Chris Cardone, Senior Executive Program Manager, reflects on the loss of one of our esteemed authors, Albert Bandura. While he was known for his groundbreaking research in psychology, and is among the most cited in the world, he was also a colleague and a friend. I had the distinct privilege and honor of working with Albert Bandura on his moral disengagement book with Macmillan Learning/Worth. But more than that, I got to know Al as a person – a warm, kind, humble, caring, jovial human being. Here are some of my experiences so that you will know more about him, beyond the Bobo doll.  The first time I met Albert (Al) Bandura was at the Midwestern Psychological Association meeting in 2013. We met for tea before his presentation in the grand ballroom of the Palmer House. My anticipation was overwhelming, palpable, realizing I was about to meet the greatest of all living psychologists. However, Al put me immediately at ease and began talking with me about his ideas for his new book about moral disengagement. Shortly thereafter, he gave the PsiChi Distinguished Lecture to a room packed to capacity and then some -- standing room only and a line out the door.  Dr. Bandura signing a book for a student at MPA, 2013. Afterward, as the publisher of his Self-Efficacy book, Macmillan Learning/Worth hosted a book signing where students and professors lined up for his signature on copies of his books, Bobo dolls, and even translations of his works. The line stretched out the door and around the corridors, as you would imagine. But Al signed every last item with good humor and attention to each person, especially the students. Getting him out of the hotel was like chaperoning a rock star, with people chasing after him all the way to the elevator. A rock star he was! Al would always say, “The Bobo doll follows me wherever I go,” but of course his work goes beyond the Bobo doll and has stretched across many domains, and not just in psychology. His goal was always to apply his theories for human betterment.  When I interviewed him with a film crew at Stanford University for the Macmillan Learning/Worth video series in 2015 (don’t miss it in our LaunchPads!), he was delighted to share how his work has been applied in various ways. For example, he was very proud of his work with the Population Media Center and often spoke of it. The Center created programs and serial dramas showing people acting out scenarios related to family planning, social injustice toward women and girls, climate change, and other issues, all using his research to model positive outcomes in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. He was changing people’s lives for the better.  On May 19, 2016, President Obama presented Dr. Bandura with the National Medal of Science In our interview, he also spoke about his early formative years where he sought resources within very limited socioeconomic conditions. He believed it was the actual beginning of developing a sense of personal agency: He said, “In a way my psychological theory is founded on human agency, which means that people have a hand in determining the course their lives take, and in many respects my theory of self-efficacy is really a reflection of my life path.” I greatly appreciated how Al spoke about fortuity and self-efficacy and I’d like to share his words that have always resonated with me: “…in my theorizing I said there are two ways in which you can exercise some influence on the fortuitous character of life.  One, you can make chance happen by leading an active life and exposing yourself to a lot of different ideas, doing a lot of different things, and so on, so you'll be creating a lot of intersects.  And the second, you can make chance work for you by developing your interests, your competencies, and other personal characteristics so when a fortuitous event occurs, you can take advantage of it.” If you asked Dr. Bandura what he was most proud of, he always talked about what he hoped to pass on to students.  Once after we left a restaurant, a mother and her psych-major daughter chased after us to talk with him. Al delighted in this opportunity to speak with a psychology student!  Al’s final words to the student were: “Whatever you do with your psychology major, make sure you apply it to real life.”  Al Bandura and Chris Cardone after the Medal of Science award at the White House Al was extremely passionate about his latest book on moral agency and moral disengagement, which he completed at the age of 90! Truly a magnum opus, this powerful book explains how people can commit horrible acts and still live with themselves. I marvel at how he develops his theories and the mechanisms by which people selectively disengage from moral behavior. It’s a stunning, thought-provoking work that makes you examine some of the most important issues of our time, such as gun control and climate change. It transformed how I think about behaviors and collective disengagement in today’s world. Dr. Bandura knew that collective human agency and collective efficacy are needed to help save our planet and improve lives across the world. At the end of our interview at Stanford, he said: “…if we want to produce a humane society, we have to have a sense of common humanity.   If you have a sense of common humanity, then you see your well-being as connected to the welfare of others.  And therefore, you have empathy, you have compassion, and so on. So, my final message is one promoting a sense of common humanity.” As Dr. Bandura would say, may the efficacy force be with you.  Read more about his legacy at https://news.stanford.edu/2021/07/30/psychology-professor-albert-bandura-dead-95/  ... View more

Student engagement is a term being used more and more often -- but what does it mean, and how can instructors use it to support student success? To find out, we checked in with Michael B. Shapiro, a Clinical Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Georgia State University about how he gets his classes involved with the course materials, mo Professor Mike Shapirotivated to learn and even more curious about criminal justice. Shapiro has been teaching for nearly 20 years and was the recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award for the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies in 2015 at GSU. Here are seven reasons why he likes to use a student response system like iClicker to better support student success.  Use technology. “Our job is not just educators, we also need to be edutainers” Shapiro explained. One way to keep students both informed and engaged is with the technology that students are using both in and out of class on a daily basis. While educators try to encourage focus on the class lecture and activities, “it’s naïve to assume students will disconnect from the technology they use every day, so why not take advantage of that connectivity in class.” They’re using a digital device for non-class purposes more than 20% of the time whether we like it or not, he noted. One of the tools Shapiro uses for his edutainment is iClicker.  Have they or haven’t they read the materials? iClicker helps to gauge just how prepared students are. Shapiro said that using iClicker to ask students questions and gauge their familiarity with important points helps him remove the guesswork and also allows for him to adjust the lecture as it’s happening to better meet that particular class’ needs. For example, understanding what students in each class already knows helps him understand when he has the flexibility that would allow him to get into more nuanced areas of criminal courts, law, procedure and ethics in the courses he teaches. Shapiro explains that in the journey of learning, “knowing where the students' "knowledge gaps" are is the difference between paving the entire road and filling in potholes.” Get students involved! Polls and real-time questions throughout class help encourage students to become more engaged in their learning -- something that’s even more challenging when the class is virtual. To hold students’ attention, Shapiro gives out points for correct answers throughout the class, but noted that he’s seen instructors use them in other ways, including offering points for participation. The polls and questions can range from multiple choice questions to heat maps and can even be short answer questions that can generate a word cloud, which can prompt a continued class discussion around the students' perceptions of what is significant in a lecture. Mitigate students’ fear of getting the “wrong” answer by allowing them to answer anonymously. All of the questions and polls in iClicker can be anonymous, helping students to feel comfortable giving honest answers and feedback -- something especially important for students who don’t feel comfortable raising their hand in class. In his criminal justice class, Shapiro asks “Yes or no, have you ever committed a crime?” in anonymous mode. The question encourages students to think about what a “crime” is and allows for a spirited discussion to follow, while allowing students to safely answer challenging questions anonymously. Use class time. Shapiro adds that iClicker helps him understand just how much students learned in class. He doesn’t just rely on their homework and written assignments to gauge how well students are understanding the various aspects of criminal justice. How does he know? He uses exit polls to get feedback about the day’s class and see if there were any points that need clarification in the next class meeting. Two of his favorite questions are “What was the most significant thing you learned today” and “What surprised you most about today’s class?” Assess often. You can do more than just create polls and questions; Shapiro uses iClicker to create on-the-fly quizzes or check in with students ahead of exams. According to Digital Promise, frequent quizzes and other assessments are one of eight instructional practices identified as contributing to more effective online teaching and learning.  