Learning objectives are granular, specific statements of what a learner should be able to know, think, or be able to do as part of a learning experience. Learning objectives should be measurable by multiple forms of assessment; include specific, observable behaviors that describe success; and be appropriately challenging. Effective learning objectives are created in a hierarchy, with broad top-level learning objectives describing cognitively complex outcomes after completing a learning experience, and more specific lower-level learning objectives that provide the building blocks for the top-level objectives. Learn more about the research on Learning Objectives below! ... View more

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a design framework for creating learning experiences that are equitable, flexible, and accessible to all learners. UDL is built upon three principles: providing multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression to meet the needs of all learners. UDL principles inform implementation guidelines that promote high level learning goals of self-regulation, comprehension, and executive function; strategies to build these areas of expertise; and methods to remove unnecessary barriers to learning. Through this lens, there are no “right” types of assessments, methods, or materials; instead, design focus should be on having multiple options for diverse learners. Learn more about the research on Universal Design for Learning below! ... View more

Sense of belonging in college settings refers to how students understand their role and their social fit in a college environment and what behaviors they exhibit in response. Students’ sense of belonging can be enhanced through both social and academic interactions in their classrooms and institutions; examples of interactions include diverse peer group interactions, faculty and staff support, lack of social isolation, and a campus environment that promotes cultural integrity and engagement as well as a commitment to diversity. Learn more about the research on Sense of Belonging below! ... View more

A major goal for higher education is for students to gain the knowledge and skills to become lifelong learners in order to be successful in college and beyond. In order to reach this goal, students must have an understanding of what they know and what they don’t know. This understanding is formed in large part by practicing particular knowledge and skills, receiving scaffolded feedback, and adapting when needed. Feedback can be given in a variety of forms including through instructors, classmates, digital tools, or the learner themselves through self-evaluation.  Learn more about the research on Homework with Feedback below!     ... View more

In order to be successful in higher education, students must have an understanding of what they know and what they don’t know. This understanding is formed in large part by feedback they receive in various academic settings. Feedback can be given in a variety of formats including through instructors, classmates, digital tools, or the learner themselves through self-evaluation.  Learn more about the research on LearningCurve here.  ... View more

Success in higher education is highly dependent on skills that go beyond cognition and prior knowledge, including strategy and motivational skills. Students must set goals, engage in instruction, enact effective strategies, monitor progress, and seek help and resources when needed (Zimmerman & Schunk, 2001, 2018; Schunk & Ertmer, 2000). The ability to regulate one’s learning in new learning environments has been referred to as self-regulated learning. Students commonly struggle with the self-awareness required to think about their own thinking (i.e., metacognition) that self-regulated learning requires. This is particularly true in online learning environments (Winters et al., 2008). With the goal of supporting students’ self-regulated learning and metacognitive skills, Macmillan Learning developed a self-regulated learning tool called Goal Setting and Reflection Surveys. This tool was incorporated into the digital full course solution Achieve. The Goal Setting and Reflection Surveys include both support and instruction for three identified phases of metacognition: planning (includes goal setting and planning of strategies), monitoring (includes attention focusing and progress tracking), and evaluating (includes self-evaluation and help-seeking). Macmillan Learning funded a series of research studies, across five semesters (2019-2021) and 115 institutions, to examine the impact of the surveys. Participating instructors were given implementation recommendations but use of the Goal Setting and Reflection Surveys was not required to participate in the study and implementation choices varied by instructor. Learn more about the research on Goal Setting and Reflection Surveys here. ... View more

The intent of this literature review was to identify sense of belonging and metacognitive interventions in postsecondary education that lead to student success among BLI-LI students, and identify overlaps in interventions between the two. Based on these findings, this summary offers practical recommendations for designers and practitioners to implement when developing educational products and services to specifically improve postsecondary success outcomes among this cohort of students. Furthermore, we give detailed solutions that we designed and tested with BLI-LI students over the course of two semesters. Read more about our findings here. ... View more

In the fall of 2020, we conducted research with 29 unique instructors at 26 institutions, teaching 67 sections to 2,670 students about how Achieve worked for them. ... View more

Learn how two instructors utilized Achieve in their General Chemistry courses to foster cooperative learning across face-to-face, virtual, & hybrid classroom environments. Download the attachments to learn more.  Table of Contents: CASE STUDY #1: Active Learning with Achieve Chemistry in Hybrid Flipped Classrooms  The Challenge Student Preparedness and Involvement in their Own Learning Achieve Implementation Using Achieve Textbook Integration to Deepen Knowledge Using Achieve Features to Engage Students in their Own Learning The Results Fostering Student Accountability Enhancing Instructor Pedagogy School Background About the Professor  Student Limitations   ... View more

Learn how one teacher used Achieve in their Calculus course and was able to save time & positively change student/teacher interactions. Download the attachments to learn more.  Table of Contents: ACTIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING WITH ACHIEVE: Rediscovering the Beauty of Calculus The Challenge  Student Preparedness and Instructor Efficiency The Solution Achieve Instructor and Student Resources The Results Achieve Saves Instructor Time and Positively Changes Instructor/Student Interactions School Background About the Professor Student Limitations   ... View more

Learn how two instructors utilized Achieve in their Composition courses to improve equity, access, and engagement for hybrid and virtual courses. Download the attachments to learn more.  Table of Contents: Case Study 1: ACHIEVE WRITER’S HELP for LUNSFORD: Flexibility and Peer Review Enhance Instruction  The Challenge Piloting Hybrid Class and Holding Students Accountable for Learning Achieve Implementation Using Achieve Writer’s Help Peer Review to Benefit Students Using Achieve’s Flexibility to Enhance Instruction The Results Easy to Use in Any Environment Fostering Engaged Students School Background About the Professor Student Limitations  ... View more

The second of three versions of the Macmillan Learning Model, the Problem-Based Learning Model, builds on the Active Learning Model by adding scaffolded learning activity components to the Before Class and During Class segments. These additional elements address small group problem solving and large group discussions.   ... View more

    Advances in the learning sciences combined with the fast evolution of powerful digital technologies and advances in the design of user experience have the potential to transform the future of higher education. There is now a large body of research demonstrating that learning science principles such as self-regulation, formative assessment, and active learning support the development of lifelong learners (Bell & Kozlowski, 2008). Digital tools can increasingly offer content, resources, and assessments that are personalized, adaptive, and relevant. (Cook et. al, 2013). And, seamless, efficient, engaging digital experiences that make the lives of students and instructors easier can meet the needs of busy educators and a diverse student population (Herrington & Oliver, 2000). However, despite a host of digital learning tools available to instructors there is a lack of rigorous and relevant evidence researching effectiveness and this has often led to false starts and frustrations of what to use and how to use it to best effect to improve student success. When building Achieve, a new digital learning platform, Macmillan Learning began by founding the solution on research-based learning science principles, and co-designing the platform with instructors and students. Researchers at Macmillan Learning then took the unusual approach of beginning to investigate the effectiveness and efficacy of Achieve in its infancy by conducting rapid-cycle evaluations of tool features as they were developed and implementing increasingly rigorous validity and efficacy studies as the platform matured through beta testing. ... View more

This study investigated the differential efficacy of a new digital learning tool, Achieve, among students less and more academically prepared to succeed.           ... View more

We have been researching the impact of iClicker for years and here are two infographics that show some of our results.      ... View more