Vantage Learning, the world's leading provider of online assessment tools and instructional writing solutions, is pleased to announce that it has begun computer-based essay scoring for the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) portion of the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT(R)) with its patented IntelliMetric®(R) technology. IntelliMetric® scores applicants' responses to two essay prompts within each GMAT(R) AWA exam.
Under a separate agreement with ACT, Inc., Pearson VUE, and the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC(R)), ACT will oversee GMAT AWA prompt development and scoring. ACT provides human expert essay scoring, which will be combined with Vantage Learning's IntelliMetric® platform to ensure the most accurate, reliable scores.
IntelliMetric® is Vantage Learning's automated essay scoring engine, and is recognized as the most accurate system in the industry. IntelliMetric® uses artificial intelligence to score open-ended and constructed-response questions with documented levels of accuracy and reliability exceeding that of human expert scorers. Vantage Learning's IntelliMetric® consistently applies the pooled knowledge, or scoring rubric, of expert scorers to the essays it receives.
GMAC is a nonprofit education association of leading business schools worldwide. The association is dedicated to creating access to and disseminating information about graduate business and management education. GMAC administers the GMAT, the first and only standardized test specifically designed for graduate business and management programs. The GMAT is currently used in admissions decisions by more than 3,000 graduate management programs at 1,500 business schools.
GMAT's reach and influence was recently expanded through a partnership with Pearson VUE to deliver the exam at more than 400 testing centers in nearly 100 countries around the world.
"We're proud that ACT and the GMAC have selected Vantage Learning and IntelliMetric® in support of scoring the essay portion of the GMAT," says Peter Murphy, Chief Executive Officer for Vantage Learning. "As the international gold
standard in assessment tools for management education, GMAC is using advances in technology to ensure reliability, validity, and efficiency of grading admissions essays. This speaks volumes about the underlying quality of
Vantage Learning's IntelliMetric® scoring-technology."
About Vantage Learning
Vantage Learning (http://www.VantageLearning.com), an affiliate of Vantage Laboratories and the leading provider of online assessment and automated essay scoring, developed IntelliMetric®(TM) to meet the needs of business, education, and government agencies needing a comprehensive Internet-based test authoring, delivery, scoring, and reporting platform. IntelliMetric® administers and scores responses to open-ended questions over the Internet using advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology. An individual can enter a response to a question posed, submit the response, and receive an immediate score with feedback within seconds.
Eduventures has selected Vantage Learning as one of the eight most innovative educational technology companies. MY Access!(TM), Vantage's instructional writing program that utilizes IntelliMetric® essay scoring, earned a 2003 District Administration Top 100 Award, and was included in Technology and Learning Magazine's Top 10 Smart Technologies for Schools. A Codie Awards finalist three years in a row, MY Access! recently won the 2005 Codie Award in two categories, "Best Secondary Education Instructional Tool" and "Best English Language Learning Instructional Solution." In addition, MY Access! was awarded the 2004 Award of Excellence from Technology and Learning Magazine. Vantage Learning provides services in all 50 states directly to end-user clients and provides services to educational leaders such as The College Board, ACT, Harcourt Educational Measurement, and Thomson Learning.
About ACT, Inc.
ACT is a not-for-profit organization, based in Iowa City, Iowa, that serves millions of people in schools, colleges, professional associations, businesses, and government agencies with programs and services that have one guiding purpose - to help people achieve education and workplace success. For more information about ACT, visit http://www.Act.org.
About the Graduate Management Admission Council
The Graduate Management Admission Council(R) (http://www.Gmac.com), based in McLean, Va., is a nonprofit education organization of leading graduate business schools worldwide, dedicated to creating access to and disseminating information about graduate management education. The GMAT(R) was created in 1954 and remains the first and only standardized test specifically designed for graduate business and management programs.