Finally, student response systems make taking attendance easy. Taking attendance can be challenging -- especially in larger classes, but Shapiro said that using an iClicker makes taking attendance easy. Not only that, but automated attendance reminds students when class is about to start by pushing out notifications. Attendance can be run at the beginning of class or throughout the class. It can also be used to take attendance at non-class events, such as a presentation or conference simply by setting a geofence around the location. In sum, there’s no shortage of reasons to use a class response system -- whether it’s for attendance, for “edutainment”, or to gain a better understanding of what topics students need extra help with. To learn more about iClicker, click here. ... View more

The pandemic introduced a rapid shift to digital course solutions and in both synchronous and asynchronous classrooms. As such, educators' reliance on digital tools increased dramatically, as did their need for strong student assessments. When done correctly, assessments can provide instructors with critical information on how well students have learned the material as well as highlight where students are struggling. This is especially true in a post-COVID classroom, where instructors don’t always have the face-to-face interaction that lets them know students may be struggling. Frequent quizzes and other assessments were one of eight instructional practices identified as contributing to more effective online teaching and learning, according to Digital Promise. When college undergraduate students were asked about practices they’ve encountered during remote instruction, 64% of students reported that they had frequent quizzes and/or assessments in their online class -- more than live lectures (60%) or working in groups (25%). Those are some of the many reasons that Macmillan Learning continues to invest in building out the assessment functionality in our new digital platform, Achieve. Before we begin a new academic year with an expected mix of in-person, hybrid, and virtual learning, let’s review the ways the pandemic has impacted student assessment.  Auto-grading students’ assignments is increasing and this benefits both instructors and students. It works when instructors create multiple choice quizzes or other assessments for their classes, and Achieve scores each student's individual assignment. For instructors, it provides immediate insights into their students’ knowledge of the topic and allows them to focus on the more complex elements of teaching. Many instructors can’t imagine a life without it, noted Macmillan Learning Sr. Product Director Jennifer Ferralli. Students benefit from access to more immediate feedback on their progress in the course as well as feedback on what areas they should focus their studies.  Online assessments are being used for more than just homework. There’s been a trend to use the online assessment capabilities in Achieve for mid- and high-stakes summative assessments. That means more and more instructors are evaluating student learning at the end of a unit, course, semester, or at some other milestone by leveraging our timed assessment policy, creating question pools, and adding algorithmic questions to increase variance across students, which helps prevent cheating. This is because ... Instructors are moving away from the heavily-weighted finals. Instead, they’re relying more on more frequent mid-stakes testing over shorter intervals, or moving to other formats of assessing entirely. EdSurge talks about the trend from “final exams” to “epic finales” in this podcast. Students' reliance on feedback from assessments has increased. When Macmillan Learning surveyed our students after the semester ended, we saw the number of students comment on how much the feedback from assessments has helped them. We believe the reliance is up because the feedback from Achieve is designed to help nudge the student to the right answer, guiding them as if they were in office hours. Speaking of office hours ... Virtual assessments have encouraged more students to join online office hours. After receiving feedback from their assessments, students are logging on to talk directly with their instructors. This is possible because both students and instructors can log in and look at the student’s assessment together in real time, so there’s no barrier or having to send a copy of a handwritten assignment prior to meeting. According to Ferralli, Macmillan Learning will continue to watch how instructors are using assessments and also talking with them about their future plans. “Knowing this will help us determine how our tools must evolve to support the variety of ways instructors and students use assessments in their course.” Beginning this summer Achieve will allow instructors even more flexibility with assessments, enabling them to both edit our questions and create their own questions. This will allow instructors to add in their own feedback that aligns to their course instruction even more, or create questions that perhaps target a specific learning misconception. For more information about Achieve, click here.  ... View more

Another academic year has ended -- one that was marked by changes to teaching and learning. Instructors relied more and more on edtech for their virtual classrooms, learned new best practices about student engagement and were more cognizant than ever about the numerous factors that together facilitate student success. Instructors like Solina Lindahl used digital learning systems to accompany their instruction.  Solina Lindahl is always on the cutting edge with trying new technology in her classroom, and was among the first instructors to check out Macmillan Learning’s new platform, Achieve. The Achieve platform includes an interactive e-Book as well as expansive learning materials with pre-class, in-class and post-class activities. We asked Solina Lindahl, Senior Lecturer for Economics at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, about digital learning and her switch to Achieve for Essentials for OpenStax Principles of Economics.  Why did you first decide to use online tools in your class? Honestly, my large class sizes and lack of TA support mean that online products have made sense; students get way more real-time feedback than they would otherwise. People are hesitant to embrace change, but what would you say are the benefits of moving to Achieve vs your experience in Sapling? The up-front costs of switching ANY of our class materials is no joke- I get it, especially if you teach large sections like I do. When things go wrong in a new platform it can be overwhelming plus we’ve all been through an exhausting year. But I notice that the user interface in Achieve is so clean, and I have had such good experiences with the tech support that I feel like it’s easier to switch to Achieve than most products. And let’s keep in mind the benefits: great graphing questions, algorithmic problems, well-produced and inclusive video tutorials with forced reasoning questions that students need to answer. Pair those with adaptive quizzes and you have a platform that supports many types of learners and class formats. Also, Achieve’s user interface is cleaner and contains more resources and instructor customization options. One benefit to digital learning is the insights you get about student performance. What kind of feedback do you get and how do you use it? I appreciate the dashboard view of topics where students are missing the most questions, and the question discrimination helps me create better exams. When I have time, I like to look at the student responses to the ‘Bridge’ reasoning questions grouped by the wrong answer to see where the misunderstandings are coming from. What advice would you offer on using technology in the classroom? One piece of advice: Frame (and remind often) WHY you're using technology, especially if you're using it intensively.  Also, make sure to be clear about your policies for late work, tech failures etc. up front. Make sure to walk them through the site in class; I think they know less about tech than we assume. How have students responded to Achieve? They tell me they really appreciate the adaptive quizzes because it helps keep them on top of the material and gives them a sense of how well they are understanding it. This interview is part of a series focusing on how digital learning is being used in college classrooms and, in particular, what the transition to Achieve has been like. About Achieve: Macmillan Learning built its new digital learning platform Achieve to help students of all abilities and backgrounds succeed. It offers the content, tools and insights about student success to do just that. Achieve was designed with active learning in mind, and can be used in traditional, online, hybrid, blended, or a fully “flipped” classroom, with options for both synchronous and asynchronous learning to support engagement. It was co-designed with more than 7,000 students and over 100 leading educators and learning scientists both at our company and on our independent review boards. Learn more about Achieve. ... View more

