IRVINE- The Illuminate Data and Assessment Management program from the founders of Data Director has become the new system of grading for teachers at Beckman this year.

     Instead of receiving all the state’s information from Data Director (the system that Beckman used in prior years), the Illuminate design allows for a more streamlined approach to synthesizing and collecting student data. The program can quickly scan documents with its camera device in a matter of seconds. A teacher simply places a test or other document beneath the camera and data is immediately brought up on the computer screen.

     “To me, this is the next step in collecting data more efficiently,” said English teacher Ms. Ryan.

     Students and teachers alike are receptive to the technology as it makes grading faster and more efficient.

     “The fact that I can get my tests back within a day of taking them helps me to know how well I understand a concept while it is still fresh in my mind,” commented sophomore Courtney Vu.

     “It is more efficient than before for teachers to get our grades back faster, which can be either a good or bad thing,” agreed senior Keely Craig.

     Once a test is scanned and inputed, a teacher can “drag and drop” data columns to arrange them as they please. The instant feedback allows educators to customize instruction according to student performance, even allowing for altercations to lesson plans and assignments. Differentiation between student levels is made possible with Illuminate’s Student Profile and Data and Assessment (DnA) reports in which passing scores are color-coded.

     One-on-one teacher-student relationships have proven to be a challenge in large classroom settings such as Beckman’s own densely populated rooms. With Illuminate, teachers can instantly see what areas a student is struggling in, track their progress, and ultimately customize an individual plan to keep them on track.

     Considering that tax revenues for the state’s education department are down $538.8 million, the Illuminate program will alleviate some of the financial burdens educators face. Answer sheets programmed into the computer can be reused year after year, cutting the cost of paper while also reducing the environmental impact.

      TUSD switched over to Illuminate from Data Director in order to make grading and evaluating student performance more quick and efficient. So far, Illuminate has been received as a key tool for teachers as they provide Patriots with a quality education.