School Profile (The Context)

King Mongkut's International Demonstration School (KMIDS)

• Location: Bangkok, Thailand
• Curriculum: American Curriculum (California Common Core, NGSS), STEAM Focus, AP & University Pathway
• Grades: Middle & High School (Grades 6–12)
• Demographics: ~470 Students‍
• Tech Environment: Microsoft Showcase School, heavy emphasis on Digital Citizenship and AI

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Life Before Wayground (The Challenge)

The Core Conflict: Innovation vs. Integrity As Thailand's first STEAM-focused international school, KMIDS is under constant pressure to prove its "innovative" status for accreditations like WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges). However, the school faced a modern dilemma: how to use digital assessments without compromising academic honesty.

• The Cheating Epidemic: Students were finding ways to bypass traditional digital locks, using split screens or secondary devices to look up answers during assessments. John Cork, Assistant Director for Academic Services, noted that "anti-cheat" was a massive priority: "I’m kind of more curious about... anti-cheat... finding ways to lock that browser."
• Engagement Fatigue: Traditional testing methods were dry and disconnected from the students' digital lives. The school needed a tool that could "gamify" learning without turning it into a distraction.‍
• The "Innovation" Mandate: To secure their WASC accreditation, KMIDS needed concrete evidence of "schoolwide learning outcomes" linked to technology. They needed a platform that wasn't just a toy, but a demonstrable engine for "Future Ready Skills."

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Why Wayground? (The Solution)

KMIDS chose Wayground as their assessment partner because it balanced the "fun" of gamification with the "fortress" of enterprise-grade security.

• Robust "Anti-Cheat" Mode: Wayground’s ability to lock browsers and prevent tab-switching was a game-changer for high-stakes assessments. John emphasized, "We tested it... it does lock the browser. It works."
• Seamless Microsoft Integration: Being a Microsoft Showcase School, the seamless integration with Microsoft Teams meant teachers didn't have to juggle yet another login—rosters and assignments synced automatically.‍
• AI-Assisted Resource Creation: The platform allowed teachers to generate curriculum-aligned questions instantly, freeing them from hours of manual data entry. "It cuts the feedback loop down to seconds," allowing for instant remediation rather than waiting days for graded papers.

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Life With Wayground (The Results)

Overall Transformation: Wayground became the bridge between "rigorous testing" and "active learning." It shifted the assessment culture from a source of anxiety to a source of excitement.

Quantifiable Outcomes:

• Standardized Test Correlation: While correlation isn't causation, John noted a positive trend: "Our AP scores and our MAP testing scores have gone up... I would say there's a correlation there."
• Adoption Velocity: The platform saw rapid uptake across the school, becoming a staple for "Future Ready Skills" implementation in grades 6–9.‍
• Accreditation Evidence: The tool provided the data and "innovation" evidence required for their WASC review, showcasing how the school uses technology to drive differentiated learning outcomes.

Qualitative Wins (The Culture Shift):

• Student-Led Demand: The gamification was so effective that students began demanding it. "The kids love it... they find it engaging," John reported. It transformed review sessions from passive lectures into competitive, high-energy events.
• Instant Feedback Loop: The "marking lag" was eliminated. Teachers could see misconceptions in real-time and address them immediately, preventing learning gaps from hardening.‍
• Teacher Empowerment: Instead of fearing new tech, teachers embraced it because it integrated with their existing workflows (Teams) and solved their biggest headache: grading time.

"The kids love it. We definitely use the gamification... it keeps them engaged. And for us, the anti-cheat feature was critical—we tested it, and it works. It’s helping us prove we are meeting our 'Future Ready' goals for accreditation." — John Cork, Assistant Director for Academic Services, King Mongkut's International Demonstration School