Business
Sylogist Technology Keeps At-Risk Students in School
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About this update from Sylogist Ltd.
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n\n\n/THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE\n\n\nSERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES/\n\n\nEDMONTON and CALGARY, Nov. 19 /CNW/ - Sylogist Ltd., ("SYZ" - TSX Venture\nExchange) an Alberta tech firm developing municipal and K-12 education\nsoftware solutions has today announced their participation in a solution to a\nproblem plaguing school divisions across the country - keeping students in\nschool.\n\n\nPiloted in January 2007, the Mentor-Connector program partnered 60\nat-risk Grade 9 students from the Niagara Catholic District School Board in\nOntario with 30 volunteer teacher-in-training mentors from Brock and Niagara\nUniversities. Built on Sylogist's award-winning education portal solution -\nEduport, the program is an on-line portal where students can chat with their\nmentors, post assignments, and ask for extra help.\n\n\nVincent Rinaldo, one of the designers of the study, will be presenting\nthe results of the pilot at the American Association of Colleges of Teacher\nEducation Conference in February 2008. "The program was originally designed\nwith adult goals and preferences," said Rinaldo, "but the kids have shown us\nby their more frequent use of the chat rooms that this is what they prefer -\nlive chat in real time."\n\n\nThe opportunity to participate in this project has kept students engaged\nand in school. Those involved in administering the study expect that results\nwill show a correlation between increased frequency of on-line participation\nand increased grades, along with a decrease in student absences and\nsuspensions.\n\n\nIn January 2008, another 60 students and 30 mentors will be added to the\nprogram, doubling the number of children who can benefit from this technology.\n\n\nOne of the features of the Mentor-Connector program is that the manual\nand methods are replicable in any school division that has this type of\nsoftware. "Sylogist is happy to bring our technology expertise to this\ninitiative," said Werner Biegler, President and CEO of Sylogist Ltd. "The\nopportunity to provide the extra help that students need, cost effectively and\nin a manner that appeals to them is something that we are proud to be\nassociated with."\n\n\nAbout Sylogist\n\n\n--------------\n\n\nSylogist provides enterprise informati...