SunGard SCT, The Master’s College, and Questionmark Complete Co-Development Project for Higher Education Assessment

For Immediate Release

SunGard SCT, The Master’s College, and Questionmark Complete Co-Development Project for Higher Education Assessment

Collaboration Integrates SCT PowerCAMPUS Administrative System with Questionmark™ Perception™ Assessment System
 

MALVERN, Pa. - September 2, 2004 - Leaders from SunGard SCT, Questionmark, and The Master’s College today announced that together they have successfully integrated the SCT PowerCAMPUS administrative system with the Questionmark Perception testing and assessment software. The resulting technology is now available to other educational institutions that want to use SCT PowerCAMPUS IQ.Web, the self-service component of the SCT PowerCAMPUS administrative system, and Questionmark Perception as a single integrated solution that is designed to help improve the measurement of learning outcomes.

“Assessing learning isn’t just about counting the number of As and Bs given,” said Dr. John Hughes, Vice President for Academic Affairs at The Master’s College. “Assessment for accreditation purposes must evaluate student progress over time toward mastery of stated learning outcomes. This information is critical in order to identify the strengths and weaknesses of an institution’s general education and major academic programs. We are pleased to have been part of creating a solution to help us reach our goals, and to then pass this work on to help other institutions of higher education.”

Historically, measuring student learning outcomes has been difficult, especially for smaller institutions. By integrating the SCT PowerCAMPUS administrative system with the Questionmark Perception software, The Master’s College and other institutions should be better able to track and assess learning outcomes. Online exam technologies help capture a history of hard test data that can provide immediate feedback on learning outcomes as well as show progress over time to support institutional accreditation. This new integration further enhances the overall teaching and learning capabilities of the complete PowerCAMPUS solution.

The accreditation process is critical for institutions in developing and sustaining effective educational programs and assures the educational community, the general public, and other organizations that an institution has met high standards of quality and effectiveness. To receive accreditation, an institution must track objective, measurable proof that students are accomplishing pre-set objectives.

“The rapid integration of SCT PowerCAMPUS and the Perception assessment management system is a tribute to The Master’s College project team and the PowerCAMPUS architecture,” said Eric Shepherd, president of Questionmark. “We are looking forward to introducing customers to this functionality.”

Questionmark Perception provides the tools and technology needed to author, administer, deliver, and report on computerized assessments. SCT PowerCAMPUS is a reliable and affordable software system that helps cost-conscious institutions manage their administrative needs. By joining the two systems through visual, application, and data integration, institutions will be better able to develop and deploy sophisticated assessments of students’ knowledge, skills, aptitudes, and opinions. The solution also benefits faculty, who can now create Perception quizzes, tests, and surveys. Once students have completed an assessment, results can be viewed and grades can be recorded automatically in the PowerCAMPUS Gradebook.

“The extremely talented IT staff at Master’s College deserves special recognition for their skill and commitment to this project,” said Deborah Elias-Smith, Vice President, SCT PowerCAMPUS. “Their collaboration, along with the expertise from Questionmark and SunGard SCT, will benefit many smaller institutions that want to extend their digital campuses and harness a wealth of information on student outcomes.”

About The Master’s College:
Located in Santa Clarita, California, The Master’s College is a non-denominational liberal arts college, fully integrated with the Christian faith. More than 50 academic programs provide excellent career preparation for more than 1100 students, representing 14 denominations, from 40 states, and 13 countries. The mission of the institution is to empower students for a life of enduring commitment to Christ, biblical fidelity, moral integrity, intellectual growth, and lasting contribution to the Kingdom of God. The College is ranked fifth in the West as Best Comprehensive Colleges—Bachelor’s by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, visit www.masters.edu.

About Questionmark:
Questionmark has been producing testing and assessment software since 1988, enabling educators and trainers to write, administer, and report on tests and surveys securely using individual PCs, local networks, the Internet, and intranets. Some 2,000 businesses, governments, schools, colleges, and universities in more than 50 countries use Questionmark Perception. Typical applications include exams, quizzes, study aids, diagnostic tests, pre-course skills assessments, and course evaluations. Questionmark has offices in the United States, England, and Belgium, with distributors worldwide. Complete details are available at 800-863-3950 or www.questionmark.com.

About SunGard SCT:
SunGard SCT is a leading provider of software and services for higher education. SunGard SCT solutions help institutions create the Unified Digital Campus, an environment in which systems, individuals, and communities can interact seamlessly for learning, teaching, and administration. SunGard SCT supports more than 1,300 clients worldwide with administrative and academic solutions; portal, collaboration, and content management solutions; information access and business intelligence solutions; and integration solutions. For more information, visit www.sungardsct.com.

About SunGard:
SunGard is a global leader in integrated software and processing solutions, primarily for financial services. SunGard also helps information-dependent enterprises of all types to ensure the continuity of their business. SunGard serves more than 20,000 customers in more than 50 countries, including the world's 50 largest financial services companies. SunGard (NYSE:SDS) is a member of the S&P 500 and has annual revenue of $3 billion. Visit SunGard at www.sungard.com

SunGard, the SunGard logo, SunGard SCT, and PowerCAMPUS are trademarks or registered trademarks of SunGard Data Systems Inc. or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and other countries. All other trade names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

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