Accessibility is fundamentally important to students’ learning journeys. By removing barriers to education, accessibility in both digital and physical spaces helps foster an inclusive environment where every student can fully participate and engage. Importantly, having learning materials and experiences that are accessible helps to ensure that all students, regardless of their abilities, have the same kinds of opportunities to succeed and thrive. At Macmillan Learning, we understand the importance of integrating accessibility into the design of our courseware and content. We established a board of expert advisors to help us better understand how accessibility is being addressed on different campuses, and what we can do to help foster an even more inclusive learning environment. We discussed with them some of the challenges that they’re seeing most on campus as well as solutions that they recommend to ensure that all students have equal opportunities to succeed. Here are some recommendations from the advisors that can help you on your accessibility journey. Develop Greater Understanding: Addressing accessibility requires a fundamental shift in perspective to recognize and embrace the diverse needs of all students. Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at Our Lady of the Lake University, Stacy Ybarra Evans, elaborated on this, noting: "One of the greatest challenges instructors face is the lack of awareness and understanding of accessibility guidelines and best practices. Many instructors may not know where to start or how to incorporate accessibility into their course design without additional support and training." Read on for some ideas on how to start the process. Conduct Accessibility Audits: Ybarra Evans suggests an audit should be a first step when working towards creating a more accessible learning environment. An audit involves assessing your content for accessibility issues. A common accessibility standard that is used to help identify areas that need improvement is the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The audits will help you locate where you need to revise image descriptions, add captions to videos, or redesign interactive elements to be more user-friendly. “Once you have identified potential barriers, you can start implementing solutions to make your course more accessible," she said. On the Macmillan Learning Accessibility catalog page, you can download some quick checklists for auditing your documents and presentation decks.  Ybarra Evans shared some resources that could be helpful for educators: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG): The international standard for web accessibility. Use the WCAG checklist to evaluate your digital content. WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool: A free browser extension that helps identify accessibility issues on web pages. Accessibility Insights: A free tool from Microsoft for testing websites and Windows applications for accessibility. AChecker: An online tool that checks single HTML pages for conformance with accessibility standards. Start Small and Make Incremental Changes. It can be daunting trying to overhaul an entire course to make it accessible, so beginning with small, manageable steps is a practical approach. There are some quick wins that instructors can easily accomplish. "Begin by incorporating basic accessibility practices such as providing alternative text for images and captions for videos,” Ybarra Evans said. She also encourages instructors to gradually explore and implement more advanced techniques as they become more familiar with accessibility guidelines. For some ideas on how to get started, check out Reading Rockets: Accessibility Tools and Resources, a guide to getting started with accessibility, including information on audits, technology, and professional development. Rethink Your Materials: Instructors may find it more convenient to make incremental adjustments rather than starting from scratch. However, this approach could result in a patchwork of modifications that may resolve only a few accessibility needs. Senior Digital Accessibility Specialist at the University of North Texas, Danae Harris, elaborated on this challenge, explaining: "One frequent challenge I encounter in digital accessibility within higher education is the faculty's preference for remediation over recreation. Faculty often find it easier to modify their existing content rather than create new content with accessibility in mind from the start. However, this approach can diminish the overall learning experience for all students." Ensure Digital Spaces Are Accessible. Digital educational content and platforms can be complex, incorporating multimedia elements like videos, interactive quizzes, and simulations. Ensuring that all these elements are accessible requires detailed knowledge of accessibility standards and best practices. Samm Nelson, Coordinator of UMass Amherst’s Assistive Technology Center, ensures faculty, students, and staff have equitable access to digital spaces. They help the institution keep up with digital advancements and meet accessibility standards through training, auditing, and remediation. UDL is one way to accomplish this, which is explained in more detail below.  Implement Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Harris calls UDL "The most important strategy for faculty.” This critical framework enhances learning experiences by catering to the diverse needs of students. It provides learners with various ways to engage with course material. Harris continued that University of North Texas “faculty are encouraged to provide learners with multiple means of engagement, multiple means of representation of information and multiple ways for students to express themselves," which are the three core principles of UDL. It’s an effective best practice that minimizes barriers for students with disabilities, “though it may not meet the needs of every individual student it is still a beneficial method of creating an inclusive learning experience,” Harris added. Ybarra Evans shared the official guidelines from the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST), the pioneers of UDL.  Nelson shared that “UDL is the best practice, but it will never be a substitute for listening to our disabled community and directly addressing accommodations.” They noted the importance of asking if anyone needs accommodations and listening to what is shared because access needs can conflict between students with various disabilities. “When I am in a virtual meeting with a colleague who speech reads it is important to share my screen as little as possible so my deaf colleague can see my face with ease. When I'm in a virtual meeting with a student with ADHD sharing my screen can help with focus and understanding. When I am in a meeting with both of them together I need to best accommodate both their needs. Often that means sharing meeting materials prior to meeting so we all can follow along and see each other's faces,” Nelson said. Leverage Student Input: Involving students with disabilities in shaping accessibility policies and practices is crucial. Harris emphasizes the importance of hiring Accessibility Testers who are current or former students and expert assistive technology users. Their input is invaluable in creating and advocating for accessible content. Accessible materials not only help level the playing field for students with disabilities, they enhance learning, support a more diverse student body, and encourage continuous improvement. Ultimately, making education accessible is not just about meeting legal requirements, but about upholding the moral imperative to provide an inclusive and supportive learning environment for all.     Stacy Ybarra Evans, Ed.D., is the Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at Our Lady of the Lake University. She collaborates with faculty to design accessible course materials and provides professional development on incorporating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles into their teaching practices. Samm Nelson, CPACC is the IT Digital Accessibility and Assistive Technology Specialist at UMass Amherst. They are responsible for ensuring faculty, students, and staff have equitable access to digital spaces on campus.  Danae Harris is the Senior Digital Accessibility Specialist at the University of North Texas. In addition to reviewing online courses to help faculty create accessible content, she also works with third-party representatives, including publishers and e-learning software providers, to address accessibility concerns and shares best practices and tools for making digital content accessible. ... View more

Learning is a fundamentally human experience. Whether it's students in classrooms, individuals acquiring new skills, or even companies trying to train their employees, learning is something that we all share and no two people experience it in the same way. So how do we know what we’re doing is effective? One way that’s becoming more common over time are skill-based evaluations known as authentic assessments. Authentic assessments are challenging, evoke reflection, encourage collaboration, and replicate real-world scenarios and tasks. They’re designed specifically to measure students’ ability to apply what they have learned in meaningful ways. While it may sound like a jab to traditional assessments, it's not. Traditional assessments, like standardized tests and quizzes, are just as important to measure student progress and success. (You can read more about them and their impact.)  Authentic assessments work by requiring students to demonstrate their understanding through practical, applicable tasks. This can range from project-based learning and group collaborations to case studies and reflective essays. By using them alongside traditional assessments, instructors are provided a more holistic evaluation of student learning and understanding. Keep reading for examples that illustrate what authentic assessment looks like in action. The concept of authentic assessment is not new. It first gained traction in the late 1980s and early 1990s amidst growing criticism of standardized testing. Educators and researchers recognized their limitations in measuring learning and began to advocate for assessments that could better capture students' abilities to apply knowledge in real-world contexts. While over time more and more K-12 schools and universities began intentionally integrating authentic assessments into their curricula, that was not always the case.  