There are two experiences that have always been important to the history and legacy of struggle and perseverance in the lives of Black people. Sunday morning in the Black church represents a coming together once a week, under song and sermon, to express the pain of the past, the possibilities of the moment, and the hopes of dreams deferred. We come together, under the watchful eye of God, to seek what the world could not offer us–the divine validation to keep living. However, another experience presents a different moment of expression: birthdays.  Like so many aspects of Black life in America, birthdays are often an opportunity to celebrate not only the individual milestones in a person’s life, but also the collective joy, love, and victories experienced by the family and even the entire community. For as long as I can remember, in every Black family that I was ever connected with, including my own, I witnessed this sense of freedom and liberated expression that came out most prominently during a birthday celebration. Children clothed in untamed innocence, dignified and decorated members of the community, and elders worn with wisdom all took center stage on their birthday. In front of the whole family, in the presence of beloved friends, neighborhood buddies, sister circles of Black women together again–there is a rare and beautiful moment in the Black experience where you are a king, a queen, a conqueror, a celebrity, and a showman for an audience all your own.    The birthday celebration, no matter the length of time or the location, becomes this transformative moment where you can transcend your vocation, rise above your station, live larger and broader than your title allows, and totally immerse yourself in the full embodiment of freedom. Through the centuries of celebrations, Black people have always found a way to celebrate each other, collectively, under the backdrop of a world, a society, a community not willing to acknowledge the whole beauty of our identity. So, the birthday celebration has become this right that we give ourselves to say, among ourselves and to ourselves, we are spectacular and born with purpose.  Now I grew up in the eighties, and by that time, the birthday celebration in Black life had shifted to take on an even greater meaning. Since the 1970s, many Americans had been campaigning for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday to become a national holiday. Several states enacted holidays on his birthday in the 70’s, including Illinois, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, but Congress stopped short of passing a national day into law. In November 1979, despite the endorsement of President Carter, the King Holiday Bill was defeated by five votes. But then something incredible happened that changed everything. The superstar Stevie Wonder stepped in and changed the national consciousness about the importance of Dr. King to the American legacy of freedom, and in the process, added an important element for Black people to channel into our birthday celebrations.  After the 1979 defeat of the bill, Wonder wrote “Happy Birthday” and included it on his “Hotter Than July” album of 1980. He held the Rally for Peace press conference in 1981, when the song was released as a single. His song became the anthem for the movement to make Dr. King’s birthday a national holiday and, in late 1983, President Ronald Reagan approved the holiday, to be observed on the third Monday in January each year. The campaign to get the holiday federally acknowledged seemed to be doomed as the decade changed. It looked as if the American sense of justice and freedom was too bruised and tattered from the riots and uprisings in American cities following the assassination of Dr. King on April 4, 1968. That’s when Stevie Wonder did something “wondrous", as his stage name implies–he took the best of the atoning hope of Sunday morning in the Black church and fused it with the lively love of a Black birthday party, fit for a “king”.  Stevie Wonder gave us an anthem to celebrate, not only Dr. King’s beauty and his spirit, but the singer/songwriter gave Black America another conduit to collectively celebrate ourselves each year on our own birthdays. We had permission to fully clothe ourselves in the dignity of Dr. King’s dream. Even if we were not there and we were born too late to remember his image on television or his voice on the radio, we could march with him, laugh with him, cry with him, dance with him, and sing with him in a moment that we owned in the presence of others who valued freedom. And so as the ritual goes, ever since I was a boy, the normal American birthday tradition would start at some point during the birthday celebration–seated or standing, with close family and friends, someone would come from behind the veil of a kitchen with a birthday cake lit and ready to be presented to the birthday celebrant. Everyone would gather around huddled closely, quietly singing the traditional Happy Birthday tune in unison. But at some point in the ritual, whether towards the end of the traditional song or after the candled wishes are made, everyone would break out in an explosive roar of Stevie Wonder’s tune, singing: “Happy Birthday to Ya! Happy Birthday to Ya! Happy Birth-Day!” Clapping and dancing, chanting and shouting, the space would be filled with the lyrics to Stevie’s song.  You could fully recognize a shift in the energy and a shift between the two moods, and the two songs. The shift is always purposely done, as if to say that we as Black people live in two worlds and shift between consciousness–one consciousness that we’ve learned to understand and another higher consciousness where we are understood. And it is in that higher consciousness, at the height of song and dance, love and laughter, redemption and reflection that we embody on our birthdays, the last words spoken by Dr. King in his “I Have A Dream'' speech: “Free at Last, Free at Last…Thank God O’ Mighty, I’m free at Last!”    ... View more

For the second year, Macmillan Learning welcomed externs to the company with the goal of offering project-based experience to diverse and non-traditional workers interested in educational publishing and technology. The Communications team tasked our extern, Charlinda Banks, to help us create a mechanism that helps us better share our company’s stories with our employees. We also offered her the opportunity to share her experience during her month at the company. Here's what she said that she learned as an extern: What an extern actually does. An extern is a contract position that acts as a short-term project-based internship. Since Macmillan Learning has educational equity at its core, the externship program is designed to equip young people with skills specific to their fields of interest from People & Culture to Humanities textbook publishing; every extern leaves with a new project in their portfolio. Since externships at Macmillan Learning are largely project-based, this not only allows for a schedule that acclimates to your needs and lifestyle—like juggling college and work—but it also leaves plenty of time to discover the company’s learning resources, including Macmillan Learning University, affectionately known as MLU.  