Teaching and learning have changed tremendously over the past year and a half, with student engagement becoming more important than ever. We’re speaking with college instructors who use edtech like iClicker to support student success, starting with Dr. Edna Ross, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Louisville with specializations in learning and cognitive psychology. Read about how she uses technology to support both synchronous and asynchronous learning, along with tips on how to keep students’ attention throughout class.   Online teaching and learning have changed tremendously during the pandemic. What aspects do you think will stick around for the long term? During the pandemic, the way we use instructional technologies changed -- we used it more than ever to keep students engaged, no matter where they were physically located so that their headspace would always be on the topic at hand. Among the technologies were tools to help students stay focused as well as learn self monitoring and self regulatory behaviors. iClicker is an example of that. Even though students will listen to a lecture, they sometimes think that they can do other things at the same time, such as view Facebook, email, or play online games. But in cognitive psychology we know attention is key to the intellectual system and without paying focused attention, especially to new and or complex information, information processing of the new material is not going to be very good. We know that students need to stay focused and pay attention in order to do well, and iClicker is an important tool to give students and faculty the feedback that allows them to stay focused. I believe that the use of educational technology to keep students engaged and focused will remain an important part of teaching and learning in the years to come.  What are some ways you keep the distractions at bay to help students stay focused? We discussed the focus feature, and that’s a very critical aspect, but that’s not the only way. Just straight lecturing will not work in an online environment -- especially in a synchronous online learning environment.  Active learning exercises keep students attention focused and engaged. So, in my classes, every 5-10 minutes I ask the students questions. They’re either discussion questions or content, memory, or synthesis questions.  What about asynchronous learning -- can iClicker work there as well? Focus is also important for asynchronous classroom discussions. There’s a feature in iClicker where you can set up an iClicker quiz and students can answer that quiz in their own timeframe after viewing a recorded lecture. We also used the quizzing function for students in quarantine, and those that were too ill to even attend a synchronous class remotely. In order to adjust their iClicker points I would create quizzes over my recorded lecture and that would be their iClicker points (15% of the grade) for that particular day.  When did you first start using iClicker, and why? I was one of the original beta users, and I started using it about 15 years ago. I started using it because I taught very large lecture classes and needed a way to engage with a large group of students, and keep me and the students on the same wavelength. People who teach for a long period of time fall into what David Myers calls the “curse of knowledge,” where we understand the content, but because we’ve taught it so long, we’ve lost the ability to achieve the perspective of the novice learner, or the person who has heard the information for the first time.  iClicker allows me to know what the students don’t know, as opposed to assuming that the lectures are so informative and explanatory that everyone understands the concepts. I needed something to give me the feedback for my 350+ student lecture classes. Back then there was no easy way of doing it, and iClicker was a godsend. It required no systemic or enterprise interventions and was something faculty could set them up for individual classrooms that did not need to be hardwired. It was a simple, easy to use, and yet extraordinary functional and effective instructional tech. Also, I gave it a shot because iClicker was created by two faculty members teaching physics at the University of Champagne, Illinois. So they had the mindset of faculty so they understood my concerns and what I needed technology to do. It wound up being seamless to use for faculty, and was also intuitive for students to use.  You recommend starting class with a question. Can you tell me more about what types of questions you recommend asking, and the benefits to asking them? Cognitive psychology has demonstrated time and time again that the more frequently students are required to retrieve information, the more easily and effectively the information is processed in the memory system. Asking a question in the beginning of class that addresses what you covered previously, and allows students to understand what they have remembered. It also offers insight as to what the instructor finds to be particularly relevant. So, the first question should be what you covered in the previous class to make sure students actually understand that information.  Also, you can use it as a springboard of continuity into the current lecture. If students do well on that question, which we hope they will, you don’t need to backtrack; but if a significant number of students don’t do well on the memory retrieval question that means you need to go over some of the information again to make sure students understand it. What kind of insights about student performance do you get from using your iClicker in class? I know what students don’t know. And that allows students themselves to know what they don’t know.  Students email me that they think they understand something, but then see responses to the iClicker question and realize that they may have misread their notes or perhaps misunderstood something. They like it as a way of letting them know what they know and what they don’t know. From my perspective, I understand what students know, what they understand, and what they need more clarification on. Some students are intimidated by raising their hand in class. How does iClicker address that concern? It does happen quite often. But on the other hand, there are students that try to dominate, no matter the size of the lecture. There’s a couple of students that always raise their hands and want to talk, as well, which  skews the conversation in one direction -- their direction. Sometimes students don’t want to say if they disagree with that student or that point, or if they have a different perspective.  iClicker allows every student to have a voice, and students don’t have to be intimidated by expressing their opinion, or by asking questions. If a student doesn’t understand they’re often not going to raise their hand to say they don’t understand. So you as the instructor don’t know that you need to clarify a concept. With iClicker you know how many students according to a histogram how many students had problems with the concept and you know you need to back over that particular topic again and ask a different iClicker question to see if they understood again before you go on -- particularly if its a foundational concept.  Also, the iClicker question can often become a springboard for the rest of my lecture, which also allows me to be more spontaneous in the information I present.  You use exit polls in your class. What are the benefits to them? Yes, I do. Exit polls give students the opportunity to let me know if they need further elaboration on any concepts from the lecture. It covers what’s called the “muddiest point” which allows students to let you know what they didn't understand. You can then clarify those points at the beginning of the next lecture. It’s very helpful in allowing faculty to specifically tailor their content delivery to the needs of the student.  Dr. Edna Ross is Professor of Psychology at the University of Louisville who recently spoke at REMOTE, the connected faculty summit (see the recording here). She has received several awards for teaching and student involvement from university staff and students alike. Dr. Ross has received several awards for teaching and student involvement from the University of Louisville including the College of Arts and Sciences’ peer conferred Distinguished Teaching Award, and the student nominated Faculty Favorite Award. ... View more

