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Perficient Delivers Innovative Online Learning Experience for Harrison College Students

Perficient creates new learning platform, setting Harrison College apart as an industry leader in online learning

ST. LOUIS (Feb. 27, 2012) Perficient, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRFT), a leading information technology consulting firm serving Global 2000 and other large enterprise customers throughout North America, in partnership with Harrison College, a career-focused college serving 6,000 students, has launched a new and innovative online learning platform for Harrison College students. The interactive solution allows Harrison’s online students to connect with one another and with their instructors, and offers a high-level of support and intuitive interaction that enhances the online learning experience. 

Harrison had been providing an online learning experience to its students via a packaged learning management system (LMS) application. Harrison engaged Perficient to deliver an innovative system designed in collaboration with Harrison staff. At the start of the 2012 semester, Perficient launched the new online learning platform to Harrison College students – KnowU. KnowU offers robust social media tools, rich support features and integrates with Harrison’s current online learning platform.

“Harrison College had high aspirations to create a new system that would revolutionize the online learning experience for its students,” said John Griffin, Perficient general manager. “Perficient business and technology consultants, creative experts from our experience design group Perficient XD and resources from our Global Delivery Center (GDC) were able to deliver a final product that not only provides a sense of community, learning and support in one interactive site, but also allows Harrison students to feel more connected to the college, as if they’re right there on campus, in the classroom learning with others. It truly sets Harrison apart as an industry leader in online learning.”

In order to develop concepts for a KnowU marketing website and the new KnowU online learning system, the Perficient XD team led collaborative sessions with Harrison College through creative, visioning and visual design activities.  The Perficient delivery team and the Perficient GDC led a 12-month delivery effort to complete the functional designs, technical designs and code development; turning the creative vision into the final, working KnowU platform.  

Specifically, the KnowU site delivers three primary focus areas including:

  • Community Harrison College students can garner a sense of community through KnowU’s social media capabilities, discussion groups and networking forums, and stay up-to-date with current information via the news feed. Students can even import their Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn profiles into KnowU.
  • Learning Students can access their classes, connecting directly with what’s happening in the classroom in real-time, keep informed on class announcements, receive career guidance, access career resources, and utilize the Learning Resource Center, which provides library collections and best resources like research guides, databases, APA style information and librarian chats.
  • SupportStudents can quickly find resources to common issues through the site’s hot topics buzz cloud, they can access FAQs with direct links and ratings, and they can contact a real support person at any time.

“Online education is becoming increasingly popular, yet few institutions are attempting to improve the way online education is delivered,” said Kevin Hesler, vice president of Information Services for Harrison College.  “There are many issues with online education that need to be addressed.  For example, online students don’t feel a connection to the college they are attending.  They find it difficult to develop relationships with other students, and interaction with staff and faculty is limited.  But KnowU changes that.  Our partners at Perficient have helped us develop a virtual campus that will improve student engagement and therefore higher levels of educational outcomes and retention rates.”

View the public-facing, marketing site developed during this project at http://knowu.harrison.edu. Find out more by viewing Harrison College’s KnowU promotional video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm2zbkEu18A.

For more information or to schedule a media interview with a Perficient expert, please contact Liz Drazen at 314-529-3563 or liz.drazen@perficient.com.

About Perficient
Perficient is a leading information technology consulting firm serving Global 2000 and enterprise customers throughout North America. Perficient’s professionals serve clients from a network of offices across North America and three offshore locations, in Eastern Europe, India, and China. Perficient helps clients use Internet-based technologies to improve productivity and competitiveness, strengthen relationships with customers, suppliers and partners, and reduce information technology costs. Perficient, traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market(SM), is a member of the Russell 2000® index and the S&P SmallCap 600 index. Perficient is an award-winning “Premier Level” IBM business partner, a TeamTIBCO partner, a Microsoft National Systems Integrator and Gold Certified Partner, a Documentum Select Services Team Partner, and an Oracle Certified Partner.

For more information, please visit www.perficient.com.  Learn more from our subject matter experts via social media at www.perficient.com/socialmedia.  Follow us on Twitter @Perficient.

About Harrison College
Harrison College is a contemporary, career-focused institution of Higher Education serving more than 6,000 students throughout the United States and Internationally. Harrison College has 12 campuses in Indiana and Ohio, two culinary schools in Indiana and North Carolina, and also offers courses online at Harrison.edu. The institution grants Associates and Bachelor’s degrees across five schools of study: Business, Health Sciences, Information Technology, Criminal Justice, and Veterinary Technology, as well as its culinary division, The Chef’s Academy.  Harrison College offers students a variety of learning environments including online, traditional classroom or a combination of both. Harrison College is accredited by the Accrediting Council of Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) and is dedicated to excellence in higher learning.  In addition, the College is currently a Candidate with The Higher Learning Commission and an affiliate of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA). Harrison College was founded in 1902 as Indiana Business College and has a rich history of preparing students for success in their chosen profession.

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