Macmillan Learning uses the intranet—an internal communications network that connects ML’s nearly 800 employees that live not only all over the U.S. but also across the globe. Learning to navigate and build on this platform was definitely an acquired skill, as every time you head to edit the platform, you discover something new.  There are so many different career avenues in publishing. Prior to my externship with Macmillan Learning, I thought of publishing as a solely editorial entity. However, with a company as large as Macmillan Learning, there are hundreds of different roles and many distinct departments that work together to fulfill the company’s vision as an educational publisher. From communications and marketing to content development and editorial, there is likely a role that speaks to you.  There’s a busy season. Although it might seem obvious to some, others might not realize that September and October are some of Macmillan Learning’s busiest periods! With Back-to-School plastered all over Target walls, the floodgates are open at the company.  Macmillan Learning encourages employees to foster community through ERGs. What are ERGs? The acronym stands for Employee Resource Group—ERGs are affinity groups for company members to feel connected to others who share their identities and lived experiences. From PROUD for the LGBTQ+ community to BLACC and VIVA for Black and Latinx staff, there is a place to celebrate and advocate for Macmillan Learning’s diverse communities.  ... View more

  The next business we want to highlight is Packback. I’ve gotten to know Packback CEO Kelsey Behringer and CPO & Co-Founder Jessica Tenuta over the past few months and seen their passion for student success firsthand, as our companies announced a partnership that pairs Packback's AI-powered technology with the hundreds of course materials found within Macmillan Learning’s Achieve digital learning platforms Packback and Macmillan Learning are both committed to creating learning science-backed products that help students develop critical thinking skills as well as a lifelong love of learning, which is why the partnership works.   Packback’s flagship, their inquiry-driven discussion platform, Packback Questions, was inspired by their mission to harness the power of AI to help educators increase engagement in their classrooms and help students find their unique voice. This form of active learning encourages students to achieve higher levels of critical thinking and discover real-life applications of course material via discussion questions in and out of class. Their AI-enabled platform can help students build and master foundational skills like critical thinking, writing, and research.  Here’s how it would work for, say, a psychology class: students would be assigned course materials and assessments via the Achieve platform and then be asked to respond to a prompt either provided by Packback or to create one of their own. Prompts could include questions like: Why would NASA suggest the strategy “follow the water” when searching for life on other planets and What kind of conversation would cells have if they communicated like humans? The AI supports the students through the writing process, offering suggestions and feedback on both content and grammar. You can learn more about the partnership here. -- Macmillan Learning is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where women entrepreneurs not only have a seat at the table but also thrive. We believe that by supporting and collaborating with women-owned businesses, we contribute to a more equitable and prosperous future for all. Read about other Womin in Business Week profiles: Work Simplr,  In the Room, and Wright Consulting. ... View more

Amber Jones, founder of The Wright Consulting Group, has been an invaluable partner to our business over the past five years. Her company has directly contributed to more than $5M in business for state and district bids for our organization. Amber is reliable, never missing a deadline - no matter how tight a turnaround time required. Her work is always stellar and of the utmost quality. Bringing more than 20 years of professional experience as an educator, K-12 administrator, and educational consulting and program management, Amber’s deep knowledge of curriculum and instruction are immediately obvious in every project her company undertakes. Working with Amber feels like working with a trusted friend, who understands the needs of educators, district and state administrators, and more importantly student learners. I cannot think of a more deserving company to celebrate during this year’s Women in Business Week, than Amber Jones and The Wright Consulting Group. I highly recommend anyone looking for editorial or educational services support reach out to The Wright Consulting Group at http://askthewrightgroup.com --- Macmillan Learning is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where women entrepreneurs not only have a seat at the table but also thrive. We believe that by supporting and collaborating with women-owned businesses, we contribute to a more equitable and prosperous future for all. Read about Monday's Spotlight on Work Simplr here and Tuesday's Spotlight on In the Room here. ... View more

I'm excited to highlight In the Room for Women in Business Week. It has been a pleasure working with the In the Room team, led by CEO and Co-founder Sarah Coward. In partnership, we have worked to deliver an interactive experience that enables people to connect with peer consultants, authors, and our own team members as though they were meeting them in real life  Using voice recognition and machine learning, this conversational technology provides its audiences the opportunity to have a dynamic interaction that is informative and authentic. The platform allows users to ask questions and receive personalized responses. The experience helps to break down barriers and create a sense of shared presence, offering an unparalleled and meaningful experience that goes beyond traditional methods of storytelling or learning A brief view of the In the Room website demonstrates this. Here you can speak with Sarah herself in an In the Room experience and learn about her company and her team. Speaking of her team, they are so easy to work with. They support, project manage, and advise every step of the way - from initial idea to storyboarding, and quality assurance. We can’t wait to share the In the Room Experience that we’re working on now. --- Macmillan Learning is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where women entrepreneurs not only have a seat at the table but also thrive. We believe that by supporting and collaborating with women-owned businesses, we contribute to a more equitable and prosperous future for all. Read about Monday's Spotlight on Work Simplr here. ... View more

