How TMSCA Leveraged EA to Transform Virtual Competitions during COVID

About TMSCA

The Texas Math and Science Coaches Association (TMSCA) has been at the forefront of nurturing young minds in competitive academics. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic presented an unprecedented challenge: transitioning their large-scale in-person academic competitions to a virtual environment. This shift was crucial to continue providing valuable educational experiences while ensuring safety.

The Challenge

TMSCA faced a multi-faceted challenge:

• Managing High Volume: Coordinating competitions for hundreds of schools across various events remotely.
• Ensuring Fairness: Maintaining the integrity and fairness of the testing process in a virtual setting.
• Efficiency in Grading: Swiftly and accurately grading a large number of tests without the traditional, physical oversight.

The Solution

Introducing Education Academy's specialized competition software, tailored to meet these specific educational challenges. Key features that provided effective solutions included:

• Scalability: Seamlessly managing the influx of participants.
• Automated Grading System: Reducing the turnaround time and human errors in grading.
• Intuitive Interface: Simplifying the process for students and coordinators alike.

The Results

The impact of EA on TMSCA's virtual competitions was profound:

• Participation Numbers: Over 40,000 students successfully participated in the competitions.
• Grading Efficiency: Reduced grading time by over 90%.
• Positive Feedback: High satisfaction rates from teachers, students, and coordinators.
• Inclusive Participation: The virtual format enabled greater participation, especially from rural schools, offering more students the opportunity to compete than ever before.

"You [] have been life-savers. We don't know how we would've tested students and gotten their results at such a large scale. We'll definitely recommend you to other schools for testing!"
- Mrs. Julie Majewski-Smith, T.M.S.C.A. Executive Director

TMSCA's journey with EA exemplifies the transformative role of technology in education, particularly during challenging periods. By embracing EA's solutions, TMSCA successfully navigated the pandemic's challenges and established a new benchmark for excellence in virtual academic competitions.