Texas State Technical College West Texas Uses Outcomes Based Assessment to Revive Nursing Program

Pass Rate on Licensing Exam Jumped 77 to 100 Percent Using Direct Evidence of Student Learning through ExamSoft Technology Platform

Dallas, Texas, August 27, 2013 – The Texas State Technical College West Texas (TSTC) LVN to ADN Nursing Program was able to increase the pass rate on the National Council Licensing Exam (NCLEX) from 77 percent to 100 percent by taking a strategic and aggressive approach to assessment. TSTC-West Texas was able to improve programmatic effectiveness and student retention based on evidence and insights in student learning using ExamSoft’s intelligent assessment platform, the company announced today.

TSTC-West Texas is part of a state performance-based pilot program that only reimburses the institution when graduates secure a job within their field of study. In 2011, with the NCLEX pass rate at 77 percent and retention rate near 50 percent, TSTC-West Texas was placed on conditional status by the Texas Board of Nursing and could not admit any new students. TSTC-West Texas decided to adopt an assessment platform to help completely revamp and refine their curriculum and better help their students learn, prepare for and pass the NCLEX – a barrier to employment for nurses. Since implementing ExamSoft, the NCLEX pass rate, retention rate and employment rate among graduates are all 100 percent.

“Since our state funding depends on our students graduating and getting jobs, their success is our success,” said Shawntay Sparks, Instructor and Program Chair, Texas State Technical College West Texas LVN to ADN Nursing Program. “By taking a strategic approach to assessment using ExamSoft’s platform, we can easily track and measure performance across a wide set of learning outcomes and it gives us the tools and evidence we need to remediate students on a individual basis, refine our curriculum, increase retention and help students succeed in their careers.”

TSTC-West Texas uses ExamSoft to design, manage and administer all exams, tests and quizzes in a computer-based platform and enables them to “tag” every question to learning objectives so they can track and measure student performance. With data available immediately after each exam, faculty use the learning analytics to inform targeted feedback for students and implement remediation strategies based on students’ individual needs. Longitudinal assessment data gives TSTC-West Texas the evidence they need to track students over time and map and refine their curriculum.

“We’re excited to see the kind of dramatic turn around TSTC-West Texas has seen because it shows how important a role technology and data can play in helping drive student success,” said Daniel Muzquiz, Chief Executive Officer of ExamSoft. “We thrive on helping institutions and programs succeed in their missions by giving them the technology and insights they need to help engage their students, enhance the learning experience and improve outcomes.”

In addition to being able to enhance revenue reimbursements from the state, TSTC-West Texas was taken off conditional admittance by the Texas Board of Nursing in October 2012 and anticipates being placed on full approval in January 2014. TSTC-West Texas’ accelerated online nursing program, established in 2008, includes two campuses serving 26 rural counties and trains students to become registered nurses.

“We have students scattered around the state who face and conquer challenges every day for the opportunity to achieve their degree and become better nurses, so we strive to deliver a high quality education with a non-traditional approach,” said Sparks. “In an online accelerated program, there is no time to allow a student to get behind and ExamSoft gives us the tools to find and address issues immediately and the technology is so solid that we can rely on it to support the program, and the students, in reaching this goal.”

For more information about ExamSoft, visit http://www.examsoft.com.

About ExamSoft Worldwide, Inc.
ExamSoft provides scalable and flexible intelligent assessment solutions that give educators actionable outcomes data and insights to help every student. Its software puts the data back in the hands of faculty and enables clients to more efficiently and practically administer direct assessments and analyze resulting data to improve curricular design, test design, and accreditation compliance. ExamSoft has served hundreds of prominent academic, certification, and licensing institutions for more than 15 years and has successfully administered millions of exams. For more information, please visit www.examsoft.com, or follow ExamSoft on Facebook and Twitter.

Contact:
Anne Jenkins
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
703-624-6125
ajenkins@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

SAFE International Self Defense Announces launch of SAFE International Certified Partner, Self-Defense Manitoba

SAFE International is a leading provider of self defense training in North America. SAFE International is pleased to announce the launch of SAFE International Certified Partner, Self-Defense Manitoba, who will provide a focused marketing campaign to provide self defense to women, corporations and high school students.

Winnipeg, MB, August 27, 2013 (Straight Line PR) -- SAFE International™ is a leading provider of self defense training in North America. It currently operates throughout Canada and has expanded to include SAFE International Certified Partner, Self-Defense Manitoba, with a focused marketing campaign to provide Winnipeg self defense to women, men, corporations and high schools. SAFE International has delivered training to over one hundred thousand (175,000) people since 1994. Self-Defense Manitoba is owned and managed by Chris Friesen, Managing Principal, who is a professional teaching Director and self-defense instructor.

Mr. Friesen began Self-Defense Manitoba in the Spring of 2013 and has become the first SAFE International™ Certified Partner in Canada. He saw there was a lack of practical and effective self defense instruction for people in the province of Manitoba. The SAFE International high school courses have become known for their instruction on how to deal with conflict before it starts rather than just deal with the physical side of self defense. While self protection is a serious topic, the SAFE instructors have managed to develop a course that integrates humour while still getting a serious message across to students/clients. Chris Friesen will be teaching specially tailored Winnipeg Corporate self defense courses in the corporate environment, particularly to companies/organizations that are in higher risk professions including health care, real estate, sales people, etc. Self protection is a not only a necessity, but is also a form of insurance that will make your business more profitable and your employees more confident and secure. Workplace violence is a serious issue and SAFE has the ability to teach workplace staff how to deal with all aspects of confrontation including the Awareness/Avoidance stages along with Verbal Diffusing skills and physical self defense.

SAFE International Certified Partners also offer specialized Women’s Self Defense Winnipeg courses to women’s groups, including their Women’s Self Defense Parties. Twenty five percent of women will be assaulted during their lifetime. This is an alarming fact especially since over forty seven percent of crime is unreported. Women will know their attacker fifty seven percent of the time according to studies. Women lead busy lives and need easy to remember tactics that work in real-life situations. They also need training that fits into their busy schedules. SAFE International Certified Partner instructors understand the challenges that women face and offer classes, group seminars and private lessons to fit into anyone's schedule.

SAFE International has become North America’s most popular high school course for both boys and girls due to the fact that they don't teach martial arts, but rather a practical approach to personal safety with an emphasis on recognizing and avoiding potentially dangerous situations. All instructors are certified through SAFE International™ and have a unique ability to reach the students in an effective and memorable manner. SAFE International has traditionally focused on self defense instruction for high school students. It offers 1, 3, 4 or 5 hour courses which can be taught over consecutive days or all in one day depending upon the school/ organization's needs. They offer High School self defense customized to the class needs and expectations. Each session includes discussion, role playing and a practical physical component ending with their famous simulated attacks in which the students get the opportunity to practice their newly learned skills on a padded instructor. These are real-world tactics that can be used by anyone against violent and stressful attacks.

Contact SAFE International Certified Partner Chris Friesen to schedule self defense for your corporation, group, or school. You can visit their websites at www.safeinternationalmanitoba.biz. You can also email Chris Friesen directly by email at chrisfriesen@safeinternationalmanitoba.biz. You can also reach Mr. Friesen toll free at 1-800-465-5972.

Contact :
Chris Roberts
SAFE International™
15535 Cooper Rd.
Lunenburg, ON
Canada K0C 1R0
1 800 465-5972
chrisroberts@safeinternational.biz
http://www.safeinternational.biz