Welcome to ​the first of Macmillan Learning's Women in Business Week Spotlight​s, where each day we will be highlighting  some of the many women-owned and operated businesses we have the pleasure to work with. In recent years, there has been a surge of  entrepreneurship​, with The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), ​reporting that women-owned businesses account for nearly 40% of all U.S. businesses. That they generate trillions of dollars in revenue and create millions of jobs is a testament to the resilience, creativity, and determination of women.​ At​ Macmillan Learning, we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where women entrepreneurs not only have a seat at the table but also thrive. We believe that by supporting and collaborating with women-owned businesses, we contribute to a more equitable and prosperous future for all. I am thrilled to share the exceptional experience we've had working with WorkSimplr. I have personally used them for a couple of different projects. Launching the projects was incredibly easy, and the fact that Work Simplr manages all of the administrative work of payment is invaluable. The students assigned to the projects were conscientious, completing the work well and on time.  Owned by Leah Jewell and Jodi McPherson, both of whom have proven passion for and experience in workforce readiness the Work Simplr team is highly responsive, collaborative, and consistently delivers exceptional results. The passionate, informed approach used makes all the difference in how they source, train and support student employees. Their deep understanding of educational publishing and workforce readiness is evident in everything they do.  If you have any projects where you are looking for reliable and vetted talent, you should definitely check out Work Simplr: https://worksimplr.com/ ... View more

Advancing equity and access isn't just the mandate of a month—it's an ongoing commitment to change, growth, and understanding. Every October, we observe the National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), as it offers an opportunity to reflect and find paths to create lasting change. For me, it took a long time before I was comfortable acknowledging my place in the disability community. I was afraid I was taking space from other people who had been through more than I had or whose disabilities were more apparent than my own. Disability felt like a dirty word. Founding our employee resource group AVID (Awareness of Visible & Invisible Disabilities) alongside my co-chair gave me a view into how everyone has a unique experience with disability and each of us deserves our space. Our conversations, meetings, blogs, presentations, and research have exposed me to a wonderful and varied world of life experiences and peer support that have made me feel truly welcome. My AVID co-founder had this to add: “the creation of AVID has fostered a community where we share our struggles, lean on one another, and bring levity in dark times. AVID has empowered me to realize that I don’t need to hide who I am. My disability is as much a part of me as my love of spreadsheets. I am now proud to tell you I’m disabled. I’m now me.” Our experiences being not only employees, but part of a thriving community of employees with disabilities, are oftentimes unfortunately the exception. While we have a rich community within Macmillan Learning, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2021, only 17.9% of persons with a disability were employed, in contrast to the 61.8% employment rate of those without a disability. The unemployment rate for persons with a disability was 12.6% in 2021, notably higher than the 6.2% for those without a disability. This data underscores the importance of our continued efforts to bridge these gaps and promote an inclusive work environment for all. The Power of Collaboration One critical way to drive change is through strong collaborations. By building bridges with internal stakeholders, partnering with community organizations, and liaising with disability advocacy groups, we multiply our potential for meaningful impact. This not only ensures that the needs of the disabled community are accurately represented but also fosters a support system that extends beyond the boundaries of our organization. To this end, AVID partners with groups like Disability:In, National Organization on Disability, Rutgers Center for Adult Autism, and several others. Their expertise, insights, and shared commitment have been invaluable in our journey towards a more inclusive workplace. Further, as part of our ongoing commitment, this month, we're excited to announce that we will be offering scholarships to Macmillan Learning’s employees for Deque University’s Accessibility Training Course. This course provides invaluable skills and knowledge, setting the foundation for a more inclusive digital environment.  While the National Disability Employment Awareness Month serves as a significant reminder, our dedication to equity and access doesn't wane with its conclusion. We are resolute in our mission to champion disability inclusion, continuously seeking novel solutions to eradicate barriers. The goal is to not only uplift every member of our team but to also instill a culture where all employees, irrespective of their abilities, can flourish. We invite you to harness the spirit of NDEAM to foster a workspace where disability stands not as a limitation but as a testament to the indomitable strength of the human spirit and the transformative power of inclusion. Together, the vision of an empathetic, understanding, and inclusive future becomes attainable. ... View more

Our mission is to inspire what’s possible for every learner. We pursue this mission with intention, not by mandate. We envision and create products that reach the diverse populations of students we serve in the classroom; more so, the inherent benefits of diverse and inclusive school environments motivate our research, editorial development, and pedagogical strategies to reduce the inherent gaps in outcomes that persist along racial, ethnic, gender, socioeconomic, and cultural lines. The end of one set of government policies nor the onset of another will cause us to stray from the values that serve as a catalyst for our actions.  Yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling, effectively ending affirmative action policies relying on race as a determinant for admission to public and private colleges and universities has engendered a lot of reaction. Advocates for affirmative action see this ruling as a closure of yet another avenue for socioeconomic and class mobility for underrepresented racial minorities; or view the decision as a striking and racially-motivated reaction to thwart progress of Black, Latino, and Indigenous communities. Those skeptical of government policies or the implementation of affirmative action programs may view the ruling as a politically divisive if warranted decision to retire a well-intentioned policy that had outlived its effectiveness. Proponents might applaud the end of a race-centric policy as an opportunity to transition away from a race-driven perspective of American society. These arguments alone fail to represent the range of emotions and perspectives in respectful discourse felt by our colleagues and in our communities. We have stated repeatedly at Macmillan Learning that we believe classrooms should be places where ideas are fostered, engaged with, and critiqued; fair debate about affirmative action policies and programs has been presented in the educational titles we publish. But debates about public policy should not be mistaken for indifference to the quality and composition of our classrooms.  We envision a world in which every learner succeeds and where we play an important role in making that possibility a reality. Whether the mechanism that makes this vision a reality is government policy, a shift in cultural zeitgeist, community care, or by some other means, we recognize that diverse perspectives are a catalyst for inclusive thought. and a more engaged community of learners. We support an educational ecosystem that helps communities thrive, be less limited by social, economic, and cultural constraints, and enable colleges and universities to encourage a student experience that enriches each student, exposes them to a diversity of perspectives, and serves as a means to raise the prospects for all while reducing the equity gap experienced by so many.  ... View more

At Macmillan Learning we envision a world in which every learner succeeds. We recognize that to do just that, it’s critical that students recognize themselves in our course materials. Each and every team within the company has an important role to play in achieving that goal.  When thinking about the teams that create educational titles, we may first consider those who write the materials. It’s easy to recognize the strong impact they have on what information is shared in a textbook. But there’s more to it than just that. There are teams that have the important task of selling or marketing the materials, which helps make the materials available to the students that need them.   But there’s one team that’s also critical to making diverse and inclusive course materials -- and that’s the team that manages our rights and permissions. This team enables Macmillan Learning to use audio, video, photo/images, and text assets in each of our titles. This is no small task when each title can have hundreds, if not thousands, of media assets.  Working in collaboration with Editorial teams, the Permissions team helps decide which images and media to include, ensuring that they add value to the learning experience while also representing and reflecting the many different students and instructors who may use the materials. The team also checks the content throughout the production process to ensure that there’s no misrepresentation. This is true both when there’s a new title we plan to publish as well as when we’re updating an already existing title for a new edition. For many years, educational materials did not reflect the diverse population that used them which is why this team has been redoubling their efforts to ensure this very important work is addressed. Creating representative and diverse textbooks Students have a remarkably diverse range of motivations, goals, and lives in and out of the classroom. They also have an increasingly diverse representation in college campuses, with more students than ever reflecting many different ethnicities, backgrounds and even countries. In fact, in 2020, more than 40% of students attending college were BIPOC ( 21% Hispanic, 14% Black, 7% Asian). We believe that offering materials that include representation for students of all abilities, backgrounds, and demographics helps support students’ sense of belonging both in and out of class. According to Cecilia Varas, Senior Executive Permissions Editor, “Representation matters when teaching students from all over the world. It is important that our student audience sees itself in our content to feel more connected and engaged to the material. Something as simple as a photo, text blurb, or cartoon can impact how one feels.”  To that end, the Rights & Permissions team finds content from a variety of sources. They seek out partnerships with organizations that specialize in diverse materials as well as collections from existing partners that have committed to offering inclusive content. “It’s fun to research new DEI artists and photographers. Sometimes we have the opportunity to work with incredible photographers, illustrators and artists,” said Robin Fadool, Executive Permissions Editor. She cites her work with artist Cynthia Fisher on For All Practical Purposes and photographer Lois Greenfield to get a licensed photo of Parsons Dance for the cover of Schacter Psychology 6th edition.  What the rights and permissions Team does When the team gets "rights and permissions” to use copyrighted material, that means that they’re obtaining the authorization and consent from the copyright holder to use their work in a specific manner. It’s a process that’s not always linear, as sometimes the owner of the copyright is deceased, or the copyright for materials has changed hands. The diverse content varies greatly from historical -- like speeches from Martin Luther King Jr. -- to more contemporary works, like a photo of a painting of Michelle Obama for use on a textbook cover. Another important, but challenging, part of the work is ensuring the copyrighted works are being used as intended, and that involves a detailed accounting of them. “So much of our work is tracking. Tracking assets and the rights associated with them. We try to keep it simple by requesting broad rights and working with preferred vendors but when we license for video or text, the tracking of restrictions needs to be accurate. Data entry standards are very important in our group,” said Christine Buese, Executive Permissions Manager.  Sheena Goldstein, Executive Permissions Editor, concurs: “It can be a grueling, tedious process to track down rights for a photo from a hard-to-reach source, like an academic who is out in the field conducting research or from a small library in a tiny town somewhere. However, it is always rewarding to see the final photo on the page and know that this unique image will help students learn and absorb the material. Some of us are visual learners. Images convey so much meaning in every book.” And, surprisingly, the opposite is also true -- the team also receives permission requests to use our material in other publications. According to Alexis Gargin, Permissions Editor, these can range from journal articles and textbooks to more unique usages such as a TV classroom prop, a whaling museum, and a Swiss hiking trail. If you look closely, you may find Myers/Psychology in Patriot's Day or Henretta/America's History for the AP Course 2020 in The Republic of Sarah, for example. In addition to being researchers and trackers, the team is also skilled in negotiations. While there are often standardized licensing agreements with the company’s preferred vendors, particularly for common types of content like stock photos, that’s not always the case. It's common for negotiations to cover what the assets will be used for, the period of time in which they will be used, as well as payment terms and any limitations.  Diversity and inclusion in action Because the educational publishing industry serves and informs students and instructors from a variety of backgrounds, its goal is to offer diverse materials that are backed by research and pedagogical insight. But in order to use diverse materials, those materials first need to exist. Oftentimes, this means going back to the drawing board (literally and figuratively speaking) to create representative content. This is done with both the company’s preferred vendors alongside new ones. And it can be done in big and little ways -- from re-imagining the entire cover of a textbook to changing captions that accompany new images. Their strategies are informed by a set of guidelines created by the company’s editorial teams.   