Thomson Course Technology Releases Study Findings Which Gauge the Value of Using Skills-Assessment Software in the Classroom

White Paper to Aid in Building Better Microsoft Office Instruction

Boston, MA – February 21, 2007 – Thomson Course Technology, the worldwide leader in computing education and part of Thomson Learning, released a new white paper entitled: "Building the Bridge to Better Microsoft Office Instruction." The paper reports the results of a recent survey project which was conducted to determine the effectiveness of assessment tools in the classroom. This research included insight into classroom assessment tools in general, as well as Thomson Course Technology’s Skills Assessment Manager (SAM), in particular.

"We recognize that in every college computer-application training environment, student success is directly linked to the instructor’s ability to assess student skill through all stages of a course,” said Nicole Pinard, vice president, Thomson Course Technology. “Knowing this, we wanted to gain a deeper understanding into the effectiveness of assessment tools, and ultimately aim to use the information gathered to strengthen our SAM suite."

The survey confirmed that instructors use a variety of software packages for assessment, including Thomson Course Technology’s SAM. Interviewees indicated that SAM is used because it is full-featured, easy to use, it improves student grades and retention, and provides a common and objective means for assessing skills. Since 1997, SAM Assessment and Training has helped hundreds of thousands of educators and students assess and improve their skills in the Microsoft Office suite. Skills assessment software for Microsoft Office applications provides benefits to both instructors and students.

BayCreative, a marketing services agency conducted the survey. Using a research consultant, in-depth interviews were conducted with faculty at a variety of educational institutions throughout the United States. To access the white paper, as well as the full methodology of the study, please visit:

http://samcentral.course.com/documentation/sam_wp_final_web.pdf

About Thomson Learning and Thomson Course Technology Thomson Learning delivers highly customized learning solutions for colleges, universities, professors, students, reference centers, government agencies, corporations and professionals around the world. These solutions are delivered through specialized content, applications and services that foster academic excellence and professional development, as well as provide measurable learning outcomes to its customers. Thomson Learning’s mission is to shape the future of global learning by delivering consistently better learning solutions for learners, instructors and institutions. Thomson Course Technology is the worldwide leader in computing education, offering more than 1,600 print and innovative technology-based products for business and technology training. You can learn more about Thomson Learning and Thomson Course Technology by visiting us on the web at Thomson Learning and www.course.com.