What is Grade-Maker?

Grade-Maker is an advanced assessment authoring technology designed to streamline the creation, management, and publishing of both print and online exams. Developed as part of the AQA Global Assessment Services, Grade-Maker combines the expertise of the UK's leading exam board with innovative technology to enhance the assessment process. The tool is particularly beneficial for educational institutions, governments, and organizations involved in assessment testing and data analysis.

Grade-Maker offers a comprehensive suite of features that support every step of the assessment authoring process. From drafting questions to final publication, the platform ensures a secure, efficient, and high-quality workflow. Its unique capabilities make it an essential tool for educators, administrators, and assessment teams looking to improve their examination processes.

Features

Grade-Maker is packed with features that cater to various aspects of assessment authoring and management. Here are some of the key features:

Powerful Assessment Authoring Technology

• Assessment Authoring Software: Simplifies workflows, allowing users to assign work, set deadlines, track progress, and maintain quality throughout the assessment process.
• Test Building: Offers a flexible approach to authoring complete papers or compiling them from a library of multiple questions.

Security Enhancement

• Secure Assessments: Ensures that every element of assessments is completely secure, minimizing the risk of data breaches and unauthorized access.

Question Item Banking

• Comprehensive Item Banking System: Facilitates the reuse of questions, making it easy to manage and organize a secure database of assessment items.

Quality Assurance Tools

• Error-Free Questions: Provides tools to ensure that every question is valid, reliable, and free from errors, enhancing the overall quality of assessments.

Test Publishing

• Efficient Output: Enables users to publish papers for both print and digital formats without wasting time on typesetting or formatting.

Data Analysis

• GradeMaker Analytics: Offers educational data analysis for governments and organizations worldwide, providing actionable insights that can lead to school improvement.

New Features and Innovations

• Version Compare: A newly introduced feature that helps maintain the accuracy and consistency of exam content, balancing accountability and efficiency in the exam development process.
• AI Integration: The platform is forward-thinking, with ongoing research into the role of AI in assessment, making it relevant for future educational needs.

Certifications

• Security Certifications: GradeMaker has been awarded the ISO 27001 certification and the Cyber Essentials Plus certification, recognizing its commitment to providing secure software and online exam authoring services.

Use Cases

Grade-Maker is versatile and can be utilized in various scenarios within the education and assessment sectors. Here are some common use cases:

Educational Institutions

• Exam Creation: Schools and universities can use Grade-Maker to create standardized tests, quizzes, and assessments for their students, ensuring high-quality content and security.
• Item Banking: Institutions can build and maintain a repository of questions that can be reused across different assessments, reducing redundancy and saving time.

Government Agencies

• Data Analysis for Policy Making: Government bodies can leverage GradeMaker Analytics to analyze educational data, providing insights that can inform policy decisions and improve educational outcomes.
• National Assessments: Governments can develop and administer national assessments using Grade-Maker, benefiting from its robust security and quality assurance features.

Assessment Organizations

• Streamlined Workflows: Assessment organizations can simplify their workflows, assigning tasks and deadlines to team members while tracking progress and maintaining quality throughout the process.
• Secure Online Exams: Organizations can conduct secure online examinations, ensuring the integrity of the testing process.

Training and Certification Providers

• Custom Assessments: Training providers can create customized assessments tailored to specific courses or certification programs, enhancing the learning experience for participants.
• Analytics for Improvement: By utilizing the analytics feature, training organizations can assess the effectiveness of their programs and make data-driven improvements.

Pricing

While specific pricing details for Grade-Maker are not provided, it is typically structured based on the size of the institution, the number of users, and the specific features required. Organizations interested in using Grade-Maker are encouraged to book a demo or contact the sales team for tailored pricing options that meet their unique needs.

Comparison with Other Tools

When comparing Grade-Maker with other assessment authoring tools, several unique selling points set it apart:

Comprehensive Features

• Unlike many other tools that focus solely on question creation, Grade-Maker offers a complete suite of features, including item banking, quality assurance, and data analytics.

Security Focus

• Grade-Maker places a strong emphasis on security, with certifications that demonstrate its commitment to protecting sensitive assessment data.

Flexibility and Usability

• The platform's flexibility in test building and authoring allows users to create assessments that meet their specific requirements, making it suitable for a wide range of educational contexts.

Integration of AI

• With ongoing research into the role of AI in assessment, Grade-Maker is positioned as a forward-thinking solution that adapts to future educational needs, unlike many competitors that may not prioritize technological advancements.

Support and Training

• Grade-Maker provides access to webinars and training resources, ensuring that users are well-equipped to utilize the platform effectively. This level of support can be a significant advantage over other tools that may lack comprehensive training options.

FAQ

What types of assessments can be created using Grade-Maker?

Grade-Maker allows users to create a wide variety of assessments, including standardized tests, quizzes, formative assessments, and summative evaluations for both print and online formats.

Is Grade-Maker suitable for large organizations?

Yes, Grade-Maker is designed to accommodate organizations of all sizes, from small educational institutions to large government agencies and assessment organizations.

How does Grade-Maker ensure the quality of assessment questions?

Grade-Maker includes quality assurance tools that help ensure every question is error-free, valid, and reliable, contributing to the overall quality of the assessments.

Can Grade-Maker be integrated with other educational tools?

While specific integration capabilities may vary, Grade-Maker is designed to work seamlessly within educational ecosystems, allowing for potential integration with other learning management systems and assessment tools.

How secure is the data in Grade-Maker?

Grade-Maker prioritizes security and has received ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus certifications, indicating a strong commitment to protecting sensitive assessment data from breaches.

Is training available for new users of Grade-Maker?

Yes, Grade-Maker offers training resources and webinars to help new users familiarize themselves with the platform and maximize its features for effective assessment authoring.

Can I schedule a demo of Grade-Maker?

Absolutely! Interested organizations can book a demo to explore the features and capabilities of Grade-Maker, ensuring it meets their specific assessment needs.

In conclusion, Grade-Maker is a powerful, secure, and flexible assessment authoring tool that stands out in the educational technology landscape. With its comprehensive features and commitment to quality, it is an excellent choice for organizations looking to enhance their assessment processes and improve educational outcomes.