Pearson vue Exams

The other thread is

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19 posts were split to a new topic: [Discussion] ADA-Compliance goals at Dallas Makerspace

I have no idea why we would want to do this. How does it benefit the membership? Unless it will be a profit center, no way. (profit meaning, we make more than this costs) And even then, I fail to see the connection to our maker mission.

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Per our IRS Form 990

DALLAS MAKERSPACE PROMOTES PRACTICAL EDUCATION IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND THE INDUSTRIAL AND FINE ARTS BY ORGANIZING AND PROVIDING FACILITIES FOR LECTURES, WORKSHOPS, PRESENTATIONS, AND EQUIPMENT TRAINING SESSIONS.

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I believe it is well within the scope of an educational non-profits mission to support this.

It does promote DMS publicly so it has PR value. Paying driverā€™s entry fees for the Lemonā€™s race car is based on itā€™s PR value, no?

Now whether this or anything else is something DMS want to do or is deemed worth the expense an effort I think is what is being discussed here. Based on what I read above or else where the testing would take place during week days so it would be competing very little for classroom space. If during prime times: week nights and weekend days, that could be a consideration. Other considerations are dedicated floor space for lockers.

Iā€™d like to see more of the discussion. Iā€™ve asked questions and theyā€™ve been answered.

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I personally think that certificate testing could be done in the new computer classroom that several people are talking about building. It is a classroom that is already started in the common area north wall and I am told this will be expanded into a training room with computers. If the right choices are made in that classroom, it shouldnā€™t be a whole lot of effort to set it up for certification testing. The locker does not have to be fancy, it could be a lockable file cabinet where the check-in computer is. This check-in computer needs to be somewhere outside of the testing room, however.

So, this might be easier that we think to implement. And yes, the testing company does cut checks for testing centers for providing testing. I should think that that would go into the committee fund for providing for the instructor material, proctors and other equipment needed.

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Which room specifically?

Hereā€™s a map https://dallasmakerspace.org/w/images/8/8e/Safety_equipment.jpg

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You may need to talk with @talkers about his plans for the new classroom. I have just heard talkings about it and some comments made about teaching CAD in it.

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Thank you Draco. Relevant posts been merged here.

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Weā€™re looking at one of either:

  1. A room in the expansion
  2. The conference room after the expansion,
  3. Some area for storage of equipment/lockers and doing scheduled exams taking over a classroom doing day/non peak hours

All of which are in order of best case to worst and within context of demand/availablity of the proposed program.

If Pearson pays that should be a private arrangement. I think the question being asked is payment for recovery of costs we incur to support the tests. At least for me, if they are making a profit from testing fees, they need to ā€œshareā€ some of the wealth that that save by not renting a space.

No idea as to the amount. Just the concept of for-profit using non-profit facilities for gratis.

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Yes, the Makerspace will have to enter into a contract with Pearson for this to work and in that contract there will be the amount. We can get a better idea once we contact them and start the process. Does this need to come before the board in order to make that initial contact and ask some questions?

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Speaking merely as a member, Iā€™d like to know the hard, non-negotiable expectations of DMS and some real-world cost projections alongside, revenue projections, and utilization projections.

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I would as well. However, we not be able to formulate that until we contact them. I do not know the procedure we need to follow in contacting them. I guess that is what I was asking @Photomancer

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Here is the Sales Channel and contact information for questions for testing centers.
@denzuko

https://home.pearsonvue.com/For-test-centers/Ask-a-question.aspx

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I am nervous talking with them in respect to some other issues that have come up regarding other people negotiating on behalf of DMS. This is why I want clarification on the rules and procedures in doing this sort of thing.

Iā€™m confident in the benefits to DMS going with this though I agree with Draco on people negotiating on behalf of DMS for contracts. Now if this is something that needs to go before the board then Iā€™ll be glad to put that as an agenda item.

@ESmith does have a valid point of us needing real-world cost projections alongside, revenue projections, and utilization projections.

The figures I have are only from the few successful classes we have under the voucher system and those figures would be fleshed out a bit further as we post regular scheduled prep courses.

We would need to reach out at some point to Pearson Vue to discuss the final figures but for now thereā€™s the matter of is this an item that needs to be handled by the board?

What are the rules and procedures in doing this sort of thing?

Finally, with the expectation of the move, what action items does the space need to become ADA compliant?

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Whether we have the onsite exam or not the ADA compliance is a good overall goal for the space especially with the new build out.

Iā€™ll split this part out for its own topic but it is obviously still an actionable item towards pearson vue exams being onsite.

https://talk.dallasmakerspace.org/t/discussion-ada-compliance-goals-at-dallas-makerspace/34880

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Restoring some posts containing some very pertinent points which were moved into another thread:

and

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I for one am not convinced the cost / benefit ratio on this idea is the spaceā€™s favor.

Looks like a LOT of hoops to jump thru, and a lot of money - potentially an enormous amount - and very limited benefit.

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As I have been researching, it appears (I am not an attorney) that ADA compliance is already required for the Makerspace as it is with classes being attended by the public and perhaps a requirement that because we teach classes that might be deemed application trade school type. We are talking about this in the other ADA thread.

As far as other items, if we are going to have a computer classroom anyway, why not choose items such as table widths, etc that would make having these things at least future possible even if the committee would need to fund the rest of it. Remember, Pearson pays testing centers and this may cover some or all of the additional costs associated preforming the certifications including perhaps an honorarium like system for proctors. This will give incentives to the proctors to do all that needs to be done, setup and tare down. It will just about function like any other class, will bring in more people to the space and perhaps be able to pay for not only itself but materials for other prep-classes.

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