By Brice Ruth
Adapting to a Rapidly Changing World
The world changed dramatically in a matter of months, and everyone had to adapt in ways never imagined. From makeshift home offices to balancing work and family responsibilities, life was reshaped by the challenges of the pandemic. Organizations also faced unprecedented shifts, making the ability to pivot essential for survival. At Flexion, we embraced this mindset, stepping up to help our clients navigate their transitions. One long-time client, Data Recognition Corporation (DRC), needed innovation and agility to adapt, and we helped them rise to the challenge.
How We’ve All Had to Pivot
As the country responded to the pandemic, daily routines were upended. Some carved out a corner at the kitchen table for a home office, hoping colleagues wouldn’t notice the clutter behind them. Others found new ways to exercise when gyms closed and weekly basketball games became ill-advised. Many also took time from work to help children with algebra problems while they attended school from home. And those were the relatively easy pivots—thousands had to adjust to massive lifestyle changes due to job losses, school closures, and the illness of loved ones.
Helping Schools Transition to Remote Learning
At Flexion, we had to pivot, too. One of our long-standing clients, Data Recognition Corporation (DRC), was a leader in providing student assessments to measure learning progress and evaluate teacher performance. Traditionally, these tests—whether on paper or online—were administered in schools under teacher supervision. Educators ensured that students took exams fairly, without distractions or external resources like Google. But as schools shifted to distance learning, the entire assessment process had to be redesigned for remote environments.
Developing Secure and Accessible Remote Testing Solutions
DRC needed a couple of key things from Flexion, and the team stepped up in collaboration with the DRC team.
Making Online Testing Accessible for All Students
One of DRC’s biggest challenges was ensuring that students could easily take tests from home. Before the pandemic, testing had been conducted on a customized version of Chrome, designed to prevent students from navigating away from the exam. However, this version was only compatible with certain computers. Now, DRC had to deliver the test on a public browser, allowing students to use any available device. Flexion provided the necessary adjustments to make remote testing accessible, secure, and user-friendly for students, regardless of their hardware limitations.
Implementing Remote Proctoring for Online Exams
Another challenge was verifying student identities and maintaining test integrity in an online environment. In the classroom, teachers could confirm who was taking the test and monitor their activities. But remotely, how could this be done? Could teachers proctor exams via Zoom? Would students stay engaged throughout the session? Flexion worked with DRC to explore and implement remote proctoring solutions, ensuring that exams were administered fairly while maintaining the integrity of student assessments.
Protecting Student Data and Test Confidentiality
With the shift to digital testing, privacy and security became even more critical. Schools had to ensure that student data remained protected, while also safeguarding test content. If exam questions were leaked, the validity of the tests—and their intellectual property—would be compromised. Flexion developed and implemented strict security protocols that maintained compliance with education data privacy regulations while ensuring the confidentiality of both student responses and test content.
Flexion’s Agile Approach to Solving Challenges
Everyone was figuring out this “new normal,” and many more pivots were yet to come. Flexion continued to support DRC as distance learning evolved, making critical adjustments to enhance digital learning and assessment solutions.
Our success came from working in a highly agile environment, where we identified what needed to be done first, then iterated and improved continuously—and if something didn’t work, we pivoted!
The Future of Online Education and Assessments
Adapting to the new normal in education was a journey filled with challenges, but also opportunities. At Flexion, our agile approach allowed us to respond quickly to obstacles, develop scalable education technology solutions, and deliver impactful digital transformation. Whether it was enabling secure remote testing or overcoming complex technical hurdles, we remained committed to helping our clients succeed in an ever-changing landscape. The work with DRC was just one example of how we turned challenges into opportunities. Ready to pivot and embrace what’s next? Let’s make it happen together!
At Flexion, we believe in adapting to change, solving complex challenges, and creating solutions that make a real difference. If your organization is looking for innovative ways to improve remote learning, secure online assessments, or education technology, we’re here to help.
Let’s connect and explore how Flexion can support your digital transformation. Contact us today to start the conversation!
