Coding for

Learning

Edtech

Knowledge Elements

Client: Knowledge Elements

Year: 2016

Empowering Colleges and Universities with Scalable, Innovative Solutions

From Bottlenecks to Breakthroughs: A Journey of Growth

Knowledge Elements (KE) was on a mission to revolutionize how U.S. Christian colleges and universities operated. By offering guidance on accreditation, compliance, training, mentoring, online learning, and course creation, KE aimed to empower these institutions with tools that could enhance operational efficiency and improve student outcomes. But they needed a partner to help turn their vision into a scalable, technology-driven reality.

The Challenge

When KE first approached Edify, they were facing a critical challenge: their operations weren’t keeping pace with their ambitions. The organization lacked a development process, which led to inefficiencies and bottlenecks. Existing systems weren’t scalable, and there were significant struggles with integrating workflows and communication across teams and customers. KE’s ability to deliver a seamless and impactful experience to its partner institutions was being held back by these gaps in their technological infrastructure.

KE’s leadership knew they needed a partner who could not only address these immediate concerns but also anticipate future needs, enabling them to scale and innovate as they grew.

The Solution

Edify stepped in to collaborate with KE on a comprehensive overhaul of their technical processes. This wasn’t just about solving problems; it was about building a foundation for the future.

The journey began with establishing a structured, versioned workflow that transformed how KE brought ideas from conception to deployment. By introducing scalable application architectures and fostering smoother integration with both internal teams and external customers, Edify helped KE regain control of their operations.

As KE’s trusted partner, Edify also spearheaded the development of innovative services that extended KE’s product portfolio. Two standout solutions were:

ScreenPadPad: A real-time, collaborative tool that allowed students to draft and share notes, making learning more engaging and interactive.
ConnectionMine: A video conferencing platform tailored specifically for instructor-student interactions, bridging the gap between traditional and digital learning environments.

These solutions seamlessly complemented KE’s flagship offerings, Atheneo and iCourseCreator, which were also maintained and enhanced by Edify. Together, this suite of tools empowered KE to deliver an unmatched experience to their partner institutions.

Key features

Workflow Transformation: Implemented a structured, versioned development process that streamlined operations and improved scalability.
Custom Solutions: Designed and delivered ScreenPadPad and ConnectionMine, tailored to enhance student and faculty collaboration.
Seamless Integration: Built systems that fostered better communication and coordination between KE’s teams and customers.

Technologies used

Web Server: Apache
Database: MySQL
Programming Language: PHP
Frontend: HTML, CSS, JavaScript
APIs: RESTful API integrations
Middleware: RabbitMQ
Version Control: Git
Collaboration Tools: WebRTC

THE IMPACT

The results of this collaboration were transformative. KE went from struggling with inefficiencies to becoming a leader in their sector, recognized for their innovative approach and scalable solutions. With Edify’s support, they achieved:

Operational Excellence

A streamlined, scalable workflow that significantly reduced bottlenecks and improved product deployment speed

Enhanced Product Portfolio

The addition of ScreenPadPad and ConnectionMine strengthened their offerings, providing significant value to their customers.

Deeper Relationships

Improved integration and communication capabilities fostered stronger partnerships with their client institutions.

Market Leadership:

KE’s ability to deliver cutting-edge solutions solidified their reputation as a trusted advisor to Christian colleges and universities.

ACQUISITION BY LUMERIT

In 2016, Knowledge Elements’ success reached a new milestone when they were acquired by Lumerit Education, a global leader in education technology. KE’s transformation under Edify’s guidance had positioned them as a valuable asset, and their integration into Lumerit as the Learning Solutions Division enabled their mission to scale even further.

Now serving over 24,000 students across 50 states and 48 countries, KE’s legacy lives on in the solutions they pioneered. While their direct collaboration with Edify concluded, Lumerit continued as a client, entrusting Edify with the development and support of even more systems and innovations to meet the needs of their growing global audience.

Why Edify was chosen

KE selected Edify after careful consideration at an EdTech conference. What stood out was not just Edify’s technical expertise but their ability to align with KE’s values and vision for education.

KE appreciated Edify’s holistic approach to solving problems—from conducting in-depth assessments to building scalable, cost-effective solutions—and their commitment to collaboration at every stage.

We chose Edify because they weren’t just a vendor; they were a partner. Their deep understanding of the education sector, combined with their technical expertise, made them the perfect fit for our mission. They didn’t just deliver solutions—they helped us reimagine what was possible.

Doug Blumhardt
Chief Operations Officer at KE

Their excellence stemmed from their holistic integration of deep industry knowledge, collaborative methodology, punctual delivery, unwavering quality standards, and cost-efficient innovation. This cohesive approach enables them to seamlessly convert intricate requirements into impactful, practical solutions, establishing them as a leader in their field.

Brian Shaw
Chief Executive Officer at KE