solution.
  • Customer Support: Perceivant provides on-site support when needed and is hands-on during the entire activation as well as throughout each semester.

 

What makes Perceivant unique? One aspect of Perceivant that makes it extremely unique is its aspect of guided learning, which is designed to capture student progress, engagement and assimilate course materials.

When students read the textbook in the Perceivant courseware dashboard, the guided learning approach incorporates questions for the student as they read to help reinforce important aspects without penalizing them for the answer. It then explains each incorrect answer in real-time to cultivate critical thinking skills. The student is able to track their progress in the dashboard and re-asses information that was difficult to understand.

Perceivant’s software notifies instructors about students’ progress and how the class as a whole is doing. This allows instructors to better identify struggling students early in the class as well as tailor lectures based on that information with the help of Perceivant.

 

A description of the characteristics--how is it designed for user interface, user experience? What instructional design principles are at work here? Perfect has a truly unique and explicit understanding of users, tasks and environments driven by data collection and refined by user-centered evaluation.

Since learning competes for students’ attention, the Perceivant is not only easily accessible but relevant. It was designed with a mobile-first mindset and incorporates these concepts:

  • Simplicity           
    • Packages content packaged content in small chunks allowing for flexible use and for students to digest content at their own pace.
    • Allows user to be guided through the learning experience, with ability to easily access external content for deeper learning.
    • Includes Media elements (video, text, visuals, etc) that are simplified to enhance the learning experience while covering multiple learning styles.
    • Offers visual reminders of tasks and assignments making assignments, points, and due dates clear.
  • Flexibility
    • Offers offline e-publication and pdf for additional access.
    • Allows access to submit assignments at student's convenience.
    • Accounts for various operating systems and screen sizes (desktop, mobile, and tablet)
  • Support
    • Easy-to find support services with award-winning response times.
    • Pushes regular reminders to the student’s mobile device

 

Teacher reviews:

Kimberly Baker, Health Education Coordinator at The Ohio State University

“My favorite element of Perceivant is their helpfulness, responsiveness and support. They are personal, approachable and take action with stellar professionalism. I highly recommend Perceivant’s company and service to students and innovative, online and affordable education.”

….

Johnna Eaton, Associate Professor of Health, Physical Education and Recreation at East Georgia State College

“I paired up with Perceivant after doing a textbook review a few years ago, and I’m so happy that I did. Not only is the textbook content top-notch, current and relevant, the learning management system is extremely user-friendly for both faculty and students. I love how Perceivant has transformed my teaching ability as well as my students’ ability to meet the student learning outcomes. Perceivant’s innovation in course delivery and instruction through technology is redefining my classroom teaching.”

….

Jennifer Peters, Full-time Lecturer for the Department of Human Sciences at The Ohio State University

“Perceivant blew me away from the beginning. Perceivant is remarkably attentive to the needs of their customers, educators and students alike.  From building the products within a Canvas base, choosing and designing cutting edge assessments that engage students directly, seamless transitions for purchasing materials, and round the clock technical support, Perceivant stays a step ahead of the rest. Their attention to detail, vision for students’ needs, and passion for customer service set the company apart from the competition.”