More than three quarters of instructors using Macmillan Learning’s new digital learning platform, Achieve, assigned assessments in their courses during the most recent Spring semester. There's a good reason that, on average, 20 assessment activities were assigned during the semester. According to Macmillan Learning Sr. Product Director Jennifer Ferralli (@jennferralli), assessments can provide instructors with critical information on how well students have learned the material as well as highlight where students are Jennifer Ferralli struggling. This is especially true in a post-COVID classroom, where in-person instruction is the exception and self-reliance and feedback are more critical than ever. Just like different kinds of academic lessons have different functions, so do assessments. There’s formative assessments, which offer students multiple attempts to answer questions so that they have productive struggles to come to the right answer, and are meant to give instructors in-process feedback about what students are learning so they can modify how they teach their classes. Most of the assessments being used in Achieve are formative (more than 90%). There’s also summative assessments, which evaluate student learning at the end of a unit, course, semester, or at some other milestone. These, along with diagnostic assessments, pre-assessments and more, are just a few of the ways that instructors can gain a better understanding of their students' academic progress in Achieve. When Macmillan Learning’s new digital learning platform Achieve was being developed, assessments were a critical area of focus, with formative assessments getting extra attention. According to Ferralli, one of their greatest benefits is the ability to provide real time feedback to students that help guide their learning, rather than sending them back to the beginning of a problem.  “Research tells us that feedback has a moderate to large impact on student learning, and is most powerful when correcting faulty interpretations,” Ferralli noted. The feedback in Achieve assessments is written specifically to address such common misconceptions and is triggered based on the student’s individual response. From this way of learning, students are able to quickly correct what they did wrong and learn from those mistakes. And it’s also why the company’s work on perfecting its assessments is ongoing. In fact, a beta of new features supporting assessments in Achieve was released earlier this month that enables instructors to better understand how the class is doing as a whole and which questions are causing problems. Within assessments, instructors can now see all student data for each assessment activity, including time spent and activity time stamps for each student. Also, this summer the company will be launching the ability for instructors to both edit our questions and create their own questions. This will give instructors the opportunity to add in their own feedback that aligns to their course instruction even more or create questions that perhaps target a specific learning misconception. For more information about Achieve, click here. ... View more

Below is a note written by Macmillan Learning Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coltrane Stansbury (@c_stansbury), as he reflected on the anniversary of George Floyd's death. Tomorrow, May 25, marks the one-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. As I reflect on the tragedy of that event a year displaced from the shocking revelations of that dark day in Minneapolis, I am reminded of something that my mentor, Anthony Carter, would tell me early in my career in DEI- that no one truly looks like their story. Regardless of what our features and complexion might indicate about our heritage or even our surroundings might indicate about our upbringing, each of us is unique and rich with a story that only we can tell. Sometimes, not even the company we keep gives a true indication of the richness of our individual experiences, the successes and failures, tragedies and triumphs that make us who we are. Quote from Coltrane Stansbury, VP of DEI at Macmillan Learning We watched in the moments following May 25th of last year, as the eye witness video surfaced to the public, exposing us for the first time to images of George Floyd. Those video clips revealed to us a victim of a most brutal and cruel crime at the hands of those entrusted to serve and protect. As the media provided pieces of information about this man whose life was taken in front of the world, we were given a further glimpse into the challenging environment and circumstances that George Floyd lived through during his 46 years of life. The horror of the moment, the rushed context given to us by news outlets tell a short and poorly sketched narrative of who George Floyd really was. As I think about what Anthony was trying to teach me about people and their stories, I realize that the true tragedy of those events a year ago in Minneapolis is that George Floyd did not have the opportunity to tell his full story. The real danger behind discrimination, injustice, and inequities is that they ultimately seek to silence a person’s story, relegating them to an irrelevant, invisible, or non-existent status in society. But I realized, in the testimonies of his family and the tearful revelations of those who knew him best, that George Floyd indeed had a story to tell. That story is of a man who migrated across states to find opportunity, of a father who struggled through personal adversity to provide for himself and his family; of a beloved brother and friend who put the needs of others first even if it led to his own suffering. In many ways, I can see myself in much of his story of sacrifice, trials, hope and redemption. It is in George’s own story that we find out who he truly is and he is able to transcend the tragedy of that fated day where we shared in the shock of the ending of his life. Anthony was right, the George that we saw helpless under the knee of his tormentor, looked nothing like his story. Today, we must remind ourselves to show each other the humanity and respect to tell our stories and live with the human dignity that provides room for all to share equally in all that the world has to offer. ... View more

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 11% of undergraduate students reported having a learning disability. As a company whose mission is to improve lives through learning for all students, that data is hard to ignore. So today, on Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), we celebrate the many accomplishments on our products and within our company framework that have taken place over the past year. Here are a few: For the third consecutive year we were recognized as Global Certified Accessible by Benetech. This means that we provide “born accessible” digital learning options that ensure that all students, no matter their ability, have the same access to information. Benetech re-evaluated Macmillan Learning’s workflow for creating accessible books, as well as many samples of content across disciplines, and certified our conformance to the accessible EPUB creation guidelines, which are based on WCAG 2.0 AA+ standards put in place by the international standards organizations and the publishing community. We had some big wins for accessibility on our new digital learning platform, Achieve, including adding audio descriptions to all videos. This allows students with visual impairments better understand what’s happening in the video. Similar to how closed captioning helps students to understand what’s happening on the audio in a video program, an audio description is essential to understanding visual information like charts, graphs, diagrams, facial expressions, and other non-verbal cues. In addition to bringing our content more in line with WCAG, it reflects the accessible environment students have become used to on sites like Netflix. Lab simulations also became significantly more accessible for chemistry; biology; and general, organic, and biochemistry classes. Our third party auditors, Tech for All, described the labs as fun to use for assistive technology users. They include an accessible ebook, an easily navigable lab environment We continue to share best practices about our work in accessibility. Our Content Standards and Accessibility team, led by Rachel Comerford, has presented on more than a half dozen panels over the past year sharing what we have learned about accessible ebooks, incorporating accessibility into workflows, and alt text best practices. Macmillan Learning’s accessibility website is also regularly updated with best practices as well as an open source library of materials that were created in partnership with Tech For All. “We continue to share best practices about our work in accessibility because we want to advance the industry, not just ourselves,” said Macmillan Learning President Susan Winslow. We’ve changed the way we hire employees with disabilities by making it even easier for them to request an accommodation. When you click on “view current job openings” on our careers page, we have an accessibility note at the top of the page offering contact information to request an appropriate accommodation. In addition, we’ve taken some extra steps to make sure that our candidates are aware of their accommodation options by adding in a note in all of our scheduling emails and email confirmations. Susan Winslow explains, “These are the kinds of advances we can make when we put our collective minds to approaching accessibility not just as a series of requirements to meet, but rather as interesting and important problems to solve.” For more information about our accessibility, visit the dedicated page on our website. ... View more

The Black employee resource groups from Macmillan Learning and Macmillan Publishers recently hosted a panel “From Our Perspective: Black Professionals in Publishing” to share perspectives on working in publishing and encourage BIPOC students to consider the industry as a future career.  The panelists represented a variety of roles, backgrounds and levels of experience in publishing, and shared valuable insights about what they’ve learned in their careers. The panelists included: Keith Barksdale, Jr., Publisher’s Representative, Macmillan Learning; Natalie Gordon, Benefits Manager, Macmillan Publishers; Phoenix Harvey, Director of Marketing, Enterprise & High School Solutions, Macmillan Learning; Dominique R. Jenkins, Senior Manager, Author Events, Macmillan Publishers; Jason Walker, Director of Product, eCommerce & Integrations, Macmillan Learning; and Natasha Wolfe, Senior Design Services Manager, Macmillan Learning. The 90-minute discussion covered a range of topics including these key insights from the panel: You don’t need a masters degree in publishing to get a job working in the industry (but it can be helpful).  Our panelists took a variety of different paths to get their publishing jobs. Only one of the panelists had a masters degree in publishing, Dominique Jenkins. While agreeing a masters in publishing wasn’t necessary for everyone interested  in a career in publishing, Dominique thought it would be helpful for her because she had a “late start” in publishing and her degree helped her network and “learn more about the ins and outs of the industry”. She noted “If you don’t want to spend the money for (a master’s degree in) college, there are other avenues to get a job in publishing.” Natalie Gordon got her start in publishing when she attended a networking event and sat with the Macmillan team; she used the connections she made there to reach out after she saw an opportunity on LinkedIn. Natasha Wolfe went to liberal art colleges to keep her options open, and went on interviews in hopes of being a graphic designer at an ad agency. When she discovered they would only hire for freelancing, she realized that wouldn't work for her. Her career counselor suggested that she try publishing -- 20 years later she’s still working in it. Keith Barksdale had a higher education background and took a risk. As it turned out, being able to talk to strangers on campus was a great benefit to his publishing sales job. Jason Walker had been working in the e-commerce space and was looking to change industries; the edtech space Macmillan Learning was playing in had interested him. Phoenix Harvey studied political science and accounting, but after she had a child and went back to work, she knew she wanted to work in education and make an impact. She did informational interviews with educational publishers, and it wound up being a good fit, so she began her publishing career as a sales representative. Not everyone who works in publishing first imagines a career in publishing.  Many of these talented employees found their way into publishing … but only after experiencing other industries and roles.  When she was younger, Phoenix didn’t have much of a vision for her career other than she wanted to carry a briefcase and be a “business lady”. Jason has degrees in biology and computer science, and thought he would go into medicine. He focused on academics and enjoyed doing research. Natalie imagined herself being a firefighter in elementary school, then wanted to be in computer systems. She knew she wanted to graduate from a four-year college and after a gap year and networking,  she got exposure to benefits and consulting and knew she wanted to work in HR Management. Dominique wanted to be a singing vet, and studied opera and theatre, and then wanted to do what Jackie O. did -- be a professional journalist. She ultimately wanted to shape the books her nieces and read, and found her way to publishing. Despite each of their early thoughts of their careers, their passions led them to a fulfilling career in publishing. You can pivot to a variety of roles in publishing. Publishing is about more than editing books, and several of our panelists have experienced a range of these roles in publishing. For example, Phoenix started her career in publishing as a sales rep, but has since had roles of increasing responsibility in marketing. Dominique has been in the industry since 2002 working for several publishers with roles in special sales, regular sales, marketing, conventions and library marketing, and author events.  Internships and networking can help springboard your career in publishing.  While internships help get entry-level experience and look good on the resume, there are other pathways that our panelists recommend. Networking was repeatedly suggested as one of the most important career strategies.  “Build your network,” Dominique said. She noted that informational interviews, joining diverse publishing communities -- including POC in Publishing and LatinX publishing, and LinkedIn are all important. She added on LinkedIn students should state they have an interest in publishing, join networks and don’t hesitate to reach out to people in the field. Natasha agreed, and noted that took advantage of her professors, especially the adjunct ones who had experience, and asked them for advice. Jason has done some meetups, which he noted are pretty popular in the tech space. People who are there are there to interact and exchange ideas.  Networking can be intimidating though, noted Phoenix, who is a self-proclaimed introvert. She explained that each of her roles in publishing have been supported by her strong networking and contacts who helped to open doors. It’s difficult to imagine going to a networking event, but you should consider it. “It just takes one to give you that opportunity,” she said.  Natalie mentioned that virtual coffee hours and reaching out to professionals on LinkedIn were options for introverts, “The worst thing they can tell you is no,” she noted. It’s important to advocate for yourself. Be active, know yourself, connect, listen and make mistakes. The panelists had a few suggestions for skills and experiences that were helpful for pivoting to a career in publishing. Jason suggested that students maximize their skills outside of class by joining in activities and Phoenix agreed, noting that leadership and organizational skills are important. While communications courses and networking were critical, if Dominique could go back she would also do more activities. One of her mentors told her not to give up on her dreams and remember who she was -- advice that has been critical to her success.  As an outside sales rep, Keith suggested that students listen closely. He also suggested that taking an improv class is a great way to help you think on your feet, and it also helps in becoming comfortable with being embarrassed. “Making mistakes will make you a stronger individual,” he said.  Phoenix recommended that students set up alerts on LinkedIn to be among the first to respond to influencers or people you respect when they post something interesting. This helps to build relationships, noting “If you comment on mine, I’ll probably comment back.” When Phoenix hires, she looks for experience that demonstrates skills like resilience and grit. For example, students who work during the school year and are still able to maintain good grades, or students that had a low GPA in highschool that were able to excel in college. Imposter syndrome is a real thing, but it can be overcome. Dominique noted that during her first job out of school, she had to fight to try to stay true to herself. “When you’re the only person of color in a department, it’s challenging. Having a strong circle of BIPOC friends helped me.” Keith noted that he was “unapologetically Black” and encouraged students to be proud of who they are and bet on themselves. Natasha felt like she needed to prove herself, but having a colleague who came in early just like she did helped to encourage her, and reminded her that she deserved to be there as much as -- and sometimes more than -- anyone else.  One final piece of advice from the panelists: Dominique: “Don’t be afraid. Walk into every job opportunity like you’re a boss.” Phoenix: “Make them tell you no. Do not count yourself out.” Natasha: “Stay hungry. Do what it takes to get your foot in the door.” Once you’re in you can explore further. Jason: “Don’t be afraid to create your own path.” Keith: “Take risks. Be bold. It’s not where you start, it’s where you finish.” What are the next steps for anyone interested in learning more? Watch the entire panel here!  Check out the internships open at Macmillan Learning and Macmillan Publishers Follow Macmillan Learning and Macmillan Publishers social media accounts along with others in the industry that you admire, and network with us! Join diverse communities, including People of Color in Publishing, Blk + Brwn Book Designers, LatinX In Publishing, Asians in Publishing,     ... View more