Some of the many guidelines include recommendations like: Include photos and content that showcase a diverse array of humans and human activity; present people in non-stereotypical roles; Consider a full range of diversity categories: race, ethnicity, nationality, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, political affiliation, ability, socioeconomic status, veteran status, family status, and environment; Be aware of your own preferences and biases. One example of how the team put the concepts from the guidelines in action was by partnering with a preferred vendor, Cartoonstock, to improve the process of revising cartoons and, in turn, make content more inclusive. Goldstein cites working on Jonathan Gruber’s Finance and Public Policy 7th edition on cartoon captions and imagery revisions as an important step for her and the entire team, as it was the first title that she and the Economics editorial team had done revisions on a significant amount of cartoons.  Previously only 23.5% of the cartoons had women represented in its cartoon program for the previous six editions of the book. Now, there are 43% female‐presenting characters and 31% people of color. There are also now two people representing the LGBTQ+ community and one person with a physical disability, where previously those communities were not represented visually in the text. In addition to improving representation, the partnership also taught the team several best practices for future projects on how to best adapt cartoons for DEI. While some progress is quantitative, like Finance and Public Policy, some progress is done behind the scenes and is more qualitative. Gargin noted, “One of my favorite projects to work on was Developing Lives 2.0 because of all of the diverse photo research. This digital project showed how families are all different and unique and yet we all face the same challenges from selecting which schools to send our children to or even just deciding between a cat or a dog as a pet. The editorial team requested photos that represented how multiple countries and cultures celebrated life milestones from Korean Doljanchi to Apache Sunrise Ceremony.” Varas cited her recent work with the history title Freedom On My Mind as a highlight. The textbook offers narratives of African American and US History with documents that support the inspiring quest for freedom, the American dream and the countless contributions of African Americans to our collective history. She obtained permission from the Smithsonian/National Portrait Gallery to use an image of Michelle Obama by painter Amy Sherald.  “As editors and researchers, we’re always curious. We always want to make sure that the content is fresh and relevant. The team really cares about our products and what they see when they turn the pages of our books, and are always looking for new material” said Hilary Newman, the team’s leader and Senior Director of Rights and Permissions. “There’s nothing static about being in permissions.” ... View more

Earlier this year, Macmillan Learning launched our new Mission, Vision and Values. We committed to “Inspiring what’s possible for every learner.” But we know this can only happen when learners can connect to the materials they’re learning and feel seen and supported -- when they can recognize themselves in their materials. We know that to do that effectively requires that the people that build those tools bring diverse experiences and thinking to our projects.   Diversity drives the kind of innovation and creativity required to help each and every learner succeed; we’re committed to cultivating a workplace where everyone feels safe, respected, and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. While these rights should be intrinsic, they often are not, and that’s where we as a company need to stand up for each other and for the students that count on us. An unfortunate reality is that discrimination and inequality still persist in many forms. We see this acutely in our industry in the form of censorship, book banning, and being rejected from state adoptions. We unequivocally refuse to remove LGBTQIA+ content from our course materials when asked to do so and pledge to continue our efforts in promoting equality and amplifying the voices of marginalized communities. No student should be expected to adopt a political or cultural point-of-view in order to succeed in the classroom. At Macmillan Learning, Inclusion is a Choice We Make Every Day. This is not just a company value -- it’s a guidepost that is critical to who we are. This PRIDE Month, Macmillan Learning offers our unwavering support for the LGBTQIA+ community and stands alongside all of our employees, customers, and partners -- no matter their gender, gender identity or sexual orientation.  ... View more

Our mission at Macmillan Learning is to inspire what’s possible for every learner. That means no matter their demographics or abilities, we strive to provide learners with the best chance possible to succeed and flourish in their educational experience. That’s why everything we do – all the content, tools, and platforms we create; the strategies we formulate; the authors and content creators we sign – are all in the service of ensuring that every student engages, learns, and succeeds.  We recognize that facilitating accessibility means more than just checking the box on a series of requirements to meet; rather to us, it is an interesting and important problem to solve. This is the lens through which all of us at Macmillan Learning recognize accessibility. That core motivation to do better is one of the many reasons why we scored 100% on the Disability Equality Index, which ranks companies on their use of best practices that support disability inclusion, for the third consecutive year.  As today is Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), I want to share some of our progress working towards increasing accessibility for students, instructors, and our own employees. We also have a new set of guiding principles for accessibility to help us along the way.                                         While I’m incredibly proud of these new guidelines, it is by no means all that we have accomplished this year.   Accessibility continues to be a focus internally, with the introduction of three new accessibility training opportunities for all employees. Employees from our very active Employee Resource Group, AVID (Awareness of Visible and Invisible Disabilities), have published more than 15 blogs, stories and informational posts about their experiences with disability, allyship and accommodations. We also welcomed speakers from Disability:In, National Down Syndrome Society, and Rutgers Center for Adults with Autism to teach us more about accessibility and disability in the workplace.  More than that, we continue to invest in accessible products and technologies. Macmillan Learning was again recognized in 2022 as Global Certified Accessible by Benetech in. This means that we provide “born accessible” digital learning options that ensure that every student, no matter their ability, has the same access to information. Further, the product and engineering teams at Macmillan Learning continue their investment in making student experiences accessible. This year, they presented the accessible online labs solution at CSUN-ATC (California State University Assistive Technology Conference) and the Writing Tools team has introduced a number of new features to make highlighting and feedback more accessible to students with disabilities.  Our continuing interest and investment in accessibility helps us to be a better partner to the students that depend on our learning materials and the instructors that support them. Our accessibility journey continues. ... View more

