GradePad, iPhone/iPod touch Performance Assessment Tool for Teachers and Trainers, Released

(PRWEB) June 5, 2009 -- Portage Interactive announces the release of GradePad 1.0, an iPhone/iPod touch performance assessment tool for teachers and trainers. With GradePad, teachers and trainers can manage the groups, create GradePads, assess performance, track improvement, and share data. Teachers and trainers can assess a variety of behaviors and performances with "scoring sheets", or rubrics, with criteria and a rating scale.

"GradePads can be applied to a wide-range of settings…say, labs, shop floors, stages, gyms, and in the field," said Mike Palmquist, GradePads' Designer, "and to a wide range of performances, like personal interactions, presentations, speeches, performances, exhibits, group projects, collaborations, and teamwork. Hand-held assessment happens wherever the learning takes place."

GradePad's main benefits are:
•    Simplicity.
Teachers and trainers can create GradePad ratings for performance assessments easily and quickly and use them wherever they are.
•    Flexibility.
GradePads (rubrics with criteria and scales) can be applied to many subjects and disciplines to assess performance, presentations, behaviors, and outcomes.
•    Organization.
GradePad organizes groups and rubrics. Teachers and trainers have access to all GradePads for any member of any group.
•    Tracking.
GradePad stores each assessment of each individual. Teachers and trainers can review past ratings right on an iPhone or iPod touch.
•    Sharing.
GradePad sends assessments to an email account for further data manipulation, reporting and charting.

GradePad allows teachers and trainers to create as many groups as needed.Each group can hold as many individuals needed. GradePad comes with 5 built-in (but customizable) GradePads: Interpersonal Communication, Teamwork, A Project, An Oral Presentation, and Behavior. Teachers and trainers can create as many of their own GradePads as needed. Create a new GradePad with 4 criteria (such as "Hygiene" or "Posture") and a definition for each criteria ("Organization has a clear thesis with organized points that flow in logical sequence and a clear conclusion.")

Every time teachers and trainers assess an individual, GradePad stores the rating, along with the date and time of the assessment. Teachers and trainers can review all the assessments for an individual and can revise an assessment later. Teachers and trainers can send GradePad assessments to an email account to import them into spreadsheets or databases for inclusion in overall assessment.

www.gradepad.com includes 50 other rubric samples such as Science Fair Project, Fluent Reading, Listening Skills, Cooperative Learning, Foreign Language Interview, Sports Participation, Public Interaction, and Lab Work. The site also has user forums, support, and a GradePad blog.

Look for a free NECC version on June 28th.

A "Pro Edition", available on July 4, includes a GradePad.com account so teachers and trainers can share GradePad rubrics, create groups & assessments online, and manage assessment data for tracking and reporting purposes.

GradePad is in English but GradePads can be created in any Roman-alphabet language.
Any questions, ideas, or inquiries for "private label" versions can be sent to contact (at) gradepad (dot) com.

Requirements:
Compatible with iPhone and iPod touch
Requires iPhone 2.2.1 Software Update.

Portage Interactive (www.portageinteractive.com) is an independent design and development studio with more than 20 years' experience building innovative, award-winning educational and entertainment applications. The founding partners both work at MECC and The Learning Company for more than a decade - making products like Oregon Trail 3 and Amazon Trail. For clients like Hewlett-Packard, they've developed products like HP/Kung Fu Panda Activity CD. With clients like Plato Learning, they've developed learning software such as Focus Reading. Their 10-year history includes more than 40 published titles.

Besides GradePad, Portage Interactive has published www.TeamTreks.com and is in beta with Portazo.com.

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