To this day, traditional assessments remain the predominant way of measuring learning: when Macmillan Learning recently surveyed instructors, we found that 57% of respondents currently use all or mostly traditional assessments. Although many instructors don’t use authentic assessments at all, many do incorporate authentic assessments but don’t use this formal name for it. This tracks with our research on the topic, as we learned that only half of the instructors were familiar with the term “authentic assessment”, and only 18% reported using the term in their professional life. Benefits of Authentic Assessment Just because instructors aren’t using authentic assessments regularly doesn't mean they don’t want to. In that same instructor survey by Macmillan Learning, 69% of all respondents report wanting to increase, to some degree, the amount of authentic assessments they offer. And with good reason—the benefits of authentic assessment are manifold.  By simulating real-world challenges, these assessments help students develop essential skills that are directly applicable to their personal and professional lives. For instance, working on a group project can enhance teamwork and communication skills, while conducting a case study can improve critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.  Additionally, authentic assessments foster a more inclusive and equitable learning environment. They allow students with different strengths and learning styles to showcase their abilities in ways that traditional assessments might not capture. This helps to ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed and be recognized for their contributions. Practical Ideas for Authentic Assessments While group projects and real-world applications are more commonly thought of in social sciences and humanities, they can be used successfully across disciplines. When ChatGPT 4.0 was prompted to develop  assignments that would be considered authentic assessments within different disciplines, it offered a variety. However, there’s more to authentic assessments than just generating interesting projects; the true value lies in how these assignments are designed to reflect real-world relevance. Below are a selection of assignments, but improved and revised with additional details on how to use them and how they benefit students. They have in common their real-world relevance, practicality for the college classroom, requirement of higher-order thinking and integration of skills and knowledge from across multiple areas of study. Literature Analysis Project. Students can choose a novel or other written work (either from an instructor-created list, an era, or just about any criteria) and create a multimedia presentation analyzing its themes, characters, and historical context. Two poignant examples that remain relevant today and could be on a list include "1984" by George Orwell, where students can analyze the themes of totalitarianism, surveillance, and individuality; or the graphic novel "Maus" by Art Spiegelman, where students could examine themes of the Holocaust, memory, and trauma. This task goes beyond memorization, asking students to analyze, synthesize, and present information in a format that mimics real-world literary analysis and scholarly presentation. Economics: Taylor Swift Concert Tour Case Study. Students are tasked with analyzing the economic impact of Taylor Swift’s concert tours on local economies. This project involves researching various aspects of her tour, including ticket sales, local business revenue, and broader economic effects. Using a popular figure like Taylor Swift makes the assessment engaging and relevant, potentially increasing student motivation and interest in the subject. It requires students to apply economic principles, analyze data, and synthesize their findings into a coherent report. (You can read more about some “Swiftienomics” assignments, including the impact of her concerts and her impact on the NFL.) Historical Research Paper. Students can research a historical event or figure and write a detailed research paper, including primary and secondary sources, and present their findings in a mock academic conference setting. For example, they could research and then present on the rise and fall of the Byzantine Empire by reviewing the events and factors that contributed to it, learning about the role of emperors, military strategies, economic factors, religious conflicts, and external invasions. This assessment replicates the actual work of historians, who conduct thorough research, critically evaluate sources, and communicate their findings through scholarly papers and presentations. It emphasizes critical thinking, research skills, and effective communication. Engineering Design Challenge. Students are given a real-world problem, like designing a sustainable water filtration system, and must apply engineering principles to develop a prototype. They can present their design process and prototype in a mock industry showcase. This task replicates the real-world process of engineering design, from problem-solving and prototyping to presentation and feedback. It requires practical application of engineering concepts, creativity, and communication skills, closely aligning with the work engineers do in their professional roles. Biological Experiment and Report. Students design and conduct an experiment to test a hypothesis related to a biological concept, for example, the effect of light on plant growth. They collect and analyze data, then write a scientific report and present their findings. Going beyond the typical science fair project because it requires controlled environmental conditions, systematic and repeated measurements of specific growth parameters, and detailed analysis of physiological responses to different light wavelengths over an extended period. It involves designing an experiment, collecting and analyzing data, and communicating findings, which are key components of scientific inquiry. Ultimately, it helps students develop critical thinking, data analysis, and scientific communication skills. ... View more

As Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month comes to a close, Macmillan Learning continues its series that began earlier this year during Black History Month by featuring prominent trailblazers in the field of education from historically marginalized communities.  The beginnings of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, as we know it today, began in the 1970s as representatives in congress proposed a bill that would proclaim the first week of May as Asian-Pacific Heritage Week. The resolution was signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1978, making that designation official. Thirty-one years later, President Barack Obama signed a proclamation recognizing the entire month of May as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. As of 2021, the month officially changed to include Native Hawaiian through the signing of another proclamation by President Joe Biden.  Each year, the month of May serves as a time to celebrate and honor the contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders to the fabric of American society. In the realm of education and pedagogy, there have been many remarkable individuals whose pioneering work has left an indelible mark. Here are eight AANHPI trailblazers in education.  Grace Lee Boggs (1915-2015) Grace Lee Boggs, a Chinese American philosopher, writer, and activist, emphasized the importance of education in fostering social change. She co-founded Detroit Summer, a multicultural, intergenerational youth program aimed at revitalizing communities through education and activism. Helen Zia (1952-Present) Helen Zia, a Chinese American journalist and activist, has been a prominent voice in advocating for Asian American studies programs in schools and universities. Her efforts have helped to broaden the understanding of Asian American history and experiences in educational settings. An outspoken activist for a wide range of causes, Zia has also advocated for both women’s rights and LGBTQ rights, and was a prominent voice during the Civil Rights Movement. Mamie Tape (1895-1983) Mamie Tape, a Chinese American woman, played a pivotal role in the landmark case Tape v. Hurley in 1885, which successfully challenged racial segregation in San Francisco schools. Her advocacy laid the groundwork for desegregation efforts in education. Haunani-Kay Trask (1949-Present)  Haunani-Kay Trask, a Native Hawaiian scholar and activist, has been a leading voice in advocating for indigenous perspectives in education. Her work highlights the importance of centering indigenous knowledge and experiences in educational curricula. As professor emerita at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, she founded and directed the Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies. Patsy Mink (1927-2002) Patsy Mink, a Japanese American politician, was the co-author of Title IX, a landmark legislation that prohibits sex discrimination in education. Her advocacy has had a profound impact on gender equity in schools and universities. Ronald Takaki (1939-2009) Born in pre-statehood Hawaii, Ronald Takaki was a Japanese American historian and ethnographer who played a critical role in the development of ethnic studies programs across the United States. His book, "Strangers from a Different Shore: A History of Asian Americans," is a seminal work in the field. Jim Yong Kim (1959-Present)  Jim Yong Kim, a Korean American physician and anthropologist, served as the President of Dartmouth College and the World Bank. His work in global health and education has influenced policies and practices worldwide, particularly in improving access to education in developing countries. Viji Sathy (1972-Present)  Viji Sathy, an Indian American professor of psychology and neuroscience, is known for her work on inclusive teaching practices. Her research and advocacy promote equitable education by addressing the diverse needs of students in the classroom. ... View more

