Today, the fifteenth of February, marks the middle of Black History Month in the United States and Canada. Though the roots of this affinity month date back to the 1920s with the recognition of “Negro History Week” by the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), a month-long affinity period was first proposed in 1969 by educators and students at Kent State University, followed by their first celebration of Black History Month in 1970.  Historically, both educators and students have played a pivotal role in changing culture; for it is often their firm belief that education and knowledge lead to the empowerment of marginalized groups. To them, classrooms have served as places where ideas are fostered, engaged with, and critiqued; students should leave them feeling equipped to enter the world as positive change-makers, sharing with others the history that they have learned and tools they’ve acquired to become the difference they want in the world.  However, classrooms have not always been accessible and inclusive to all students, as education was once–and too often remains–a symbol of status and privilege. Where and when education has been made equitable and accessible to underserved populations, the most significant cultural change occurs.  Going back in history, we recognize time and time again the impact that education has made in advancing the rights and freedoms of marginalized peoples in the United States and elsewhere. For Black History Month this year, we’re recognizing seven Black leaders who understood the power of education to inspire what’s possible for the generations that followed.  Septima Poinsette Clark (1898 - 1987) Referred to as “The Mother of the Civil Rights Movement” by Martin Luther King Jr., Septima Poinsette Clark was an educator and civil rights activist best known for organizing citizenship schools for African Americans. The schools were developed with the goal of improving literacy among African Americans in the Deep South, which, Clark hoped, would also empower these communities to learn about citizenship rights and become active in the fight for voting rights.  Mary McLeod Bethune (1875 - 1955) Founder of the Daytona Literary and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls in 1904, Mary McLeod Bethune spent decades of her life developing and improving educational opportunities for Black youth. Her school eventually merged with the boy’s Cookman Institute in 1931 to become the Bethune-Cookman College, of which she became president. In 1935, