Partnership Looks To Integrate Student Response with Student Data Systems

• By Scott Aronowitz
• 08/10/09

Interactive response and assessment technology manufacturer Turning Technologies has announced it has formed a strategic partnership with information management systems provider Performance Matters, with the goal of integrating student response and SIS for information gathering in order to drive achievement.

The partnership seeks to align the two companies' signature products and promote the increased value of both when used in conjunction with one another. Turning Technologies' student response software, coupled with either its in-class response devices or its web-based polling system, allows immediate feedback to gauge understanding of material being taught. Performance Matters' data management system is a comprehensive, web-based SIS that allows extensive analysis of student performance against state standards and various indicators to determine specific instructional needs.

Turning said it will incorporate direct integration to Performance Matters into its polling software products (TurningPoint, TurningPoint AnyWhere) that will allow educators to use its response system to collect data for common and benchmark assessments and upload that data directly into the Performance Matters SIS.  In addition, the direct integration will allow educators to download student information stored in Performance Matters to populate participant lists/class rosters to track student responses during interactive polling.

The two companies said they plan to launch a joint marketing campaign for the products, and the respective sales teams will be promoting each other's product as part of a combined "value added" package. A spokesperson for Turning noted that "the alignment and seamless integration of [the] two complementary solutions will provide school systems with an even more compelling and comprehensive solution for driving school achievement."