Jewish American Heritage Month this May offers us an opportunity to reflect on the rich history and contributions of Jewish Americans. This year, Macmillan Learning was privileged to host a webinar featuring Holocaust survivor, Gary Eichenwald, who shared an experience that was both a reminder of the dark chapters in history and a testament to the resilience, compassion and humanity that can emerge even in the face of unimaginable adversity. Here are some of the things we learned from him during the moving hour-long discussion. The Power of Resilience: One of the most striking aspects of the story of Gary and his family was their incredible resilience. Despite facing the horrors of the Holocaust, they managed to find strength within themselves to survive and rebuild their lives. From escaping Germany to seeking refuge in the Netherlands and living in hiding, his ability to maintain strength and dignity serves as a powerful reminder of the human spirit's capacity to overcome adversity. Gary and his family hid with a Dutch farmer, Hendrick Bloem, who had nine children. Initially, they worked on the farm, posing as cousins. However, when the danger increased, they moved to a shack in the woods. Their journey is a powerful reminder of the human ability to endure even the most devastating circumstances. Compassion in Crisis: Throughout the webinar, Gary shared instances of compassion and kindness that he experienced, even in the darkest times. Gary recounted stories of small acts of kindness that provided immense comfort and hope. For instance, when his family was hiding with the Bloem family, they were treated with great care and respect and provided two meals a day. These moments of compassion not only provided immediate relief but also restored faith in humanity. The Courage to be Brave: When we think of bravery during the Holocaust, we think of the many Jewish victims who were forced to make life or death decisions -- from whether to send their children away, to who they should trust and where they should go. Yet it’s also important to remember and honor those who were not Jewish, but made hard and courageous choices that ultimately saved lives. While Oskar Schindler may be one of the most well-known, there were many others whose bravery deserves recognition. Among them are Polish social worker Irena Sendler, who saved about 2,500 Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto; Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, who issued protective passports and sheltered Jews in buildings designated as Swedish territory; and Chiune Sugihara, a Japanese diplomat in Lithuania, who issued thousands of transit visas to Jewish refugees, allowing them to escape through Japan. These and many other persons just like Hendrick Bloem are among the 27,000 recognized as “Righteous Among the Nations” and have their names enshrined in Yad Vashem, The World Holocaust Remembrance Center, for their bravery throughout the Holocaust, risking not just their own lives but the lives of their families. The Importance of Memory: Gary emphasized the critical importance of remembering and sharing stories like his, as well as the history of the Holocaust. His detailed recollections of Kristallnacht, when Nazi soldiers and thugs broke into and vandalized his grandmother's textile store and severely beat his grandfather, were reminders that the Holocaust didn’t begin with concentration camps. Rather, it began by making an “other” of the Jewish community. His and his family's experiences during the war highlight the importance of remembrance and the need to educate future generations to prevent such atrocities from happening again. By keeping the memory of the Holocaust alive, we honor those who perished and ensure that the lessons learned from this dark period are not forgotten. This act of remembrance is a call to action to stand against hatred and bigotry in all forms. It’s common to hear “never forget” within the Jewish community, and for good reason. Giving memory to these tragic events helps ensure they are not forgotten. Hope and Renewal Amidst the stories of suffering, there were also stories of hope and renewal. Gary spoke about rebuilding his life after the Holocaust, and the importance of finding meaning and purpose. His journey from a war-torn Europe to starting a new life in the United States is a testament to the possibility of renewal and growth even after profound trauma. This resilience and hope are crucial for moving forward and building a better future. The insights gained from Gary’s story are not just historical; they offer valuable lessons for our present and future. In a world still grappling with hatred and division, the experiences of Holocaust survivors like Gary teach us the importance of empathy, understanding and standing up against injustice. Sadly, antisemitism is not a relic of the past; it remains a significant issue in many parts of the world. This speaks to the ongoing importance of individuals and communities standing up against all forms of bigotry and speaking out against hate speech. By remembering the past and educating future generations, we can foster a more compassionate and understanding world. As we commemorate Jewish American Heritage Month, we should not forget the lessons from Gary, and should strive to build a world where our humanity triumphs. You can read more about Gary’s story and the Bloem family. ... View more

As today is Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), I want to draw attention to our company’s vision statement: at Macmillan Learning, we envision a world in which every learner succeeds. As a learning company, this means we’re working tirelessly to ensure that, regardless of demographics or ability, each learner has the best possible opportunity to flourish in their educational experience. An important part of getting that right is developing course materials that are accessible, and I’m pleased to share some of our recent progress on our accessibility journey as it evolves with the needs of both students and instructors.  For the fifth consecutive year, Macmillan Learning was recognized as Global Certified Accessible by Benetech. 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. Benetech certified our conformance to the accessible EPUB creation guidelines, which are based on WCAG 2.2 AA+ standards put in place by the international standards organizations and the publishing community.  While I am proud of our recognition, we understand that accessibility is not only about checking boxes or fulfilling requirements; rather to us, it is an ongoing journey of creating a world in which every learner succeeds. Our product and engineering teams have been busy at work trying to do just that with ongoing updates to Achieve, our digital learning platform, to make it more friendly for users with disabilities. Their work included experiments with tools and workflows that integrated accessibility testing and resolution earlier in their development process. Recognizing that accessibility is a journey we are on together, our teams wouldn’t be able to make these improvements to our products without a firm understanding of accessibility themselves. This is why we continue to focus on accessibility internally as well, offering training opportunities for all employees to become better allies to the students and instructors we support. This commitment to our employees is also a reason that 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. Lastly, I would like to take the opportunity to shine a spotlight on one of our Employee Resource Groups, AVID (Awareness of Visible and Invisible Disabilities), for their partnership in helping  increase awareness of disabilities. Throughout the year, they’ve worked with individual employees to share blogs, stories, and informational posts about their experiences with disabilities, demonstrating to all of us that improving accessibility is helpful to everyone, not just those with disabilities.  Everything we do is in service to our common goal with educators—to see students succeed and inspire what’s possible. Accessibility will always be an important part of that journey.   Want to learn more? Read more about where to start when designing an accessible course and what it means to have “accessible” course materials. ... View more

Since its creation by college instructors, iClicker has been a staple in college classrooms around the nation. Known for its ability to create more engaging learning environments, this ed tech available on students’ phones and laptops has transformed thousands of classrooms into more dynamic learning environments.  While the iClicker technology continues to evolve, and now even offers a GPT-enabled AI question generator, its utility spans much further than lecture halls -- just ask the police and fire stations, learning and development teams and manufacturing teams that use it regularly. No longer just for college classrooms, iClicker has emerged as a useful platform to facilitate interactive training, get real-time feedback, study and learn, and ensure employee engagement across a variety of unusual and distinct environments.  “We noticed a portion of our overall customer base was unrelated to higher education so we decided to do what we do best at Macmillan Learning–learn more,” said Toni Chastain, Business Development Manager for Enterprise Solutions. The company learned about the innovative and surprising ways the tech was used to help transform learning from the university classroom to now anywhere in the world. “From bustling factory floors to remote locations abroad where traditional technology often falls short, iClicker is being used in all kinds of unconventional settings.” Why iClicker Clicks all the Right Buttons, So to Speak Macmillan Learning’s corporate customers are driven by various factors, including the need for engaging employee learning sessions that balance participation and focus. In environments where traditional training methods are either impractical or ineffective—such as noisy factory floors, remote oil rigs, or regions with limited technological infrastructure—standard educational tools can fall short. While the mobile app provides easy, on the go access, there are also physical devices available that use radio frequency and don't require extensive setup. or familiarization, making it ideal for use in places where time and resources are limited.  