College is an important time of transition for many students. They’re learning new things, meeting new people, and exploring new surroundings. But managing the many changes taking place isn’t always easy. That’s because with the many changes and opportunities also come challenges for students, and with that can come the feeling like they may not belong in their class, or even in college at all. There are a range of reasons why students may not feel like they belong, and it varies widely from student to student. Some may be the first in their families to attend college. Some students may struggle with mental health issues. Some may simply find it difficult to make friends. And yet others still may have challenges with their financial situations. For these students, feeling like they do not belong, or are an “imposter” can hinder their academic success as well as their mental health, and overall well-being. Some students from traditionally underrepresented minority groups may also feel a sense of marginalization or stigmatization on campus.  Research has demonstrated that students who feel like they belong are more likely to be engaged in their studies, perform better academically, and are more likely to stay in college and graduate. For example, a recent study found that students who report a higher sense of belonging at the end of the first year do better than their counterparts, persist more in their second and third years and have lower levels of mental health issues. “Regardless of the reason, when students feel like they don't belong, the consequences can be detrimental,” said Macmillan Learning Research Specialist Sarah Gray. “It can impact the students’ future career opportunities and earning potential alongside society as a whole by creating higher levels of social inequality and race-based disparities in academic achievement.” At Macmillan Learning our mission is to inspire what’s possible for every learner. That’s why we’ve been so interested in learning more about how having a sense of belonging impacts student performance, and whether courseware can have an impact. Most recently, we have been conducting research in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) to learn more about digital tools that could foster a sense of belonging and the impact that may have on student success for underserved student populations. What is Having a Sense of Belonging Sense of belonging in the college settings refers to how students understand their role and their social fit in a college environment. It goes beyond just physical presence on campus. Rather, it's a feeling that students have that they are part of a larger community, where they are valued, understood, and supported. It’s also about having social and cultural capital–understanding the social norms, shared values, and expected behaviors of college. Their sense of belonging can be enhanced through both social and academic interactions in their classrooms and institutions.  According to Gray, an unfortunate reality is that underrepresented minority groups can report a weaker sense of belonging than their White peers on their campuses.  “Having a sense of belonging is not necessarily a binary issue, where students either feel like they belong or they don’t. Rather, it's a complex and dynamic feeling that can be influenced by a variety of factors, including social identity, campus climate, individual experiences and cultural norms,” said Gray. She added that having a sense of belonging can be further complicated for underrepresented minority students by assumptions that they are coming into college with a deficit of the knowledge and skill needed to succeed, as well as the pressure to fit into the campus environment at the expense of their home culture. There are three types of belonging that Macmillan Learning has been particularly interested in learning more about: students’ individual sense of belonging, their sense of belonging in a particular class, and their sense of belonging within college.  Individual belonging reflects a student's overall sense of belonging within the college environment. It encompasses their feelings of social and academic fit and can be influenced by factors such as campus culture, social identity, personal experiences, and individual personality traits. Students who feel individual belonging may feel like they are valued for their unique perspectives, and that they are free to express themselves and explore their interests without fear of judgment or discrimination. Belonging in class reflects a student's sense of connection and engagement within a specific course or academic program. It's having a sense of ownership over their learning and success in that course or program, and understanding how their classwork is helping them achieve their academic goals. A student who feels a strong sense of belonging in a particular class might feel comfortable speaking up in class discussions, collaborating with their peers on group projects or feel close with their instructor.  Students may or may not feel like they belong at college at all, and it has to do with their sense of connection and belonging that expands beyond just their individual academic programs or their courses.This belonging encompasses their feelings of social and academic fit, as well as their sense of connection to the broader campus community and institutional values. Whether or not they feel like a welcome part of a larger community that shares similar values and goals. Studying Sense of Belonging Macmillan Learning’s Sense of Belonging and Metacognition study seeks to understand the impact of using digital tools like out-of-class peer learning, low-stakes quizzing, and routine sentiment check-ins embedded within a digital courseware platform, like Achieve, to improve students’ sense of belonging and metacognition skills. The study will also examine whether improved sense of belonging and metacognition skills are related to other student outcomes such as course retention, content knowledge and exam scores.  The study is part of the company’s ongoing research about how digital learning platforms and courseware can help to close equity gaps in course completion for historically and presently underserved students, and students experiencing poverty. Initial research began in Spring 2023, and further research will take place in Fall 2023.  “We believe that having a sense of belonging can have an impact, and are testing related digital courseware solutions that administrators, instructors and students said would be helpful. This will help us to see what works best in practice, what students will actually use, and how they will use it,” said Guido Gatti, Sr. Quantitative Research Analyst. In the second part of this series, we’ll offer practical examples of tools and activities that instructors can use to help foster students’ sense of belonging both in and out of the classroom. ... View more

