The Herald-News - Print Story

Gone are the days of teachers and their aids grading quizzes and tests for hours on end - GradeCams have taken over at Dayton City School with a way to grade and log scores in the blink of an eye.

Matthew Marcus, DCS director of information technology services, said 35 classrooms in grades 3-8 and special education are now equipped with GradeCams, a product originating from a California-based corporation.

Dayton City School is the second school to have utilized this technology in Tennessee, the first being Cleveland Middle School.

"That's where we got the idea," said Marcus.

The device uses a mounted webcam to scan classroom tests and collect data to be used to aid instruction. Teachers are able to scan papers on the fly and discuss results immediately, according to Marcus. Since the device stores quizzes on classroom computers, teachers can track the progression of each student with the click of a button. GradeCam also automatically posts student scores to Portal, Dayton City School's online electronic grade book.

GradeCam reads bubble forms directly from a camera, which allows teachers to grade multiple-choice tests with up to 100 questions.

If, for example, a student took a spelling quiz, he would place the quiz under the GradeCam, where the answers would be automatically scanned and compared with a pre-scanned key.
His results would show up immediately, and the teacher could then go over the incorrect answers with the student.

Teachers who are using it in DCS say that the practice with bubble forms is excellent preparation for the TCAPs, a standardized test third- through eighth-grade students take at the end of the school year.

"The first time they did [bubble forms], they bubbled horribly, but now they're great at it," said fifth-grade teacher Renae Marcus. "It really is a great tool - it's less paper grading and immediate results for the kids."

Another benefit of the GradeCams is that it frees up time for teacher's aids to focus on tutoring rather than grading, according to fourth-grade teacher Kristin Green.

"I think it'll save a lot of time and energy for teachers, and it's fun for kids to see their quizzes scanned," said Green.

The cost for the 35 GradeCams was approximately $4,000, which is more affordable than the previously used Scantron readers, said Marcus. The price includes a one-time, $2-per-student licensing fee.

To find out more about GradeCams, visit Dayton City School's Web site at www.daytoncity.net or www.gradecam.com.

Michelle Friesen can be reached at michelle.friesen@rheaheraldnews.com.