GoalQuest Inc. introduced FYRe v.2 (www.goalquest.com/fyre), a student development and retention program that enables colleges to deploy comprehensive Web-based curricula tailored to their institutional objectives and unique undergraduate and graduate audiences. GoalQuest began developing interactive retention-focused curricula in 2000, and has since built more than 200 such programs for an array of higher education clients, including four-year public and private institutions, community colleges, online degree programs, faith-based schools and career colleges.

The new initiative represents the culmination of six years of research and product development, and offers colleges the ability to quickly construct and launch a program by choosing content from a vast knowledge base of articles and activities. FYRe v.2 for freshman audiences will be available beginning January 2007; versions for other audiences, including sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students, are scheduled to roll out during 2007-2008.

FYRe v.2 was designed to entice students with engaging lesson themes and editorial features, self-tests, interactive quizzes, first-person digital video narratives, e-portfolios and online community features, such as blogs and messaging. The product supports school administrators with real-time data to help combat student attrition, promote critical learning outcomes and improve overall satisfaction. The tool provides colleges an unprecedented degree of flexibility by enabling them to customize their program with an interactive gallery of thousands of expert-produced topics each carefully produced and organized by theme, audience type, historical popularity and other factors.

GoalQuest enlisted a diverse group of content specialists that reflects the granularity of topics in its knowledge base, including college faculty and curriculum architects, academic skill specialists, psychologists, counselors, advisors, nutritionists, coaches, fitness instructors, journalists and artists. A national advisory board of leaders in student development and related fields will oversee FYRe’s authors and editors.

Colleges can implement FYRe v.2 as the primary e-text for existing courses (such as first-year experience classes or freshman seminars), as a virtually administered course or as an elective virtual companion for college and graduate students at all levels.

FYRe v.2 features include:

Customized Program Build/Deployment — FYRe's proprietary Program Builder gives clients a point-and-click interface, enabling them to quickly construct a student success initiative. The Program Builder considers each client's objectives as well as its audience type and then suggests suitable content. For example, clients wishing to strategically target audiences such as first-generation students, conditional admits, undeclared students or commuters may choose and "push" designated content directly to these groups.

GoalQuest Heuristics™ — Experiential self-assessment and self-improvement modules designed to let students control their own learning and exploration. Heuristics include compelling games, personality and proficiency tests, interactive quizzes and scenario-builders that provide students with instant feedback based on their input. Sample modules include:

Absorbing Information: What’s Your Learning Style?

Time Management: How Do You Organize Your Days?

Test Anxiety: How Well Do You Handle the Pressure?

Virtual Bar: Are You Over the Limit?

Roommate Etiquette: Are You Relating Appropriately

Cheating and Plagiarism: Learn the Rules

Diversity: Are You a Global Citizen?

Stress Much? How Are You Managing College Life?

Career Inventory: What Job Is Right for You?

GoalQuest Universe™ — Including features such as UPeers™, UScene™ and UBlog™ designed to connect students with their school through interactive online communities.

UPortfolio™ — A co-curricular transcript builder that allows students to demonstrate and showcase their achievements and experience.

Virtual Mentors™ — Professionally produced video segments that relate first-hand perspectives on subjects such as substance abuse, time management, test anxiety, roommate relationships, nutrition and body image.

24 x 7 Real-Time Intelligence — Unlike textbooks and traditional Web portals, FYRe gives faculty and staff real-time access to student progress by tracking which students have registered, completed assignments on time, answered survey or reflection questions and a host of other indicators that can help staff identify non-engagers and attrition risks.

Survey and Assessment — FYRe clients may choose from a menu of survey types in areas such as student preparedness, satisfaction, attrition risk, outlook assessment and campus engagement. The survey tool also enables clients to incorporate essay/reflection assignments within FYRe program topics.

Instructor Space — A Web portal with a dashboard of interactive features, including:

• Article Notes: Special author notes associated with articles in the FYRe knowledge base. Instructors may append these notes and share best-practices using UPeers™ (below)
• DirectMessage™ — Instructor Space links clients to the GoalQuest DirectMessage engine, which allows instructors or administrators to create messaging and deploy assignments to targeted groups of students.
• UPeers for Instructors — A unique online forum through which instructors can exchange ideas and share their course syllabi and assignment plans.

"In many ways, Web-based educational software and content has failed to keep pace with the innovative applications, virtual communities and compelling format of popular Internet destinations that students turn to for entertainment and exploration," said Peter Tomassi, vice president of product development and editor-in-chief. "FYRe v.2 is proof that there exists a crossroads between breakthrough technology and student development. We believe this program meets students at this crossroads — combining an optimal blend of success-oriented content with a delivery that gets students excited about participating in their own success."

About GoalQuest
GoalQuest, Inc. is a New York City-based software company specializing in innovative solutions for higher education. The Company's proprietary software assists colleges and universities in maximizing recruiting, enrollment yield, retention, parent communication and advancement efforts. Its suite of products, including eCRUIT™, FYRe™, PICS™, AlumNet™ as well as its Universe™ tools such as UPeers™ and UPortfolio™, are based on a revolutionary technology that immerses participants in highly interactive content. The tools provide clients with a full-featured reporting center and automated activity alerts that monitor the real-time interest trajectory of users. GoalQuest is a NASPA strategic partner. For additional information about GoalQuest, please visit the Company's Web site at http://www.goalquest.com or e-mail info@goalquest.com.