By habit, I woke up early on March 21st ready to start my morning routine from my bed to the bathroom and then to my home office to start work. As I sat up, I realized that today was a company-recognized holiday and my morning ritual was to be suspended for one more day. But this holiday morning was different from the others.  On the 4th of July mornings, I’m thinking about my invite list for an intimate cookout at home with friends. On the morning of December 25th, these days at least, I’m grateful to have all of my adult kids home for a holiday filled with gift-giving, sweet potato pie, and nostalgic laughter.  This holiday morning was different. As an odd silence passed over me in my bed, I realized that this was a day of remembrance, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. On March 21st, as had been done internationally since 1966, the world was called to recognize and remember the 1960 massacre in Sharpeville, South Africa, where 69 Black South Africans were killed and 180 were injured by a racially charged police force as they peacefully protested against the apartheid pass laws.  Pass laws were an internal passport system that the Afrikaner government used during apartheid to segregate the population along racial and economic lines. Pass laws severely limited the movements of black African citizens, and other people as well by restricting them to designated areas.  Sitting there in my bed, I thought about the segregation that my mother and my grandparents had escaped in the American south just five years prior to the Sharpeville massacre. I thought about how much courage it takes to stand in defiance of a racist régime, knowing that your life is in imminent danger the moment you choose to stand in principle in the light of justice.  My grandparents chose to save every nickel, dime and quarter they had in jars over the course of two years, pick a spot on the map in a northern state, and escape the flaming horror of the south by night in 1955 with their then four children and all they could pack into a borrowed Buick.  I thought about the real choice that Black people had during that time, whether you lived in Beauford, North Carolina like my mother and grandparents or Sharpeville, South Africa, the courage to stay and fight and the courage to escape to in search of a better life elsewhere were both heartbreaking alternatives to the idea of a system of government and a society at large deciding by its own moral conscience to accept you as an valued human being with the equal rights of a full citizen. I realized that the choice to stand up peacefully and resist apartheid in racist South Africa and the choice to flee Jim Crow in the racist American South was really not a choice at all, as much as it was an ultimatum presented by authorities who felt compelled to stratify Blacks at the very bottom of a constructed social order that refused to recognize their humanity and right to life under the protection of freedom and justice. I realized that morning that racism, at its core, is not really about casting feelings of shame. It’s not merely about microaggressions, and minor indignations in office places and in social settings. Racism is a disease resident in power structures and systems of authority that is used as justification to eliminate the rights of a people and subjugate them in the pursuit of social, political and economic dominance. And in the middle of that dynamic, power and dominance is enforced with a constant campaign of fear, intimidation, and violence towards people whose backs are constantly against a burning wall. I sat up in my bed that morning on March 21st , after all of this reflection and deep realization, and could hear my two sons moving about in the hallway outside of my room. Neither of them was given time off to observe the holiday, as one was fumbling through the kitchen to pack his lunch for school and the oldest was  scrambling to get dressed for work.  I realized that they had both grown up in a world where racism, although banished from the written laws of the free world, does still rear its ugly head in an attempt to threaten their young and hopeful lives as they navigate the fragile social environment of our country and our world. I am hopeful that each day, on March 21st, as we observe the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, we can recognize that we must all fight to eliminate the bigotry, racism, and discrimination that exists in our institutions and in our communities so that no one will have to endure the ultimatum to either stand in resistance to, or flee in terror of, racist authorities that threatens to divide our society and a world ailing from the legacy of division and strife.    ... View more

In Celebration of International Women’s Day, Macmillan Learning’s co-leads from our WOMEN@ML Employee Resource Group, Susan McLaughlin (Executive Development Manager, Humanities) and Heather Halter Kimball (Digital Solutions Team Lead), share their thoughts about the digital gender gap.   Did you know?  Thirty-seven percent of women worldwide do not use the Internet 259 million fewer women have access to the Internet than men, even though they account for nearly half the world's population A global analysis of 133 AI systems across industries found that 44.2% demonstrate gender bias A survey of women journalists from 125 countries found that 73% had suffered online violence in the course of their work For International Women’s Day 2023, the United Nations is recognizing and celebrating women and girls “who are championing the advancement of transformative technology and digital education.” The theme “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality” focuses on “the impact of the digital gender gap on widening economic and social inequalities,” while shining a light on the importance of protecting the rights of women and girls in digital spaces, and addressing online and information and communications technology (ICT) gender-based violence. Now, more than ever before, women depend on technology to communicate with family and friends, to work, learn, shop, make a doctor’s appointment, pay a bill, buy a train ticket, and so much more. If women can’t access the Internet or don’t feel safe online, they can’t develop the necessary skills to engage in digital spaces. This affects all aspects of their lives, especially educational and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. According to the UN, 75% of jobs will be related to STEM areas by 2050, highlighting the need to bring women into technology as a major priority. This will result in creative solutions and innovations that meet women’s needs and promote gender equality.  The UN reports that the gender gap in digital access keeps women from unlocking their potential as well as technology’s potential. Underrepresentation of women in STEM education and careers continues to be a major barrier to participation in tech design and governance. Additionally, the threat of online gender-based violence without legal protection can force women out of the digital spaces they do occupy.   The good news is that technology is providing opportunities for the empowerment of women and girls worldwide. From “gender-responsive digital learning to tech-facilitated sexual and reproductive healthcare, the digital age represents an unprecedented opportunity to eliminate all forms of disparity and inequality,” according to the UN. It’s a topic that’s important to WOMEN@ML, Macmillan Learning’s employee resource group for women, as their mission includes offering educational and volunteer opportunities for all women at the company and their allies to help them determine and reach their personal and professional goals. On International Women’s Day, the UN is calling on governments, activists and the private sector to “power on” in their efforts to make the digital world safer, more inclusive and more equitable.    ... View more

