WHEN BUDGETS ARE TIGHTUsing Triton Data Collection System to Reduce Scanning Costs

Introduction

The headline is all too common: Schools budgets are shrinking and schools are looking for new ways to reduce their costs. While Federal and state governments continue to reduce school funding, parents and school boards are asking for more programs while student enrollment increases. All of this is in addition to the mandatory testing requirements that strain already tight budgets. It is imperative that schools find ways to become cost-effective and efficient in an era of diminishing budgets and strict guidelines.

Educational technology has quickly become a necessary area in any school budget. It is essential for school boards and administration to spend money on technologies that increase student learning, achievement, motivation and engagement without distracting the students. For decades, states and districts have continued to spend gross amounts of money, time and effort on non-technological advancements. Bubble sheets and scanners have a recurring cost and throughout their process can lead to mistakes, irregularities and wasted time.

Scanning Is Costly

At first glance, a typical high-stakes assessment would not seem expensive; a pencil, bubble sheet and scanner are all that are needed. However, the Assessment Solution Group conducted a study and concluded that the “typical” high-stakes assessment is far from cheap. In their study of higher education, they found that delivering and scoring a typical 22 item paper-based assessment costs over $1.50 per evaluation (assuming labor costs are $15 per hour). The typical student takes five classes per semester with one final and one evaluation, for a total usage of 10 bubble sheets. Based on this average, a higher education institution with 10,000 students will spend over $150,000 per semester on paper-based examinations. This cost is typically higher in public school settings where more bubble sheet tests are given. There is a more reliable, efficient, safer way to conduct these assessments that will drastically cut these costs.

Paper-based testing requires expensive scanners to read the results and can be error prone. When they are not being used to read bubble sheets, they sit idly on the counter not affecting student learning, achievement or engagement. Many districts have considered – and in some cases are being forced to – move to computer-based testing. Unfortunately, they struggle with the scalability and cost constraints of implementing computers. Many simply cannot afford expensive computer labs or the infrastructure that is needed to support it.

Turning Technologies has spent more than two years researching, field-testing and working with partners to adapt the company’s patented data collection protocols to create a system that applies the best of paper-based and computer-based testing while improving the reliability of both methods.

Triton Advantages

Triton Data Collection System offers benefits that significantly reduce the cost of testing per student and maximizes the use of the ResponseCard NXT clicker. In light of the current fiscal constraints faced by many organizations, it is a solution that reduces the costs associated with bubble sheet examinations and evaluations and can also have significant return on investment.

Turning Technologies’ testing history with Triton expands nationally and includes hundreds of sites with thousands of participants, across multiple markets and states. The solution includes three components: a central administration Triton Web portal, Triton Receiver with Proctor Application and the ResponseCard NXT clicker. Results indicated:

• Proctors prepared in less than 15 minutes• Participant prepared in less than 5 minutes by means of a practice exam• 100% success rate in data collection and transfer

• 100% accuracy of item response data• Over 2 million responses captured and submitted for scoring• Users preferred test administration using Triton 3.5 times more than computer-based testing and 9 times more

than paper-based testing The overwhelmingly positive experience has solidified the market need for the Turning Technologies’ Triton Data Collection System. The system is a tested solution providing encrypted digital answer submission, redundant backup and immediacy of data transmission, all while being easy-to-use for the participants and proctors.

Everyday Solution

Turning Technologies provides software that allows teachers to collect feedback from students for everyday formative assessments with the same Responsecard NXT that is used for summative high-stakes testing, therefore maximizing return on investment and time. The dynamic and engaging learning environments will keep students focused and guarantee 100% participation in classroom activities. Technology integrations with popular learning solutions make Turning Technologies the student response system needed to easily create content and collect student achievement data. Turning Technologies’ student response systems integrate with existing classroom technology such as whiteboards, assessment items, data and learning management systems and online gradebooks. Turning Technologies provides educators, parents and students with a cost-effective, easy-to-use assessment delivery and data collection solution that can be used throughout the entire academic career.