EdTech case study
Follett Software Development Case Study
Rebuilding Follett's school library and eContent platform and its student data platform, as a long-term engineering partner since 2014.
Evolve with Various Technologies
- Client
- Follett
- Industry
- EdTech
- Location
- United States
- Services
- Custom Software Development, Dedicated Development Teams
At a glance
- Partner since
- 2014
- Relationship
- Long-term,ongoing
- Scale target
- 1MAPI calls a day
Overview
The Summary.
Follett needed a new version of its legacy school library management system that could handle a million API calls a day, processing, indexing and retrieving information quickly for schools and libraries in the US and Canada. It also needed a customizable platform for hosting and managing student data.
Since 2014 VARTEQ has designed, built and tested both as a long-term engineering partner: a new admin panel and eContent management for the online library, and student data features from gradebooks and scheduling to parent and student portals.
About the client. Follett Corporation, based in Westchester, Illinois, provides educational products to Pre-K and K-12 schools, districts, colleges and public libraries through its subsidiaries, and has worked with schools for more than 140 years.
Engagement length. Ongoing since 2014, with VARTEQ as a major offshore engineering partner.
The challenge.
Follett's school library management system was legacy software. The new version had to respond to a million API calls a day while processing, indexing and retrieving information quickly, for users across the US and Canada.
Follett also needed a customizable platform for hosting and managing student data. It had to cover academic reporting, admissions, assessment, attendance, behavior, classroom, clinic, curriculum and enrollment management, faculty and staff, scheduling, student records, and portals for parents and students.
The solution.
- 01
Library and eContent Platform
- A new user interface for the admin panel
- An admin panel for the online library, built from scratch as a single-page application
- Old modules refactored and new frontend and backend modules developed
- Backend components on REST services for the online learning system
- Work on the project architecture and server-side logic
- Unit tests for frontend and backend code
- 02
Student Data Platform
- Quick access to timely, actionable data
- Customized state reporting
- A gradebook for traditional and standards-based scoring
- Master scheduling for classes and events
- A health database that tracks individual students' health needs
- Integration with other school systems and digital learning tools
- Online access for families to homework, assignments, grades and report cards
- Single sign-on for school staff
Services on this project
Technologies used
- Java and Java EE
- Spring and Spring MVC
- Hibernate and JPA
- JAX-RS and RESTEasy
- Struts and JSP
- Tomcat
- AngularJS, jQuery, JavaScript, HTML5, LESS and Bootstrap
- MSSQL, MySQL, MongoDB and Elasticsearch
- TensorFlow, Caffe, OpenCV and Pandas
- JUnit, Mockito, PowerMock, Karma, Jasmine and Sinon.js
- Native Android and iOS apps
The outcome.
- eContent management for eBooks, audiobooks, interactive books and research databases, with an easy graphical interface for library staff and teachers
- Usage reports that support accountability, search with multiple filters and sort options, and fast checkouts and check-ins
- Faster processing, indexing and retrieval of data
- Cross-browser support and protection against unauthorized use
- Student data kept consistent across connected district systems, without duplicate data entry
- Continuous development, enhancement and testing since 2014
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