SEQTA Software

Marks book discussion forums

SEQTA Software — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 07:04:49 +0000

SEQTA takes a very different approach to the design of its software. We don’t just consult with teachers, we involve them in every step of the process. The design of our new marks book illustrates just how this works.

After the release of our original marks book, it became clear that teachers wanted more, so we embarked on a twelve month program to make sure that all of our teachers’ needs were met in the next version.

Attendees play with the new marks book at one of the marks book discussion fora

Initially, feedback was taken during training sessions at our schools. This feedback was included in our development list, and a full specification for the revised marks book was drafted.

A discussion paper was then distributed to all of our schools, including mock-up screens. Our teachers then provided further feedback on the planned changes, and our design team contacted many teachers to discuss their suggestions to ensure that we had a good understanding of their needs.

Once we were certain that we had fully understood what our users required, we began the process of developing the new marks book. As the design began to take shape, Grant Grosser visited a number of schools (existing and potential clients), soliciting further feedback for the refinement of the designs.

When the new marks book was operable, we invited our schools to send delegates to a marks book discussion forum. Some twenty-five teachers attended these sessions and had the opportunity to actually use the new marks book and provide further feedback.

The feedback from these users was then incorporated into the final design, which is now in testing and due to be released late in August.

SEQTA’s new marks book, which is integrated into Teachers’ Assistant, is the most powerful, yet easy-to-use, web-based marks book currently available. It places extensive functionality into the hands of every teacher, irrespective of their technical skill level, where previously such functionality required extensive skills in the use of spreadsheet formulae.

Here’s a taste of what even the most technologically-challenged teacher can achieve using the new SEQTA marks book:

Mark using either numerical or non-numerical systems;
View statistics, such as mean, standard deviation, and media for one class or many;
Automatically calculate grades for single or multiple classes;
Manually moderate grades for single or multiple classes;
Add comments to marks (both private comments for teachers only and public comments for students and parents to view on-line);
Select predicted marks using a range of algorithms, such as class/cohort mean, median, or standardised scores;
Create groups of assessments and weight them differentially;
Create different types of assessment and weight them differentially;
Mark directly against criteria/outcomes, such as those included in state and national syllabi;
Write academic reports from within the marks book screen;
Elect to display results to students and parents online (continuous reporting); and
Obtain printouts of the marks book in various forms.

SEQTA teachers are genuinely excited about the new marks book. Call SEQTA on +61 8 9301 2277 to find out more about our amazing suite of products, or browse the website further.

SEQTA wins iAward

SEQTA Software — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:19:05 +0000

SEQTA Software was recently lauded as a Western Australian State Award Winner in the 2010 Australian Information Industry Association’s (AIIA) iAwards. The WA awards presentation was held at KPMG on July 7^th. Grant Grosser and Barry van Oudtshoorn were present to receive the award (presented in the e-Learning category) on behalf of SEQTA.

The iAwards are Australia’s premier technology innovation awards programme, and recognise businesses and products that will lead Australia into the global digital economy.

Grant Grosser, SEQTA’s founding director, said that the award validated the investment SEQTA has made in the teaching profession in Australia:

Having spent four years developing the SEQTA suite, it’s good to have official recognition that what we have developed is both unique and innovative, and that it meets the needs of teachers.

So much software seems bent on making simple tasks difficult, so we’ve worked hard to provide teachers with a piece of software that actually simplifies their work. It’s fantastic to have our hard work recognised through this award.

There are eighteen categories in the iAwards, and awards are only presented if there is a worthy candidate. For 2010 in WA, only six of the eighteen categories were awarded.

As winner of the e-Learning category, SEQTA is now a finalist in the National iAwards. These will be presented on August 5^th at the iAwards Gala Dinner, held at the Palladium, Crown Complex in Melbourne. Over a thousand leading members of the Australian ICT community are expected to attend the event, which AIIA describes as the industry’s “night of nights”.

Grant Grosser and Barry van Oudtshoorn receive the iAward plaque from Julie de Jong (Associate Executive Director, Department of Commerce, Science Innovation and Business.)

The plaque awarded to SEQTA by the AIIA.

SEQTA coneqt begins trials in Term 2

SEQTA Software — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 12:50:42 +0000

We understand the extra workload that other systems that let you manage online content require, and we’ve done something about it.

To our knowledge, SEQTA coneqt is the online online learning management system that automatically manages the content for teachers, without teachres having to do anything more than they did twenty years ago.

The SEQTA coneqt home screen

Used in conjunction with Teachers’ Assistant, teachers need only write their programme, include their resources and homework in the programme, set assessments, and enter the results – the online content is done with no further action.

Find out more about SEQTA coneqt.

National curriculum

SEQTA Software — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 12:47:12 +0000

Within two days of the release of the first four learning areas in the draft National Curriculum, SEQTA had already catalogued and embedded the strands and content descriptions into Teachers’ Assistant.

Schools using Teachers’ Assistant have a significant head-start with the National Curriculum, as Teachers’ Assistant makes it so easy to search and select relevant content.

SEQTA is committed to providing its teachers with tools that genuinely make their lives easier. In this case, we’re helping teachres by making the National Curriculum change process much simpler.

New SEQTA Head Office in Joondalup, Western Australia

SEQTA Software — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 01:39:54 +0000

The SEQTA head office is now located in the heart of the Winton Road business precinct in Joondalup, easily accessible from the Mitchell Freeway (Hodges Drive Exit).

Now that the hammering and drilling has died down and the dust has settled, we are very pleased with our newly refurbished and spacious premises. In addition to the custom-built development room for out talented programmers and new offices for the administrative staff, we have space for dedicated training and meeting rooms to be built next year.

Left to right: George Hewitt (Immplementation Manager), Barry van Oudtshoorn (Analyst Programmer), Grant Grosser (CEO), Lance Duivenbode (Senior Analyst Programmer), Sharon Grosser (Office Manager), John Vickers (CFO), Julie Houghton (Marketing and Training, South Australian Office)

South Australian office open

SEQTA Software — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 01:39:29 +0000

November 2009

This month we are very excited to be branching out into South Australia. The S.A. Office is based at Port Noarlunga where the Onkaparinga River meets St Vincent’s Gulf.

Julie Houghton will be heading up our operations in South Australia. A secondary science teacher by profession, Julie has taught in both government and independent schools, in distance education, and in online learning. She has also experienced great success as a Marketing Manager in private enterprise, and more recently, worked in corporate Project Administration.

Julie is in charge of sales and training, and is now available to demonstrate SEQTA software in South Australia.

Julie Houghton now heads up Marketing and Training in South Australia.

Launch Events Planned for Vic, NSW, and QLD

SEQTA Software — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 01:37:40 +0000

After two highly successful information breakfasts held in South Australia and Western Australia, SEQTA is planning similar events in Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland for March 2010. Events will also be held in Tasmania and the ACT later in the year.

Please let us know if you would like us to visit your state, city, or town to showcase our amazing suite of products. Contact us now.

Over 70 people attended the Seqta information breakfast at the Kings Park function centre in Perth.