In fact, iClicker is currently being used successfully for new hire onboarding, continuing education courses, voting, training employees on internal systems, meeting OSHA requirements efficiently, and more. The platform’s inherent simplicity and ease-of-use allows the tech to work in so many different environments, ensuring that all employees, regardless of their work environment, have access to critical knowledge and skills. Most importantly, it helps keep employees interested in what they’re learning as well as to better retain that knowledge. “Our customers have shared with us that integrating iClicker into their training sessions has led to a notable boost in engagement. Gone are the days of passive observation; participants are now actively involved, eagerly participating in polls, posing questions, and contributing openly to discussions,” Chastain said. Breaking Boundaries: iClicker on the Move Imagine a group of engineers on a remote oil rig, where reliable internet connectivity is not an option. Unlike college classrooms, which take advantage of the ease of use on mobile phones, the physical iClicker is a durable and robust option designed to withstand travel and rough usage. It’s become critical in conducting safety training and compliance assessments, ensuring that even in the most isolated environments, education and safety protocols are strictly upheld. This adaptability is not confined to outdoor or remote settings. Inside oversized manufacturing facilities, where the noise and constant activity make traditional training methods less effective, iClicker helps in conducting periodic safety training and on-the-job learning sessions. The same holds true for iClicker’s customers of police and fire departments. The device's simplicity allows for quick setup and execution, with training sessions pre-planned or on the fly and allowing for educational opportunities as they’re needed. The story of iClicker's global journey doesn't end on factory floors. In parts of the world where technological infrastructure is minimal and the concept of a 'smart classroom' isn’t a viable option, iClicker has been a game-changer. For example, on regional public awareness and outreach programs in rural Africa, iClicker devices have enabled facilitators to deliver content and assessments without the need for local internet, reaching students who may otherwise be cut off. This can have a profound impact in bridging educational divides, making knowledge more accessible to all, regardless of location or local infrastructure. iClicker in Action Consider the case of a multinational corporation that decided to implement iClicker across its global training programs. With employees scattered across continents, many in areas with unreliable internet access, the company faced significant challenges in delivering consistent training. By integrating iClicker into their program, they were able to standardize training modules and assessments across all locations, ensuring that every employee, whether in a high-tech office in New York or a field site in rural India, received the same quality of training. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Trainers appreciated the ease with which they could set up and conduct sessions, and employees valued the interactive nature of the sessions, which made learning not just more engaging but also more effective.  As iClicker continues to be more widely used in a range of sectors and geographies, it proves that good technology does not just reside in its advanced features but also in its ability to adapt and be relevant in diverse settings. Through its journey across different industries and continents, iClicker exemplifies how technology can transcend traditional boundaries, facilitating learning and development in ways previously unimagined. It is a testament to the transformative power of simple, effective technological solutions in the global quest to find new and better ways of engaging employees. ... View more

AP Exams start this week! That means almost three million high school students across the nation are gearing up to take one or more of the standardized tests from the College Board, which offer an opportunity to earn college credits. These annual exams, covering subjects as varied as calculus, world history, and psychology, demand not only a deep understanding of content but also the ability to apply knowledge in complex scenarios.  The benefits of AP Exams go beyond the allure of gaining college credits; they allow students to challenge themselves academically, improve their college applications, and gain a taste of college-level courses. However, the rigorous nature of these exams can also be daunting. As the review sessions ramp up and the study sessions grow longer, students might feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of material and the pressure to perform well. We asked employees from Macmillan Learning and BFW Publishers to share some of their top tips and strategies to help students navigate their study sessions effectively, reduce stress, and maximize their performance on the upcoming AP Exams. Here’s what they shared with us: Try not to stress. Macmillan Learning employee Lisa Grosbier, Executive Rep for High School, wants students to know that they already have it in them to pass. “Relax and remember that you have worked all year towards this and you've got the skills and tools you need to nail this!” She also encourages students to try to get a good night sleep the night before and have a good breakfast the day of the exam. Space out studying over time. Janna Tolleson, High School Sales Rep for North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia encourages students to chunk their studying. “When you do that, it gives your brain time to process the information and make connections in your brain. When you go back to review and begin studying a second part, then the initial information becomes part of a stronger connection in your memory. It also helps you figure out where you're strong and where you need more review and it allows you the time to do that.” Focus on the essay. For some subjects, especially those in the humanities, the essay or free-response section is crucial; it can be make or break for passing as it often represents a significant portion of the exam's total score. Macmillan Learning Recruiter Ngozi Lush believes that focusing on that section is the way to go. “It's about how effectively you can compile evidence from texts you learned in class because the most prominent point is the contextual part of the essay session.” Use your textbook. Sr. Director of Communications Marisa Bluestone encourages students to go with the tried and true method of studying -- the textbook. “While it’s been some time since I took the exam, I remember relying heavily on my textbooks, as I knew they were designed specifically to support the AP Exams. Their structured explanations, detailed reviews of key concepts and practice questions are invaluable tools, and they provide practice scenarios that mirror the format of the AP Exams. It helped me turn my nervous energy into a focused, strategic approach to test preparation, which helped me pass all four exams.” Mix up the study tools. Macmillan Learning College Account Manager Rosie Loiacono recalls taking the AP exam, and offered one of her tips for getting a top score. “Use different media while studying! Watching videos, specifically the Crash Course series by John and Hank Green, helped me conceptualize all of my written notes by adding visuals and fun narration. If there's a podcast on the topic you can listen to while studying your note cards, it might help the info stick better.” Keep it in perspective. Janie Pierce-Bratcher, BFW Director of Marketing, reminds students about their self worth, noting “Remember that your value as a person is not determined by how you do on this exam. Regardless of the outcome, you are better for having pushed yourself to take this class. AP exams are hard, but the more you do hard things, the better you get at them. So, see, you’re better already and you haven’t even taken the exam. (This is coming from a mom who pushed her child and should’ve given this advice instead.)” Ed tech can help with practice. Katie McGaughey, Publisher's Rep Kansas & Western Missouri, noted that many students have access to educational technology and digital learning courseware like Sapling and LaunchPad. To help prepare for the test, they should take some of the sample exams and work through the solutions with their teachers. Write it out: BFW Marketing Intern Emily Wills wrote as she studied. “If I was taking a practice test or rereading notes and something felt important or it was something I kept misremembering, I'd write it down in a new set of notes. So then I'd have an extra study guide that was just the stuff I needed extra help with and physically writing it down helped solidify it in my memory.” Use memory tricks: Carter Brantley, also a BFW Marketing Intern, used buzzwords to help him remember what was important and trigger knowledge. He described it as “thinking of phrases that would help me to remember certain information. Like something that would bring all the information back.” As you can see, preparation for the AP exams is not just about memorizing facts; it’s about understanding concepts and applying them. Throughout the year, students put in tremendous effort, and these final days are just about pulling all that knowledge together. Use the tips shared by our Macmillan Learning and BFW experts to guide your study sessions, manage stress, and approach your exams with confidence. Good luck on the exams! ... View more

What if instead of getting in the way, AI could help students get deeper into topics that interest them?   I’ve been thinking about this since attending the College Board’s 2023 AP Annual Conference, where a panel of educators spoke about the role of generative AI in the classroom. The majority of teachers attending the session had not used AI and were apprehensive about how it could support them, until some of the early adopters started to share their experiences. A lot of light bulbs began to light up. It turned the conversation quickly from a negative focus on cheating to an emphasis on providing students with new opportunities to learn. Time has allowed more teachers to better understand what AI can do for them, and it is fueling excitement!  One teacher from the panel I caught up with, Bruno Morlan, of Acalanes High School (CA), has his AP History students practice answering questions with feedback from AI to help elicit more details needed for full credit. He’s used AI to help students decide where to do additional research in order to prepare for a presentation. “[AI] has not gotten in the way of honest academic work; it has students getting deeper into topics that interest them.”  We know that teachers are constantly learning, and AI literacy is at the forefront of lifelong learning for educators. Former Chief Reader for the APⓇ Psychology Exam and new coauthor on Myers' Psychology for the APⓇ Course, Elizabeth Yost Hammer, is empowering her students to learn AI literacy alongside other key skills in the college psychology classroom. “We teach critical thinking, we teach tech literacy, and we talk about how these come together in thinking critically about what we’re reading online.  Now we are talking about AI literacy broadly: how do you use it well, how do you critically think about it, and how do you use it ethically.”   Hammer is teaching students to create a hypothesis before using AI to assist in a research project. Students were a bit surprised to hear their professor suggesting they use AI.  At Xavier University of Louisiana, where Hammer serves as the director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Faculty Development, their mission is to develop students into leaders.  