Industry: Education
Client: I.C.E.I. – Institute for Early Childhood Education
Role: Mercedes Marrero, Academic Management Team
Location: Uruguay
The rapid shift to digital learning posed enormous challenges for traditional institutions. One organisation that turned these challenges into opportunities is the Institute for Training in Early Childhood Education (I.C.E.I.) in Uruguay. Dedicated to preparing professionals in early childhood education, I.C.E.I. successfully reimagined its assessment process and achieved measurable efficiency and security gains with Quilgo. In this interview, Mercedes Marrero, a member of I.C.E.I.’s management team, shares their journey.
An Interview with I.C.E.I. Management
Quilgo: Could you please introduce I.C.E.I. and share its mission?
Mercedes Marrero (I.C.E.I.): I.C.E.I. is the Institute for Training in Early Childhood Education. Our mission is to prepare individuals to work with young children by integrating pedagogy, creativity, and practical skills. We strive to enhance the quality of early education in Uruguay, with the ultimate goal of expanding our impact globally.
Quilgo: What is your role within the institution?
Mercedes Marrero (I.C.E.I.): I am a member of the management team responsible for overseeing academic planning, coordinating with teachers, and ensuring our training and assessment processes adhere to the highest quality standards. This role involves balancing strategy, operations, and quality control.
Quilgo: Could you share details with us about your typical students?
Mercedes Marrero (I.C.E.I.): Most of our learners are young adults beginning their careers in education, but we also have experienced professionals who work with children and want to deepen their expertise. This mix creates a dynamic classroom, where theory meets practice. The number of students varies throughout the year, depending on enrollments and program cycles.
Quilgo: How did you manage online testing before using Quilgo?
Mercedes Marrero (I.C.E.I.): Our very first step into digital assessments was using Google Forms combined with Quilgo. Before that, everything was paper-based. At the time, Quilgo wasn’t integrated with Google Classroom yet, so we had to run it separately. It worked, but it meant more manual coordination. Today, we rely on Quilgo Forms and Proctoring within Classroom, and that integration has made the process much smoother for both teachers and students.
Quilgo: Looking back, what was the most challenging part about managing exams that way?
Mercedes Marrero (I.C.E.I.): There were several challenges. First, managing time limits proved to be quite tricky. Second, maintaining test security was a constant worry. Third, students received their tests through channels that were separate from their learning platform, which was confusing. Finally, teachers had to spend additional hours manually verifying and scoring submissions, making the process far from efficient.
Quilgo: What made you feel Quilgo was the right fit, and how has it impacted your exam process?
Mercedes Marrero (I.C.E.I.): We needed a platform that seamlessly integrated with Google Forms and Classroom while providing advanced testing features. Quilgo delivered precisely that: it offers camera and screen tracking for fairness, timers and attempt restrictions for better structure, and automated reports that save our teachers countless hours. These tools have transformed our process tasks that once required extensive manual checking are now automated, allowing students to experience exams more transparently and professionally. This wasn't just an upgrade; it truly became the missing piece of our digital transformation.
Quilgo: How has Quilgo made a difference in practice? Can you provide specific examples of its results?
Mercedes Marrero (I.C.E.I.): Quilgo has completely transformed the way we conduct exams. The process is now more professional, secure, and efficient. What used to take hours of preparation and monitoring has been streamlined, allowing our teachers to concentrate on teaching rather than administrative tasks.
The results are impressive:
- We save 30–40% of administrative time compared to our previous system.
- Each academic term, we now manage around 30–40 individual test sessions with significantly less effort.
- The workflow has become faster and more straightforward than in previous years.
- Most importantly, incidents related to test security have nearly disappeared since we adopted Quilgo.
For us, the combination of time savings, efficiency, and reliability has been truly transformative.
Quilgo: Looking at both today and tomorrow, how is Quilgo supporting your exam process now, and how do you see it shaping your growth ahead?
Mercedes Marrero (I.C.E.I.): On average, we organise 10 to 12 exam rounds each year. Quilgo facilitates the smooth and consistent operation of this volume of assessments.
As we look ahead, we are preparing to expand our programs internationally. This growth will mean more students, more exams, and increased stakes. Quilgo will continue to be essential in maintaining both integrity and efficiency as we scale our operations. It’s not just addressing current challenges; it’s also laying the groundwork for our future assessment strategy.
Quilgo: For organisations considering online exams, what’s the biggest tip you’d share from your own experience?
Mercedes Marrero (I.C.E.I.): Start with a clear structure. Choose a platform like Quilgo that makes assessments secure, reliable, and easy to manage. It saves time, reduces stress, and increases confidence for both teachers and students.
Final Thoughts
Quilgo: Is there anything else you'd like to share or any thoughts you'd like to add?
Mercedes Marrero (I.C.E.I.): Quilgo has been a true partner in our digital transformation. It enabled us to maintain high standards in assessments while simplifying and making the process more transparent. It's not just a tool; it's a solution that empowers both educators and learners.
At Quilgo, we are excited to support institutions like I.C.E.I. in raising educational standards! Their journey demonstrates how innovative technology can save time and promote integrity, allowing teachers to focus on what truly matters: inspiring and shaping the leaders of tomorrow.
We take pride in the real value our platform provides to organizations like I.C.E.I., and we are committed to continuously improving and expanding Quilgo to meet their needs. Above all, we are grateful to our clients for their trust, feedback, and willingness to share their results. It is this collaboration that drives us forward.