Our Bedford New Scholars are meeting next month, and we’re excited to hear what this year’s Scholars have to say when it comes to important topics in education, primarily student engagement, online learning and inclusive classrooms. Back in 2008, Bedford/St. Martin’s created this program with one goal in mind: to provide a way for the English editorial team to hear from each year’s promising graduate students about the teaching challenges that they face in the composition classroom and the research that excites them. Over the years, we’ve learned a lot from each Scholar Advisory Board. From editing headlines to helping first-edition authors and more, read on for a few fun facts about our Bedford New Scholars advisory board. The Bedford New Scholars program has welcomed students from more than 80 graduate programs. The Bedford New Scholars have often been a critical stop for a first-edition manuscript in development or an author tour. The authors get the chance to speak and present their work, which in the past has helped shape their manuscript, the messaging, and even the author’s presentation -- all of which is a part of the book launch. One year, the Scholars had the chance to vote on a few headlines that were being considered for the catalog and other promotional material. With their help, we went with their top choice, “Help writers embrace a recursive writing process,” which then turned into “Strong writers embrace a recursive writing process”.  After last year’s very first virtual event, many Scholars noted that participating in the virtual summit prepared them for online teaching once they returned to their institutions in the fall. We continue working with many Scholars after their advisory board duties! For instance, our Senior Development Editor Leah Rang is working with Lucy Johnson (a 2015 Bedford New Scholar) on developing activities in Achieve for Everything’s an Argument. The Scholars help share innovative ideas for assessments and material with our editors; one particular Scholar advisory board helped us with the draft of a flyer by pointing out some of its features that weren’t as engaging or needed more clarification in their descriptions.  This year tips us over 100 total students that have become Bedford New Scholars since the program started. These promising graduates are the future of the field, and their feedback can only help us create products that are even more inclusive, empathetic, and knowledgeable. To learn more about the Bedford New Scholars program and this year’s advisory board, click here.   ... View more

We’re now more than midway through the Spring semester, and many instructors are still teaching remotely. Many of them are using digital learning systems to accompany their instruction, enabling students to complete assignments, track their grades, connect with instructors and peers, take quizzes or other use other self-assessment tools, and stay engaged. The launch of Macmillan Learning’s new digital learning platform Achieve, couldn’t have come at a better time to support these learners.  Over the past few semesters, many instructors have already made the switch from Sapling, one of the more popular systems for STEM instructors and students. The Achieve platform includes an interactive e-Book as well as expansive learning materials with pre-class, in-class and post-class activities. We asked Karen Butland, an Adjunct Professor of Chemistry at Grossmont College, about digital learning and her switch to Achieve for Foundations of College Chemistry. What have been some challenges with online learning since classes went virtual?  How have you addressed them? One of the challenges since classes went virtual is trying to assess student learning with exams and quizzes. Some instructors choose to address that problem with proctoring services, or with having students sign an honor code. I did not like either of those options.  With fabulous features in Achieve, I was able to “pool” questions so that the computer picks different questions for each student within a certain category. For numerical questions that are the same, Achieve has algorithms that give every student a different number. Achieve has a feature allowing timed tests which has great flexibility. My students have a two-day window to complete an exam or quiz whenever it is convenient for them, but once they open the quiz, the timer counts 45 minutes for them to complete it. People are hesitant to embrace change, but what would you say are the benefits of moving to Achieve vs your experience in Sapling? I am VERY hesitant to embrace change, but I have found Achieve to be well worth the effort. I had already made the shift to using Sapling in HTML5, so migrating to Achieve wasn’t that much different. How do Achieve and Sapling differ? Achieve has many more features than Sapling. I have yet to discover all of them, but there was one thing I was delighted to find. When a disability student needed extra time on an exam or quiz, this was quite difficult to do in Sapling. In Achieve, it is so easy--just select the student and type in how much time they get, and Achieve does the rest. One benefit to digital learning is the insights you get about student performance. What kind of feedback do you get and how do you use it? I love being able to see exactly which questions each student missed. It is extremely helpful to have a student on Zoom and share my screen while we look directly at their homework and compare their answers to the correct answer. I can also easily “reset” a question to give a student the opportunity to try again with a different number, once they feel like they understand the solution. I love the flexibility of being able to edit their score as I see fit. This interview is part of a series focusing on how digital learning is being used in college classrooms and, in particular, what the transition to Achieve has been like. About Achieve: Macmillan Learning built its new digital learning platform Achieve to help students of all abilities and backgrounds succeed. It offers the content, tools and insights about student success to do just that. Achieve was designed with active learning in mind, and can be used in traditional, online, hybrid, blended, or a fully “flipped” classroom, with options for both synchronous and asynchronous learning to support engagement. It was co-designed with more than 7,000 students and over 100 leading educators and learning scientists both at our company and on our independent review boards. Learn more about Achieve. ... View more

Major corporations across America are running a race towards an imaginary finish line. Seemingly every company is running it, no matter the industry, though at different paces and on uneven terrain. It’s an important race, an essential one, fueled by good-minded people who desire change. Many companies are celebrating the passing of each mile marker, and sometimes passing certain mile markers indeed feels like a big moment. Yet at times the outward appearance that companies project conveys a desire to reach an imaginary finish line when they can claim the moment that racism, prejudice, and bias no longer influence the products they create, the people they hire, or the culture of their workplace.  Macmillan Learning has been running this race for the last few years. To some of our employees the pace has felt feverish, to others looking for change to come faster it has appeared more like a jog, a feeling we were too focused on the marathon ahead. This week at Macmillan Learning has felt more like a sprint. And if we are running fast it is because we have to, because in a particular incident that emerged in the last month, we missed the starter’s gun entirely.  For the last three years, in various formats and detail, Macmillan Learning has been reviewing our course materials with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. One tool at our disposal are audits of our published material. These audits identify inappropriate or outdated uses of language, underrepresentation and overrepresentation of people and perspectives, and subjects that require additional context to increase their pedagogical value. They aren’t employed to remove coverage of controversial subjects, instead they are used to enhance the likelihood of productive discussions about them. Nor do they attempt to impose an ideological point-of-view or a pedagogical norm on our authors, editors, or in the classrooms we support. These audits, and other elements of our editorial guidelines for diversity, equity, and inclusion, provide discipline and structure -- and demand a more diverse outlook as well as the inclusion and participation of broader perspectives to an editorial practice that has been too often informed by a homogenous group - authors, editors, reviewers, and instructors that too commonly can be identified as Western (and predominately White), Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic, as has so frequently been articulated in higher ed research.   