Hammer encourages her students to use AI as a tool, but to always imbue their voice in their work: “We need you at the table, and you are not going to be at the table if you don’t have a voice.”  AI literacy involves students understanding the benefits and the risks, checking information sources, and always developing their own thoughts.  This is preparing them for their time outside the classroom as they think about career opportunities, too.  At Macmillan Learning, we see AI creating more engaged students with an AI Tutor that we’re piloting in several disciplines in higher ed.  The tutor is prompted to chat with students in a Socratic communication style, aiming to stimulate intellectual curiosity and facilitate self-directed learning. The tutor will not simply provide the answer but is instead instructed to help students with a specific homework question.  Instructors piloting the tutor have reported that their students are getting the help they need in a safe space where they are not embarrassed to persist the way they might with a human tutor. Students are engaging and asking more questions when they don’t understand or need a reminder on key concepts or equations. One instructor noted: “The AI Tutor is helping students get started, resulting in less questions about the basics of how to work problems. This is allowing us to use help room time/office hours for more advanced questions and even some discussions!”  Whether you’re a college instructor or teaching high school, AI is sure to have an impact on your classroom and influence how students learn. Embracing AI doesn't mean losing the essence of teaching and learning; it's about amplifying it, making sure every voice is heard, and every piece of history is explored with a fresh perspective.  Let’s work together to prepare students not just for exams, but for a world where technology and humanity work together to spark new ideas and new voices with our engaged students.   ... View more

Today, April 22, communities around the globe unite in celebration of Earth Day, a testament to our collective commitment to protect our planet. This annual event draws attention to the pressing environmental challenges that face humanity and the natural world. Earth Day is an important reminder of the fragile beauty of our planet and the urgent need to safeguard it for future generations. It’s also an opportunity to teach about the impact that students can have. In an era where information is as abundant as it is accessible, it’s more important than ever that we anchor our understanding of our environment in solid, scientific facts. This is just as true for an article we read on the internet as it is for a high school environmental science textbook. It’s especially crucial in environmental science, where understanding the facts is key to comprehending the complexity of the issues involved. This is why, just ahead of Earth Day, I spoke to professors Andrew (Andy) Friedland and Rick Relyea, co-authors of Environmental Science for the AP Course, 4e about their experiences in teaching environmental science. Educational Impact through Experience and Engagement Many people initially encounter the natural world through their childhood exploration, yet they often rely on their teachers and textbooks to understand its complexities. For Friedland, this combination of experience and education in school was where he first discovered his passion for the environment.  As a student, he and his class helped clean up litter and clear walking paths at a wetland near their school, visiting it many times ahead of Earth Day. During these visits, they didn't just tidy up—they immersed themselves in the ecosystem. They identified tree and shrub species, learned about the natural history of those species, and even crafted interpretive signs that described the flora and fauna prevalent in the wetland. This approach not only allowed Friedland and his peers to explore and learn about the plant life around them, it also allowed them to participate in knowledge sharing by creating signage to communicate what they learned with others.  This and other experiences with the environment inspired Friedland and Relyea to nurture within their students the same kind of curiosity, wonder and confidence to contribute to positive changes in their own environments. This also meant helping their students realize success on the AP® Environmental Science Exam and inspiring them to want to learn even more about the world around them. “In looking at environmental science textbooks when we wrote the first edition of our book, we were struck by the fact that many students in environmental science classes experienced a sense of gloom and doom about the state of the planet. One of our goals was to provide a more balanced view of environmental issues and to identify the opportunities where steps could be taken to improve a diversity of environmental problems,” Relyea said.  A Balanced Perspective on Environmental Issues From scientific notation to biodiversity, their textbook explores the environment from a fact-based perspective, while at the same time conveying the authors’ passion for the world around them. A fact-based approach, such as the one in Environmental Science for the AP Course, promotes objective learning, allowing students to form their own opinions based on evidence. The approach has always been to avoid telling students what they should think about climate change, or any other environmental topic, but rather to look at the data for themselves and come to their own conclusions.  Friedland noted, “our book emphasizes objectivity and neutrality about environmental science: we don’t tell students (or teachers) what to think about the environment; we tell them how to think about the environment and give them the tools to understand, assess and evaluate environmental topics and problems.” For example, when bringing up a topic like nuclear energy, there can be strong feelings about how and whether it should be used. The book does not pass judgment —  telling the students whether something is good or bad —  but instead describes the pros and cons of nuclear fuel to generate electricity. It describes how it is a “clean” energy source in the conventional sense (e.g., no emissions of particulates, sulfur, or nitrogen oxides and perhaps most importantly, carbon dioxide) but it does leave behind radioactive waste.  “We strive to have students learn how to evaluate data and think like a scientist. When they do so, they will understand how our planet is changing, how human activities have contributed to these changes, and how we can work together to mitigate these changes,” Relyea said. Earth Day is Every Day Friedland wants teachers to know that every day is Earth Day. “There is nothing you can do to improve human sustainability on Earth if you do it only on one day a year. The actions and impacts of human beings need to be minimized on a daily basis if we are going to lower overall human impact on the planet.” Through their comprehensive textbook, they offer not just a compilation of data and research but help guide us through the complexities of ecological balance, human impact, and the path to sustainable living. But more than that, their title offers hope for the future.  “There are lots of reasons to be hopeful,” Relyea said. “With the will of the people, we can reverse many of the impacts that have been caused by human activities.”  Their work exemplifies the spirit of Earth Day — educating, inspiring, and empowering individuals and communities to base their environmental actions on sound scientific principles. Let this Earth Day be a reflection of our resolve to choose the path of informed, impactful environmental stewardship.   Friedland is the Richard and Jane Pearl Professor Emeritus in Environmental Studies at Dartmouth College and has served on panels for the National Science Foundation, USDA Forest Service, and Science Advisory Board of the Environmental Protection Agency. He has authored 80 peer-reviewed publications. Relyea is the David Darrin Senior ‘40 Endowed Chair in Biological Sciences at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He has authored more than 200 scientific articles and book chapters and presented research seminars throughout the world. ... View more

Accessibility may be hard to spell, but it shouldn’t feel like it’s hard to achieve. Accessibility is the extent and ease with which a person with a disability can perceive, navigate, interact with, and contribute to a product, service, or environment. It’s also commonly abbreviated as a11y, a numeronym where the number 11 represents the eleven letters between the first 'a' and the last 'y' in the word "accessibility."  Disabilities vary broadly and can impact a student's vision, hearing, movement, speech, and cognition. Each disability category encompasses a range of experiences; for example, visual disabilities can range from color blindness to total blindness. The goal of accessibility is to remove barriers and provide equal access and opportunity for students with disabilities.  Accessibility in education is not just about compliance or meeting legal requirements; rather, it's about creating an inclusive learning environment where all students feel like they belong and have the resources to succeed. By prioritizing accessibility, educational institutions and instructors can significantly impact students' learning experiences, outcomes, and overall well-being. Here are four quick tips for instructors who want to design an accessible course but don’t know where to start: Designing an Accessible Course  Build a relationship with your disability/accessibility offices to learn about the assistive technologies and services available to students with disabilities. By establishing a strong relationship with these offices, you can tap into a wealth of expertise and resources, including up-to-date information on assistive tools and best practices for accessibility. Some examples of assistive technologies include text-to-speech tools for textbooks, notetaking browser extensions, alternative keyboards, etc. Offer various ways to interact with course content, such as providing printable and digital formats. This course adjustment would support not only students with disabilities but also students with diverse learning styles and students studying in different environments. Offering multiple ways to interact with content can lead to increased engagement and even improved learning outcomes. Some things to keep in mind when creating course content: Digital formats should include readable text, meaning that the content is not an image. This allows students to use their text-to-speech or screen reader technologies.  