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Andhra University - Empowering Communication, Enabling Success
Background
The Indian IT/ITES industry is one of the fastest growing in the world. The industry is poised to reach $50 bn by the year 2008. According to the Nasscom McKinsey projections, the ITES industry alone employs close to 3,16,000 people and is expected to generate close to 2 million (20 lakh) jobs by 2008. For most of these jobs in IT services and BPOs, a high level of proficiency in spoken and written English language is becoming mandatory. The graduates coming out from most of the prestigious colleges are technically skilled to meet the challenges and rigours of the IT industry, but the only lacuna is lack of proficiency in English language.
Client
Andhra University is a leading university in Andhra Pradesh offering undergraduate and post-graduate programs. It is also one of the first universities to initiate a Communication program that was designed to meet the prevailing job requirements of the market including the IT industry, following APSCHE’s (Andhra Pradesh State Council for Higher Education) directive. The program was introduced in the English curriculum at the degree level featuring a communication-oriented, skill based course with emphasis on spoken and written English skills, a crucial ingredient in securing an IT/ITeS related job.
Key Customer Challenges
One of the key challenges was to facilitate the University to conduct a computer-based English Language proficiency practical test for over 50,000, 1,00,000 and 1,50,000 for first second and third consecutive year across 384 colleges across 5 districts affiliated to the university in a seamless and efficient manner.
Approach / Process / Technology / Tools
Using the effective software Questionmark Perception, the assessments were created in a question bank of 2500 questions. The practical examination consisted of three types of questions - spoken English, voice questions and non-voice questions. Edutech integrated a voice tool into the assessment that enabled the creation of voice questions as well as recording of voice responses.
The assessments were conducted over a period of 25 days with more than 1,00,000 students taking the practical exam in over 58 centers across the five districts of the state on 2006. Subsequently, for 1,50,000 students across five districts covering 68 centers in just 21 days in 2007.
As part of the project, Edutech provided the following services to the University.
- Creating a question bank of 2500 questions
- Digitization of content
- Training teachers and faculty on how to instruct students through Questionmark software and how to carry out the evaluation
- Surveying colleges for exam centres which included analyzing computer lab infrastructure across each college
- Installation of Questionmark software in the labs of examination centres
- Conducting mock tests to enable students to familiarize themselves with the examination
- Provision of model test papers to colleges
- Providing support during the conduction of the examination at the designated centres
Salient Product Features
- Questionmark Perception is a complete assessment management system that enables the creation and organization of questions into exams, tests or surveys.
- This assessment management system offers a cost-effective, easy way to utilize computerized assessments that not only measure knowledge, skills and attitudes but also enhance the learning.
Salient Solution Features
- Edutech’s in-house technical expertise and customer centric project management plan enabled easy implementation of the solution with a very short turn around time satisfactorily meeting customer expectations.
- Local support to meet any technical challenges ensured customer satisfaction.
Key Customer Value
This project was one of the biggest academic online assessment projects implemented in recent times, where first and second year students of the University were exposed to such a program. Edutech enabled the University to be among the first institutions to offer the testing of communication skills required in a real-world environment, helping them add value to the learning curve of the students.
This was evident in the appreciation received from the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Venugopal Reddy, who commented, “Edutech helped the University create history by completing language skill assessments for 1,00,000 undergraduate students in just 3 weeks across 58 examination centers in 2006 and 1,50,000 students across 68 centers in 2007 spread over 5 districts of North Coastal Andhra Pradesh. I reserve immense appreciation for Edutech and their professionalism in getting the job well done.”
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