Last year, Macmillan Learning and instructors from 13 colleges that primarily serve Black, Latin, and Indigenous students set out to learn more about the impact of evidence-based teaching practices. These are practices that are shown to be effective and help to meaningfully improve student outcomes; many also support student motivation and engagement as well as increase accountability and perseverance. As part of that journey to learn more, Macmillan Learning partnered with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and instructors from institutions with an all too often marginalized student population. While there’s no shortage of research that demonstrates evidence-based teaching practices support students’ deeper learning of concepts and better development of problem-solving skills, there's still a lot more to learn, particularly to learn how to best use educational technology and courseware to support the most impactful implementation of evidence-based teaching practices..  “The research that we’re undertaking will help us better understand which practices are the most effective, how instructors are actually using them with the support of digital courseware, and the impact of those actions on the outcomes of marginalized students,” said Marcy Baughman, Executive Director of Learning Science & Insights. “There’s always room for new ideas and opportunities to do more, and we plan to use what we learn to develop even better solutions.” Baughman added, “We know that student success depends on what happens both in and out of the classroom, and we believe evidence-based teaching practices can make a difference. These practices can help students be better prepared for class, provide more opportunities to interact with course materials and to work on class assignments, and get better feedback from their instructors to prepare themselves for assessments. All of these activities contribute to student success. If courseware can help create opportunities to create an equal playing field for all students and improve student outcomes, we want to learn how.” About the Research Instructors from two- and four-year colleges were part of a study to learn whether (and how) a courseware platform such as Achieve can help to close equity gaps in course completion for historically and presently underserved students. The research, which was conducted by Macmillan Learning in partnership with instructors from 13 colleges, aimed to learn more about the impact of four evidence-based teaching practices through observation, a range of student surveys, weekly check-ins, implementation logs, use of specific tools within digital courseware, and an analysis of student course performance. The four practices include:  Outcome-driven instruction: The study measured the impact of tools within Achieve -- such as goal-setting and reflection surveys, learning objectives, and insights and reports -- on student success. Formative assessment with feedback: The study measured how use of formative assessments like mid-stakes testing, homework with adaptive quizzing (offering hints and targeted feedback) and interactive and low-stakes homework where students are given feedback, video hints, and opportunities to troubleshoot impacts student success. Active learning: The study measured how using iClicker (for attendance, polling, and/or in-class participation), Instructor Activity Guides, and other tactics impact student success. Metacognition: The study reviewed how activities that enhance metacognition and reinforce critical thinking skills -- like assignments that prompt explanations, opportunities to set and reflect on goals, and self assessment/confidence ratings with iClicker -- impact student success. “These best practices teach students soft skills like goal-setting, time management, and metacognition. We plan to quantify the impact of each of the four practices and learn more about the role Achieve and other courseware like it can play,” Baughman said. Introduction to Psychology and Sociology courses were selected for research because they are considered “gateway courses” -- foundational, credit-bearing, lower-division courses that act as gatekeepers to degree completion. Research for Introduction to Psychology will be done using Macmillan Learning’s digital learning platform Achieve featuring the best-selling Achieve for Psychology in Everyday Life, 6e, written by David G. Myers and Nathan C. DeWall. Research for the Introduction to Sociology courses will be done using Achieve for OpenStax Sociology, 3e.  Achieve was developed using learning science and in partnership with students and instructors. One of the key goals of the platform is to support students of all levels of readiness and to engage them in and out of class to improve their outcomes. Forthcoming opportunities to participate  Instructors teaching Psychology or Sociology at colleges that primarily serve Black, Latino and Indigenous students are encouraged to apply to participate in forthcoming studies. Research in the 2023 Spring semester will focus on students' sense of belonging and metacognition. The research seeks to understand the impact of using resources embedded within a digital courseware platform to improve students’ sense of belonging and metacognition skills alongside their relation to other outcomes of student success, like course retention, content knowledge and exam scores. Participation in either of these studies provides educators and their students an opportunity to contribute to the emerging research literature on the use of digital courseware to improve equity for traditionally underserved populations. Each instructor will receive a summary of research findings from their classes as well as the opportunity to be acknowledged for their contribution to the research.  Participating in the research also benefits students. In addition to receiving several gift cards, students that participate will have free access to their online courseware. Analysis of the research, which took place during the Fall 2022 semester and had more than 1,000 students opt-in, is currently underway by the company’s Learning Science & Insights team. Once completed, Macmillan Learning will make its findings publicly available and create an implementation guide with examples of evidence-based practices that can be used by any organization developing digital learning systems or other educational technology.  This spring, Macmillan is researching students’ sense of belonging and metacognition. This study, also done in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, seeks to understand the impact of using resources embedded within a digital courseware platform to improve students’ sense of belonging and metacognition skills. The study will also examine whether improved sense of belonging and metacognition skills are related to other student outcomes such as course retention, content knowledge and exam scores. Instructors interested in participating in upcoming semesters for the evidence-based teaching practice or sense of belonging research can get additional details and learn how to apply here.   ... View more