Images that convey meaning, such as a mitochondria cell in a Biology handout should include alternative text (alt text) which offers a way for students who are blind or have low vision to perceive the content.  Materials should have appropriate color contrast. WebAIM offers a free Contrast Checker which can help determine if your foreground and background colors are compliant. Color should not be the only way to convey meaning. For example, if a bar graph only uses color to differentiate the values, students who are colorblind may not be able to perceive the information. Instead, try combining two elements like a color and a pattern.  Audio/video files should be captioned and include a transcript. If your video generator provides automated captions, review the output for accuracy.  To support students who are blind or have low vision, provide audio descriptions for videos that describe the visuals without interpreting them. Audio descriptions can be integrated into your usual audio recording process. Include an accessibility statement in your syllabus that encourages students to reach out to you with access needs. Adding this language signals to students that you are willing to discuss their individual needs and emphasizes your commitment to inclusion. Importantly, it encourages students who may be hesitant to request accommodations to know that they won’t be penalized for doing so. You can work with your disability services office for language and assistance. Label course materials with an intuitive naming convention. This practice removes unnecessary barriers for students using screen readers and other assistive technologies, as clear and predictable file names are essential for navigating course content efficiently. For example: Week 1 - Introduction to Psychology, Week 2 - Child Development, etc.  Additional Resources for Getting Started For instructors who use Macmillan Learning’s digital courseware, Achieve, this support documentation shares tips for how to create an accessible Achieve course. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) shares tips for how to get started with accessible design, writing, and development. W3C also shares user journeys of how people with disabilities use the web.  WebAIM shares articles on topics from standards and laws to document accessibility.  Deque, whose mission is centered around digital equality, published a beginner’s guide to accessibility.   Tetralogical, an accessibility consultancy firm, shares 10 simple accessibility tests that can be completed without specialty knowledge or tools.    Macmillan Learning’s accessibility team is here for you. If you have any questions about the accessibility of Macmillan Learning’s products or services, please contact webaccessibility@macmillan.com.   ... View more

Daniel Frank, PhD, is one of three subject matter experts who contributed to the first course at the Institute at Macmillan Learning, "Teaching with Generative AI: A Course for Educators." The course integrates diverse perspectives into the discourse surrounding AI in education by blending asynchronous and synchronous learning. It offers practical experience in formulating AI-related course policies, designing AI-informed assignments, and fostering dialogues with students on AI applications. Dr. Frank offers a unique perspective on AI in higher education, tackling three key questions from our AI webinar series last fall. Explore his background and insights on real queries from fellow professors for a closer look at the practical knowledge the Institute course will offer. Daniel Frank, PhD, teaches First Year Composition, multimedia, and technical writing within the Writing Program at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His research interests include AI Writing technologies, game-based pedagogy, virtual text-spaces and interactive fiction, passionate affinity spaces, and connected learning. Dan is always interested in the ways that new technologies interface with the methods of making, communicating, learning, and playing that students are engaged with across digital ecosystems. His pedagogical focus is always rooted in helping students find their own voices and passions as they learn to create, play, and communicate research, argumentation, and writing, across genres, networks, and digital communities. Should educators consider it their responsibility to educate students on the ethical and responsible use of AI tools, akin to how they teach the responsible use of platforms like Google and Wikipedia and tools like graphing calculators? Daniel Frank: It’s long been my position that the technology is (and is becoming increasingly) ubiquitous, and that attempting to ban all use or consideration of the technology will not remove the tech from our students’ lives, but will instead remove only honest approaches and conversations about the tech from the classroom. Generative AI is a strange technology that can be easily misunderstood and misused. I think it’s much more productive to bring the tools into the light so that they can be critically considered, rather than swept into the shadows for students to use in all the wrong ways. What are some strategies to foster students' intrinsic motivation through generative AI, focusing on methods that go beyond external incentives such as grades or assignment completion? Dan Frank: It’s worth noting that the points-based, grade-focused approach of much of traditional education isn’t conducive to the valuing of personal growth and development. If education is framed as a transactive process where students are here to get their grade and move on, they will turn to tools that promise to automate/alleviate that arduous process. If we want to instill in our students intrinsic motivation, we’ll have to create spaces in our curriculum for experimentation and risk taking. Students should be encouraged to see LLMs as the limited technologies they are and to value their own critical thinking, choices, and rhetorical sovereignty when interfacing with these tools, but the threat to have their work be ‘perfect’ to get the points they need will short-circuit that process and tempt then to cut corners. I think it can be very valuable to try to think about how, for instance, a paper that clearly uses too much generative AI at the cost of clear, unique, personalized, critical thinking might serve as a learning opportunity rather than an ‘I caught you’ moment. How can we harness AI to boost students' writing skills while ensuring they actively engage in the writing process rather than solely relying on AI-generated content? Dan Frank: I think the key to this is to help students learn to value what they can bring to the table that AI cannot. It’s very important to help students learn to critically ‘read’ the output of a Large Language Model (LLM) such as ChatGPT. Though this is a revolutionary technology, it still is deeply limited: it lacks the deeper thinking, creativity, and critical thinking that only a human brain can bring to a paper. Students can be taught to see how LLMs produce predictable sentence structures, throw around unnecessary ‘fluff,’ tend to sound like they’re ‘selling’ rather than analyzing, make gestures at ideas but don’t really unpack them, and so forth. The second part of this is to help students demystify the processes of composition. Many students think that if they can’t produce perfect, beautiful writing at the first attempt, they won’t be able to at all–but concepts such as freewriting, iterative drafting, think-pair-shares, clustering and mind mapping (which LLMS might help with!) can help students see that writing is a constant, continual, developing process, and that this is true for even the best writers in the world. I think that in understanding both of these elements, students can learn to value the development of their own unique voice and will be less inclined to resort to LLM output at the cost of their own rhetorical options. Learn more about the "Teaching with Generative AI" course. Learn more about Daniel Frank ... View more

The flagship course at the Institute at Macmillan Learning, "Teaching with Generative AI: A Course for Educators," was created with leading voices in the discourse of AI in higher education, including Antonio Byrd, PhD. The course combines asynchronous and synchronous learning, providing hands-on practice in crafting course policies regarding AI, creating AI-informed assignments, and engaging in discussions with students about AI usage. Dr. Byrd shares his unique perspective and insights centered around AI in education by answering three questions from our AI webinar series last fall. To gain insight into the practical knowledge offered by the Institute course, delve into his background and insights on real questions from professors like you. Antonio Byrd, PhD, is assistant professor of English at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. He teaches courses in professional and technical communication, multimodal composition, composition studies, and qualitative research methods. He serves on the Modern Language Association and Conference on College Composition and Communication Joint Task Force on Writing and AI (MLA-CCCC Joint Task Force on Writing and AI). Established in February 2023, this task force of scholars from different subfields of English gathers to support policies, assessments, and teaching about and with artificial intelligence in humanities classes and research. Antonio's first book manuscript From Pipeline to Black Coding Ecosystems: How Black Adults Use Computer Code Bootcamps for Liberation (The WAC Clearinghouse/University Press of Colorado) is forthcoming fall 2024. Based on your knowledge, experience, and/or research, how do students perceive the meaningfulness of feedback provided by AI compared to feedback from human sources? Antonio Byrd: In my first year writing class on research methods, I gave students the option to use a large language model for feedback on their literature reviews. Most students did not take this option, and instead relied on my and their peers’ comments. One student wrote in their self-assessment at the end of the unit that they didn’t like using artificial intelligence and found the human feedback more than helpful. I’ve given students the option to use LLMs for other tasks, and most do not take them. I suspect students bring some critical orientations to AI already and we should reveal those orientations to shape our policies and pedagogical decisions.  What does the future of AI in education look like, and how can educators prepare for upcoming advancements and challenges in this field? Antonio Byrd: The future of AI in education is probably already here. Many educational technology companies offer software already fused with artificial intelligence, such as Grammarly and Google Docs. Rather than going to a website to access a chatbot, the chatbot will come to them in learning management software. Arizona State University has gone a step further by partnering with OpenAI to create AI tools specific to the needs of their students. Educators need to be at the decision-making table when their institutions decide to switch from banning generative AI to willingly integrating them into existing learning tools.  Given the absence of established institutional policies regarding AI usage, particularly in the context of plagiarism, how can educators navigate the ethical considerations surrounding AI adoption? Should using ChatGPT or other generative AI tools to respond to exam questions be considered a form of plagiarism? Antonio Byrd: Navigating ethical considerations and policies for AI adoption may need to be a grassroots effort among faculty and even students. What those policies look like might depend on the discipline and their specific approach to critical inquiry and problem-solving. I think there should be some kind of tiered alignment from institutions to the classroom syllabus; not a copy and paste of the department’s copy and paste of the institution’s broad policy, but one that takes themes from one bigger tier and adapts it down the line to individual classrooms. Even in classrooms, instructors may set ground rules or guidance with students based on the class content.   Learn more about the "Teaching with Generative AI" course. Learn more about Antonio Byrd ... View more