Our efforts over the last three years have been forward-looking, but we have learned that sometimes when you concentrate on creating a better future you can fail to stop to take care of the present. In February, a school district notified us that a passage in one of our publications was offensive and risked negatively affecting students in their classroom. The passage had already been removed from the forthcoming edition of the book due to be published in late 2021. At issue? An edition of our world history textbook, Ways of the World, included a racial epithet employed in the running narrative of a chapter on British colonialism in India. The epithet was used to demonstrate the depth of racist attitudes that fueled British ideology in India. The epithet included an offensive, contemptuous term historically used to describe a Black person. To the reader, be they Indian, Indian American, Black, or White, the offensive phrase is encountered in the passage without warning or precondition. Its use lacked necessary context and historical reference and appeared more for effect than substance.  The authors’ intent was to demonstrate the far reach of European racism and to expose the largely American audience reading the book to how much racism has shaped the world outside our borders -- how personal it can be felt by people in countries beyond our own. It is a pedagogical goal that I can understand and appreciate. Yet the manner in which this reality was conveyed was unacceptable and carried too much educational risk for its intended benefit. Evaluating pedagogical value is part of our responsibility as a publisher. As editors we are the stewards of our publications, and our stewardship is foundational to the partnership and bond we have with our authors and those that use the educational resources we produce. Our authors are not to blame in this situation. We are. I am. This was an error in judgment exacerbated by publishing processes that did not empower our editors to root out a use of language that is not just disagreeable but which offends and potentially harms. The steps our authors and editors had taken with the upcoming edition corrected the error and recast the entire narrative in this area -- but we cannot miss this opportunity to correct it in the present. Addressing this case only in future printings and editions is not enough. And so in the last weeks we began this sprint. A sprint to update the language in these titles and ensure that classrooms using our books have access to new versions that reflect our commitment to supporting a pedagogically sound educational environment -- admittedly, a sprint in which we felt like we were chasing the field every day. But we are making progress. By publication of this post, adopters of every edition of Ways of the World in which the offensive reference appears will have been notified and we will have revised the language in all our e-books and online learning platforms. Any student, teacher, or instructor who logs into their e-book or online learning platform will see an updated passage. For schools that purchased print editions of our book, we are providing updated pages and access to the revised chapter and we will work to accommodate school-specific needs as they are identified. No more copies of this book will leave our warehouse or be offered online that include the offensive reference.  What does this mean for Macmillan Learning? It means not pausing to congratulate ourselves for fixing something that should not have occurred. It means continuing to look not only at the products that we produce but the people and culture that produces them. Numerous stories have been published in recent years detailing the lack of racial diversity in the publishing industry and our leadership team and employees at Macmillan Learning have taken them to heart. But what we take to heart requires commensurate action. Events like this one put these facts into starker relief as our leadership team continues to prioritize actions that will create an environment that supports an increasingly diverse workforce so that we can continue to create products and services that better reach an already diverse educational audience, now and in the future. In this specific incident, it has included taking care of our employees who both questioned how this occurred and who were affected by it, no matter their background or position on the issue, though taking greater care to speak to individuals and groups historically targeted by the reference.  And we are taking steps to ensure what we learn is carried forward in our products, through an editorial process that emphasizes the inclusion of more voices from differing perspectives, and through a cultural and editorial philosophy that insists we question the status quo and invites people to engage in difficult conversations.  There is no finish line to this marathon, but that fact does not make the necessity to pick up our pace any less urgent. And with that effort, each day we can become a better publisher.  Charles Linsmeier  Executive Vice President, General Manager Macmillan Learning  ... View more

Choosing the right digital learning system is an important consideration for instructors as they plan out their courses -- especially when many classes are taking place remotely. More than just a place to read an e-textbook or complete homework, these systems are interactive tools used by students to complete assignments, track grades, connect with instructors, take quizzes or other self-assessment tools, and more.  Susan Hendrickson, Teaching Professor in Chemistry at the University of Colorado With the launch of Macmillan Learning’s new digital learning platform Achieve, instructors have been making the switch from Sapling, one of the more popular systems for STEM instructors and students. We spoke to Susan Hendrickson, Teaching Professor in Chemistry at the University of Colorado, about her experiences teaching students in her virtual classroom. We also asked her about her experience transitioning from Sapling to Macmillan Learning’s new digital learning system Achieve last fall for her Gen Chem 2 class and this spring for her Gen Chem 1 class. What have been some challenges with online learning since classes went virtual?  How have you addressed them? Making meaningful connections- between instructors and students, as well as between students- has been very challenging. I think students are more engaged, responsive and motivated when they connect with their instructor and classmates. I try to share a little bit about myself or something funny from the news at the start of class to lighten the mood. This works with some students but not with others. Another challenge is keeping students organized and able to complete their assignments on-time. They seem to be struggling with their calendars more than usual. Every day and every class must feel the same from their bedroom so they just seem to lose track of what  day it is.  I have had to step up my own calendaring and To-Do list skills too! I feel like I’ve done more coaching about making schedules and sticking to them since going virtual. Why did you first decide to use online tools in your class? Class size!  Although I would love to SEE their work and be able to give them personalized feedback.  With sections of 100 – 400 and whole courses with enrollments of 600 – 1,000, that’s just not possible.  Online homework allows them to practice, get immediate feedback and work according to their own schedules.  Otherwise we couldn’t require homework. People are hesitant to embrace change, but what would you say are the benefits of moving to Achieve vs your experience in Sapling? There are a few things that I love about Achieve. I love that the grades are synced between Achieve and Canvas. This has saved me about an hour every Tuesday and Saturday morning alone. I also love that they can use a link in Canvas to access the Achieve resources – assignments as well as reading.  This might have been possible in Sapling but we didn’t have it set up. Honestly Achieve isn’t that much different than Sapling – same assignments, same questions (mostly).  It wasn’t that much of a change content-wise so the transition has been easy. How have students responded to Achieve? I switched with a group of students last spring (Gen Chem 1) in Sapling to this fall (Gen Chem 2) in Achieve and they transitioned with no issues.  I don’t think they saw  it as a dramatic change since the assignments themselves looked the same.  I know they like how easy it is to access the assignments and readings with two clicks from Canvas. This interview is part of a series focusing on how digital learning is being used in college classrooms and, in particular, what the transition to Achieve has been like. About Achieve: Macmillan Learning built its new digital learning platform Achieve to help students of all abilities and backgrounds succeed. It offers the content, tools and insights about student success to do just that. Achieve was designed with active learning in mind, and can be used in traditional, online, hybrid, blended, or a fully “flipped” classroom, with options for both synchronous and asynchronous learning to support engagement. It was co-designed with more than 7,000 students and over 100 leading educators and learning scientists both at our company and on our independent review boards. Learn more about Achieve. ... View more

