Fidelis Launches Software as a Service Platform for Student-centered Learning

PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Driven by a mission to help students and employees to get the most value possible from their education and training, Fidelis today launched its enterprise Software as a Service (SaaS) platform for student-centered learning.

Informed by the latest in educational research on retention, engagement and learning, Fidelis' elegant set of tools delivers a well-integrated and comprehensive learning platform for all types of learning communities, including universities, companies, community colleges, military units, high schools, government and non-government organizations.

The technology offers a cohesive educational experience that is based on the personal goals and objectives set by individual students. It takes a 360-degree view of learning, offering online course delivery at its core and combining it with traditional coursework, mentorship, coaching, micro-credentialing through digital badges, and job placement.

An overview of the Fidelis learning platform is available here.

According to Gunnar Counselman, co-founder and CEO of Fidelis, "Integration is the key. Most teaching and learning organizations want to build more student-centered support systems for learning and to implement a badging system, but they are moving slowly because integrating the solutions is difficult. Our single platform brings together the necessary tools, so any learning community can offer high-quality, blended learning programs to its members."

"We have spent nearly two years laying the technical ground work and testing the platform," said Counselman. "After conducting pilots with schools like UCLA, Arizona State University, University of Texas, and University of Florida, our focus shifted from a partnership model to a licensing platform that can be made available to all students."

The Fidelis platform's design is driven by a set of beliefs about what makes education and training engaging and valuable for students. Among those are that learning is best when students:

• Set clear and important long-term education and career objectives;
• Embrace membership in a community of learners who are at various stages of mastering a field;
• Create personalized learning plans that set incremental goals that build toward long-term objectives;
• Are coached and mentored by a combination of professionals, personal mentors, role models, and career guides; and
• Can earn badges and micro-credentials that signify the capabilities and knowledge obtained through course studies.

Counselman, a former Marine Corps officer, served in Iraq, Bosnia, and the Horn of Africa before attending Harvard Business School. While at HBS, Gunnar performed initial research for the book "Disrupting Class" by Clay Christensen and Michael Horn. After HBS, Gunnar transitioned to the civilian world as a consultant with Bain and Company before starting Fidelis.

Anoop Jayadevan is co-founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Fidelis, where he leads product management and engineering. Jayadevan previously held product management and engineering roles at Google for eight years. He holds a B.Tech in Computer Science from IIT Kanpur, India and an MBA from Wharton.

About Fidelis: Headquartered in Palo Alto, CA, Fidelis is a venture-backed company supported by funding from Novak Biddle Venture Partners, American Public University System, Accel Partners, O'Reilly AlphaTech Ventures, Kapor Capital, and Ulu Ventures.  For more information, visit www.fideliseducation.com.

SOURCE Fidelis