Leonardo da Vinci epitomizes the essence of productivity and innovation. His remarkable ability to juggle painting, engineering, anatomy, and invention with mastery and creativity can serve as a beacon for those seeking to enhance their productivity in today's fast-paced world. In an era where the digital landscape presents both vast opportunities and challenges, the wisdom of one of history's most brilliant minds can offer some invaluable lessons. As students navigate the challenges and opportunities of the digital age, they may want to consider how the wisdom of one of history’s greatest minds could be applied to enhance their own productivity. Below, we explore how da Vinci's timeless strategies, coupled with AI and other modern technology, can lead to a renaissance in modern productivity for students. Curiosity as a Productivity Engine: Da Vinci’s insatiable curiosity propelled him to explore diverse fields of study, much like how a modern professional might seek continuous learning opportunities to stay ahead in their career. In a world where information is at our fingertips, fostering a culture of curiosity is more crucial than ever. AI may be able to serve as a modern torchbearer of da Vinci’s insatiable quest for knowledge.  AI-powered educational platforms, or the tools within these platforms, can adapt to a student's learning style and pace, presenting personalized challenges and topics of interest. For instance, AI tutoring systems can suggest resources on new subjects based on the student’s interactions and progress, fueling curiosity and encouraging self-directed learning.  Meticulous Organization and Note-Taking: Da Vinci kept detailed notebooks filled with sketches, scientific diagrams, and observations. Just as his notebooks were the holding place of new ideas, today's digital tools offer students unparalleled opportunities for organization.  AI-enhanced apps and programs not only store information but also actively help us make connections between disparate ideas. With these tools, students can keep organized notes, prioritize tasks so they can meet deadlines, track their coursework, monitor their progress and even document their ideas.  Setting and Reflecting on Goals: Da Vinci often undertook projects that pushed the boundaries of his knowledge and skills. Similarly, goal setting in the digital age is not just about ambition; it's about reflection and adaptation. Regular reflection on goals can be instrumental in helping students assess where they are and help them get to where they want to be.  Macmillan Learning understands that goal setting and reflection (GRS) is critical to the learning process, and we’ve embedded it within Achieve, our digital learning platform. Our GRS surveys engage each of the three phases of metacognition: planning (where students set goals and plan how to accomplish them), monitoring (where students check in on and track their progress), and evaluating (where students decide whether or not their strategies have been successful, and decide to seek help). Knowing what you want to achieve and setting a plan for how to achieve it can be a helpful boost for productivity! Balancing Breadth and Depth: While da Vinci is known for his diverse interests, he also delved deeply into subjects, mastering them. The Renaissance is distinguished by its holistic approach to knowledge and creativity, where disciplines were deeply interconnected. This encouraged individuals like da Vinci to be both artists AND scholars.  Personalized learning platforms can help support that holistic approach, helping students to achieve a balance between exploring a wide range of subjects and diving deep into specific areas of interest. By analyzing a student’s engagement and comprehension levels, these platforms (like Learning Curve, Achieve’s adaptive quizzing engine) can suggest when to broaden learning horizons and when to focus more intensely on mastery. Rest and Diversification as Sources of Inspiration: da Vinci recognized the value of rest and varied pursuits, which fueled his creativity and productivity. Da Vinci knew the value of stepping away from his work to find inspiration in the world around him. Modern productivity advice often echoes this, advocating for breaks, hobbies, and activities outside of work to rejuvenate the mind and inspire innovation.  Today, AI can remind us when to take a break, ensuring our brains have time to rest and our creativity remains sparked. One way to do this is through AI-based wellness and productivity apps. These can monitor a student's study habits and suggest optimal times for breaks, relaxation, and engaging in hobbies or physical activities, which can help prevent burnout. (Learn more about our thinking on this here.) By looking to the past, we can find enduring strategies to navigate the complexities of modern life and work, much like how da Vinci navigated the renaissance era's challenges and opportunities. He showed us the power of blending curiosity, planning, and learning.  Today, we have the tools to bring his vision into the 21st century, transforming how students can plan for both their present and future. At Macmillan Learning, inspired by da Vinci's enduring curiosity, we constantly explore innovative methods to boost student productivity. As we continue to harness educational technology and AI, we help pave the way for a new era of productivity, where balance, curiosity, and continuous learning all fuel students’ success. ... View more

Dr. Brenda Stevenson is a busy woman. “I sort of have three jobs at the moment,” she said. When she’s not fulfilling her teaching duties as the Nickoll Family Endowed Chair in the Department of History and Professor of African American Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), or as the inaugural Hillary Rodham Clinton Chair in Women’s History at St. John’s College, Oxford University, she’s serving on a Civil Rights committee for President Joe Biden. As a woman with such distinguished roles as those, Macmillan Learning is proud to have Dr. Stevenson as part of the author team for the sixth edition of Through Women’s Eyes. It’s because of authors like Dr. Stevenson that our textbooks and courseware are successful, helping to achieve Macmillan Learning’s mission to inspire what’s possible in every learner. Dr. Stevenson also embodies that mission, for she herself is a lifelong and constant learner; one who shares her knowledge with her students, so that they, in turn, can use that knowledge as they navigate the world and its histories. Join us in getting to know Dr. Stevenson in our Author Spotlight series. From ‘science geek’ to ‘history buff’ Dr. Stevenson was a self-identified ‘science geek’ in high school. She grew up in Portsmouth, Virginia, to parents who wanted her to become a physician, or a lawyer, but not a teacher. When she started her undergraduate studies as an Echols Scholar at University of Virginia, Dr. Stevenson listened to her parents and began a pre-med track. She was going to become a doctor. Dr. Stevenson followed through on that promise to become a doctor (it’s in her title), but not the kind of doctor that she or her parents had anticipated. Instead, she learned a hard truth that many other STEM students learn when transitioning to college: science is much more difficult at the collegiate level than it is in high school. Fortunately, as part of the Echols Scholars Program, Dr. Stevenson was able to explore other interests early in her undergraduate career. The Echols Scholars Program at the University of Virginia is unique in that it includes the top two percent of the freshman class, and these students need only to take a certain number of academic hours to graduate. “Of course, it was a fun program because we were able to live together like in Greek life,” she said of being an Echols Scholar, "but the best part was that we were able to take whichever courses we wanted. It gave me the intellectual freedom to discover other areas of study outside of the sciences,” said Dr. Stevenson. Students in the Echols Scholars Program would ask one another which classes they’d taken or were taking and provide each other with recommendations. “You ask what your friends are taking and you get sort of drawn into it,” said Dr. Stevenson, “so I remember taking an African American literature class taught by Professor Arnold Rampersad. I didn’t know anything about it beforehand, but his course was mind-opening.” Dr. Stevenson described taking Dr. Rampersad’s course as serendipitous because he was only at the University of Virginia for the year that she took his course. “It sparked an interest in me that lay dormant but was very much awakened,” she said. Growing up in the South, Dr. Stevenson was surrounded by history. Her mother shared with her what it was like to grow up on the same farm where her family had been enslaved, and her father told stories about running away as a child during the Great Depression. “To top it off,” said Dr. Stevenson, “many of our family vacations were to visit local historic sites like Yorktown or Williamsburg. It was as if I couldn’t escape history!” Perhaps Dr. Stevenson really couldn’t escape history. Everywhere she looked there was a statue, a plaque, or