Choosing the right digital learning system is an important consideration for instructors as they plan out their courses -- especially when many classes are taking place remotely. More than just a place to read an e-textbook or complete homework, these systems are interactive tools used by students to complete assignments, track grades, connect with instructors, take quizzes or other self-assessment tools, and more. Each system has different strengths and offers different pedagogical approaches.  With the launch of Macmillan Learning’s new digital learning platform Achieve, instructors have been making the switch from Sapling, one of the more popular systems for STEM instructors and students. The Achieve platform includes an interactive e-Book as well as expansive learning materials with pre-class, in-class and post-class activities.  We asked Dr. Tony Hascall, a Chemistry Professor at Northern Arizona University, about digital learning and his switch to Achieve for Interactive General Chemistry. People are hesitant to embrace change, but what would you say are the benefits of moving to Achieve vs your experience in Sapling? The main benefit is that Achieve is better integrated with the textbook and gives you the ability to assign readings from the textbook as well as links to videos, simulations etc. The library of questions is exactly the same, including LearningCurve (adaptive quizzing), but Achieve allows readings etc. to be assigned for credit. Achieve also has a more modern, less cluttered appearance and makes it clear for students to see what assignments have upcoming due dates. You mentioned that you give students pre-class, in-class and post-class work -- how does technology like LMS, Achieve and iClicker fit into that? I have found that students don’t tend to do assignments unless they count for some points in the class. Achieve allows readings from the textbook to be assigned for credit. I also post asynchronous video lectures on YouTube, which can also be assigned on Achieve, as well as links to other resources such as PhEt simulations. These can be assigned pre-class to allow students to come to class prepared for active learning activities. And of course homework can be assigned as post-class work.  The LMS has mainly been useful during removed learning for posting materials that would have been handed out on paper in class. I have also used it for exams One benefit to digital learning is the insights you get about student performance. What kind of feedback do you get and how do you use it? I mainly use this to identify students who are struggling or not doing work early in the semester to try to change their habits before it is too late. Why did you first decide to use online tools in your class? Since my classes have been quite large, I did not want to assign paper homework each week due to the large amount of time needed to grade. But it is important that students practice the material outside of class. Online tools allow students to be given assignments that are graded automatically and provide students with instant feedback and hints. Also I believe that students tend not to read traditional paper textbooks anymore, so having an electronic textbook that is integrated with the online system, as is the case with Achieve is very effective. What have been some challenges with online learning since classes went virtual?  How have you addressed them? I would say the two major challenges have been trying to do active learning in a remote format, and giving exams. I have tried putting students in Zoom breakout rooms, but with large classes, it is really not the same as having students working together in the classroom and being able to walk around the room and look at students’ work and help them As for exams, I have tried as much as possible to write “Google-proof” questions to try to ensure that students are being tested on what they have learned, not just what they can look up. This interview is part of a series focusing on how digital learning is being used in college classrooms and, in particular, what the transition to Achieve has been like. About Achieve: Macmillan Learning built it’s new digital learning platform Achieve to help students of all abilities and backgrounds succeed. It offers the content, tools and insights about student success to do just that. Achieve was designed with active learning in mind, and can be used in traditional, online, hybrid, blended, or a fully “flipped” classroom, with options for both synchronous and asynchronous learning to support engagement. It was co-designed with more than 7,000 students and over 100 leading educators and learning scientists both at our company and on our independent review boards. Learn more about Achieve. ... View more

When incoming freshmen dreamed of going to college, they likely envisioned attending classes in person with peers, hanging out with their newly-made friends in a dorm, and attending events for clubs and organizations regularly. For many of them, that is not the first-year experience they got when they began college this   fall. A survey of students by Student Monitor this fall found that among on campus learners, 87% agree that “The social aspect of traditional on campus classroom learning is very important to me.” To support a better experience, colleges that offer First-Year Experience courses have been proactively addressing how to help create a sense of belonging for students. Macmillan Learning facilitated a conversation with Your College Experience authors and first-year experience experts John Gardner & Betsy Barefoot to better understand how colleges, instructors and administrators can “face the unknown.” From that conversation, nine ideas emerged for helping to support and engage with students who are starting their college journey during these tumultuous times. Establish what students need. According to Gardner, national data suggests that students need information that gives them more certainty and helps them make decisions. Instructors can help students reflect on the year they had and what they may want to do differently. Recognize students’ journey. This upcoming fall will be the first time that large numbers of students will be reconvening in person after the pandemic, tumultuous election campaign and civil unrest of the past year. Instructors should have a pulse on the issues and their impact on their students. Help students find their purpose. Students are worried about family, economics, what they’ll do after they graduate, and even whether college was worth it. Help them go back to the sense of purpose -- why they’re attending school and what they hope to gain and what college will do for them. “You can help them understand all the ways college can change their lives for the better,” Barefoot said. Cultivate a sense of belonging. “The basic human need that has not been met for the past year is belonging,” Gardner said. Specifically, belonging in groups. FYE programs are a group -- and may be the only group -- that can help them to foster this sense. Students need to feel like they matter. With so much going on, many students don’t feel as if their voices are being heard. There are some simple and effective ways to help them feel seen including: using their names in class, emailing them individually, having them submit a weekly report on how they’re doing, and responding to them individually. According to Barefoot, “Student-centered teaching helps to show them that they matter. They learn from and listen to their peers.” Focus more on the tangible things with critical thinking. Help students focus on the future by focusing on the things that they can impact and change. One instructor commented, “I do want them to realize they are our future and need to begin to develop critical thinking on today's situation, so they’re prepared as adults.” Have the classroom be a safe space or sanctuary. One instructor noted that they have an agreed-upon policy that the classroom is a safe place to share and that anything shared in the classroom stays in the classroom. This also creates a space where students can learn from each other. Check in with your students. There are a variety of ways that FYE programs have been doing this, from asking students to create weekly journals, to one-to-one emails asking how students are doing, to emoji scales that provide prompts for conversations. This outreach to students helps them to feel heard and can help foster a sense of belonging. Encourage students that are struggling to seek help. “The students often that need the most help are the least likely to go get it,” Gardner said. Getting help, even virtually, is typically free in college and is confidential. Help reduce the stigma for mental health and point out that the students that get help are more likely to persist. To get more tips on how to create a supportive First-Year Experience for students, visit our College Success Instructor Community or view resources for students in our COVID-19 Student Toolkit. Find more at our College Success Resources page.     ... View more