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PRINCETON, N.J., 08/29/2005 -- ComputEd Gazette announced that ETS's Criterion (SM) Online Writing Evaluation has won a 2005 Education Software Review (EDDIE) Award.
Criterion is a Web-based instructional tool that allows students to submit essays for immediate evaluation, including a holistic score and annotated diagnostic feedback about the use of grammar, mechanics, style, and organization and development. More than half a million elementary, middle, high school and college students across the United States and around the world have used the Criterion service.
According to the ComputEd Gazette review, "Teachers can easily create and manage classes and students, choosing from a variety of tools and options. Essay projects are assigned to students, and subsequent progress reports include charts and graphs with detailed analyses. Students will find the service flexible and intuitive, allowing them to work offline, then copying and pasting. Drop-down menus and mouse-over functions are effectively used to access information. In fact, with a minimum of tech savvy, a teacher can design mouse-over feedback comments to students." The review also praised the Criterion service as "well-designed," "user friendly" and a "valuable aid to both teacher and student."
"ETS is honored to be named an EDDIE award winner and pleased that the Criterion service is generating the excitement we believe it deserves," says Deloris Flint, Executive Director of Product Development for ETS's Elementary & Secondary Education. "Criterion is a great example of ETS's commitment to providing innovative instructional tools for promoting student achievement.
"Writing proficiency is a critical life skill, but for many teachers, it is difficult to find and commit the amount of time it takes to help each student develop that skill," Flint adds. "Criterion reduces turnaround time by giving immediate feedback about the student's use of grammar, mechanics, style, and organization and development. It also gives teachers the opportunity to take a microscopic look at each student's essay to make informed instructional changes."
ETS released an upgrade to its Criterion service earlier this month. Enhancements to Criterion v4.0 include:
- increased accuracy of holistic scoring through ETS's automated essay-scoring engine, e-rater (R)
- new reports for teachers with details about the progress students are making on their essays, the access habits of each student, and holistic-score summary reports by essay for each class
- charts and graphs displaying score and error data
- the ability to aggregate data by class, school or district, for district assignments
- trait-indicator messages that help pinpoint trait areas that need more attention
- new Spanish/English bilingual Writer's Handbook, with associated bilingual feedback messages
- user conveniences, such as the ability to archive student portfolios and easily import and export data
- on-screen advisories for users whose essays are too short or too long, have too many problems, or are off topic
- technical improvements that help prevent students from deleting unsaved essays
For more information about Criterion and an eight-minute online tour, visit http://www.ets.org.
About The EDDIE Awards
ComputEd's Education Software Review (EDDIE) Awards target innovative and content-rich programs and Web sites that provide parents and teachers with the technology to foster educational excellence -- including augmenting the classroom curriculum and improving teacher productivity. Winners are selected from titles submitted by software publishers around the world. Selection is based on academic content, potential for broad classroom use, technical merit, subject approach and management system.
About ETS
ETS is a nonprofit institution with the mission to advance quality and equity in education by providing fair and valid assessments, research and related services for all people worldwide. In serving individuals, educational institutions and government agencies around the world, ETS customizes solutions to meet the need for teacher professional development products and services, classroom and end-of-course assessments, and research-based teaching and learning tools. Founded in 1947, ETS today develops, administers and scores more than 24 million tests annually, in more than 180 countries, at over 9,000 locations worldwide. Additional information is available at http://www.ets.org.
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