a street named in honor of an important historical figure. “Despite what I told myself,” she chuckled, “that I was so tired of history, and that I was never going to become a teacher, I began to be pulled in that direction.” After a talk by a professor from Yale University, Dr. John Blassingame, about his book, Dr. Stevenson was hooked. She decided she would continue onto graduate school to study with Dr. Blassingame at Yale, and she would need to break this news to her parents. “I promised them that I would go to law school after I completed the master’s program,” she said. If she wasn’t going to become a physician, then Dr. Stevenson would become a lawyer. “That certainly did not happen,” she said. “Dr. Blassingame convinced me to apply to the PhD program and well, the rest is history, as they say.” Teaching to learn, writing to learn Dr. Stevenson is currently teaching two courses: a survey course on African American history to a large undergraduate class of about 125 students and a graduate level course focused on Black women in the Atlantic World in the period of 1650 to 1850. “Both classes have been wonderful so far,” said Dr. Stevenson. “I haven’t taught the survey course in about 20 years, which meant I needed to write new lectures–an arduous but exciting task because I get to do something new by returning to something old.” Her graduate-level course includes students from both UCLA and Oxford. “It’s been amazing to have people from both sides of the pond, as they call it, reading the same material and thinking about how it interacts with their own work and research,” she said. Dr. Stevenson’s favorite part about teaching is opening up students’ minds to things they didn’t know beforehand. “At the undergraduate level, I love seeing them being awakened to American history but also the kinds of histories within our nation and globally that allow them to create the knowledge they will eventually share with the world,” she said. Just like her undergraduate students, Dr. Stevenson finds her graduate students inspiring. “They pose such interesting questions–things I’d not thought about before–and it creates new opportunities for me to explore history from other perspectives and write about it.” For Dr. Stevenson, both teaching and writing serve as outlets for her insatiable curiosity and desire to continue learning. “I like learning about ordinary people,” she said, “and teaching about ordinary people.” Trained as a social historian, Dr. Stevenson examines how people’s lives are impacted by larger historical and societal forces. “I write mostly about women,” she said, “and I want people to see that you can be quite ordinary but do extraordinary things. Women’s impact in our country and around the world is undeniable.” Dr. Stevenson writes about topics that she would like to learn more about. “I wrote a book about three very different women,” she said. “One was a Korean woman, another was African American, and the third was Jewish. It was the most challenging book I’ve written because I needed to deeply understand the histories of these three distinct women and their cultures.” When Dr. Stevenson believes she has really captured the voices of the people whom she writes about, she feels most proud of her writing. “It’s something I’m doing for these historical women, for myself, and for my audience,” she said. This includes the sixth edition of Through Women’s Eyes, a text that spans the entirety of American history but with women at the center of it all. “It’s such a wonderful text, and it was a pleasure to work with Dr. Ellen DuBois on the most recent edition,” said Dr. Stevenson. The state of women’s history Through Dr. Stevenson’s career, much has changed in the discipline of history. “When I was in graduate school,” she said, “Women’s Studies was quite new but was starting to develop in such a magnificent way.” Dr. Stevenson described her time as a student as an explosion of intellectual curiosity about women. “People were starting to pay more attention to women who were marginalized, women who were poor, or middle or upper class, or famous women,” she said. More recently, Dr. Stevenson recognizes advancements in gender theory in Women’s Studies. “Today, more than ever before,” she said, “people are exploring the boundaries of womanhood and girlhood–of what it means to transition and become ‘woman’.” As Dr. Stevenson puts it, the world is starting to catch up. “In the 80s and 90s,” she said, “it was the Western world paving the way. In the United States, England, and other parts of Europe, people started to earn their doctorate degrees in Women’s Studies or History. Today, women’s history is starting to become something synonymous with society and culture. It’s wonderful to see.”   Brenda Elaine Stevenson (PhD, Yale University) is the inaugural Hillary Rodham Clinton Chair of Women’s History at the University of Oxford and the inaugural Nickoll Family Endowed Chair in History at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is the author of the award-winning monographs: Life in Black and White: Family and Community in the Slave South; and The Contested Murder of Latasha Harlins: Justice, Gender and the Origins of the L.A. Riots. She is also the author of What Is Slavery?; the editor of the Journals of Charlotte Forten Grimké; and the co-author of The Underground Railroad. Her new monograph, What Sorrows Labour in My Parent’s Breast?: A History of the Enslaved Black Family, appeared in April 2023. She was appointed by President Biden to serve on the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board in 2022. When she is not teaching or writing, she is an avid gardener and teaches Sunday school to what she describes as “adorable six and seven year-olds”. ... View more

“I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.” -Albert Einstein I love questions. I always have. From the simplest idea to the most complex mystery, I have always loved how the sheer act of asking questions opened the door to a new idea, a better understanding, or a discovery. And I’m not the only one. From an early age, questioning emerges naturally. Toddlers famously pepper their caregivers with endless "whys?"—inquiring about everything from why the sky is blue to why bedtime comes so early. But early questioning hints at a valuable lifelong tool: curiosity, an innate desire to explore and better understand the world around them.  As we get older, the questions don’t stop. We explore new ideas in classrooms, our homes, and the world around us. We thrive on discovering and learning. In today’s modern workplace, honing that skill is essential. Curating a Culture of Curiosity The world of work has changed a lot over the past five years, but arguably one of the most impactful to our collective future was the explosive re-emergence of artificial intelligence in 2022. Almost immediately, workers of all professions began worrying about being replaced by machines or more accurately, an uber-efficient AI. The speed with which AI is evolving demands a workforce that is driven by a desire to question, learn, and adapt; a workforce that imagines what could be. Those who explore their curiosity are not only better equipped to leverage AI's potential but also to anticipate its impact on their work. One critical step in nurturing curiosity is to recognize the need for a change in mindset; or, in other words, reevaluating how we could view this technology and what it may make possible. Instead of fearing the creep of AI or the possibility of a future where it replaces work, we could see it as a collaborator that enhances our capabilities. At Macmillan Learning, we offer our employees a continuous series of learning and development opportunities to encourage them to dig in, learn, and experiment. And with a pinch of curiosity, we can dare to explore what could be.  Asking the Right Questions How can AI help us to understand and meet teaching and learning needs more effectively? In what ways can AI contribute to a more equitable and inclusive workplace? What role should AI play in improving engagement and outcomes? How can we best prepare students for the workforce of the future? By asking questions, we begin a journey of learning and discovery, and ultimately personal and professional growth. Using curiosity as a tool means not just asking questions, but asking the right questions. It means understanding the problem you are trying to solve and creating the questions to get to the core, layer by layer.  Beyond the big questions, we can use AI in our everyday work to enhance our creativity and productivity. The more we ask and learn, the better AI will perform for us.  Each question, each additional prompt, reveals something that we can then use our uniquely human skills to address. Our capacity to question, think, and critically analyze are all necessary functions to find the best results. By learning how to develop those questions that challenge the way we think, we can spot opportunities for change and innovation, making curiosity one of the most powerful tools for exploration.  The path forward is filled with both promise and uncertainty, and there is real courage in stepping into the unknown armed only with questions and a willingness to discover. Providing a safe environment where employees are encouraged to inquire, experiment, learn, and even fail at times, will result in a team that is not only better equipped to tackle the uncertainties of the future but importantly, become an active participant in shaping that journey. What’s Next? The future of work isn’t waiting for us to be ready for it. It’s here now. So how does one even begin to cultivate a culture of curiosity? Maybe a first step is to ask yourself today: How can I leverage AI to enhance my unique human capabilities? In this journey, it is important to note that new technical skills are important, but it’s most often softer skills that will need to be nurtured to help employees thrive in a future workplace: adaptability, creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration. AI is a tool that works best when coupled with human drive, so with a shift in mindset and an openness to explore what’s possible, employees can more effectively harness AI's power to navigate ongoing change.  It is curiosity that propels us to explore that “next thing.” Embracing curiosity in the age of AI is not just about keeping pace with technology—it's about shaping the future of work. It’s about fostering innovation and resilience. It’s about creating a space where we can use our human abilities to take the next steps to create meaningful change.  Could the simple power of curiosity be the asset that unlocks that next great opportunity? Because, I have a few questions... ... View more