Wow…did we ever get some big news this week! EInstruction put out a press release on Monday announcing the acquisition of FSCreations, Inc., the leading provider of time-saving educational software products (used by educators) for test preparation and administration, lesson planning, and student performance assessment.
It will be interesting to see what changes come out of this joint venture . . .
eInstruction Earns an A+ with Acquisition of FSCreations
Deal combines worldwide leaders in interactive classroom performance systems and educational software products
(Denton, TX, September 15, 2006) eInstruction Corp., the leading worldwide provider of interactive response systems to K-12 and higher-ed classrooms, today announced the acquisition of FSCreations, Inc., the leading provider of time-saving educational software products (used by educators) for test preparation and administration, lesson planning and student performance assessment. Founded in 1991 and based in Cincinnati, Ohio, FSCreations has developed and delivered many exceptional software products that help thousands of educators daily to improve student learning.
FSCreations’ core product, ExamView, is the industry standard test generator and assessment software – providing access to questions prepared directly by leading textbook publishers. Nearly 80% of all textbook publishers distribute ExamView with their textbooks which, in turn, are used by over 500,000 educators worldwide. The Company also offers a number of complementary software programs to help educators efficiently build question banks, administer tests and analyze results in minutes. These time-saving solutions include Learning Series, a robust question bank that is both topic and state standard aligned; a Learning & Test Center, allowing educators to post password protected ExamView tests and study guides online to encourage non-classroom learning; LessonView, allowing educators to build electronic lesson plans associated with national, state and local standards; and QuickTake, allowing educators to present interactive ExamView questions and receive instant group feedback.
“The acquisition of FSCreations is exceptionally strategic for eInstruction,” said Darrell Ward, Chief Executive Officer of eInstruction. “Not only does it significantly differentiate our interactive response pads in the marketplace – with direct access to leading publisher test banks through ExamView – it provides eInstruction with over 40 publisher relationships and 500,000 teacher introductions.”
FSCreations will become a subsidiary of eInstruction and will continue to be based in Cincinnati. Christopher R. Schaber, President and Co-Founder of FSCreations, stated that “the products, culture and values of the two companies are a natural fit. We believe that our products will be more competitive and more successful as part of a larger organization with a broader product line.” Ron Davies, eInstruction’s Chief Operating Officer, further described the strategic benefits of the acquisition noting, “Assessment and high quality content are critical elements of an effective response pad system. As market leaders, ExamView and eInstruction response pads make a very powerful combination and will help educators efficiently improve the learning environment.”
The leading worldwide provider of interactive response systems to K-12, higher-ed, corporate and military classrooms, eInstruction has over 2 million response pads (or “clickers”) in thousands of K-12 schools and over 700 universities in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Israel, Puerto Rico and Singapore. In fact, over 75 post-secondary colleges and universities nationwide have now standardized on the eInstruction technology platform across their entire campuses. With eInstruction’s infrared and radio frequency solutions, data is collected immediately from every student in seconds, allowing up to 1,000 students to simultaneously provide feedback that is compiled instantaneously into easy-to-interpret graphics.
The response pads also help narrow the gap between the most and the least successful students, as the technology levels the playing field and equalizes the opportunity to participate and succeed. Students can get a sense from the system of how well they are absorbing material and where the rest of the class stands. For students who are reluctant to speak out in class, the response pad is a great relief because it allows them to click and communicate in a much less intimidating manner than speaking out in front of peers.
About eInstruction Corporation
Based in Denton, Texas, eInstruction is a researcher, developer and manufacturer of educational products designed to enhance the learning process in educational environments through the use of computer-based technology, software and the Internet. eInstruction was founded in 1981 by Darrell L. Ward, PhD., a researcher and former teacher, who recognized a need for innovative technology-based products in schools. The company introduced its real time, interactive, wireless response pad technology, the Classroom Performance System (CPS), in 2000, and this innovation has helped distinguish eInstruction as the leader and preferred provider of cutting-edge products and technologies for the education market. Visit www.einstruction.com for more information.
About FSCreations, Inc.
Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, FSCreations is focused on enhancing the learning process. Founded in 1991, FSCreations has consistently delivered exceptional products and services to educators, publishers, corporations, parents and students alike. The combination of skillful software development and comprehensive understanding of the needs of educators, students and publishers has resulted in the successful delivery of many software products, including the industry-leading ExamView Assessment Suite. Visit www.fscreations.com for more information.
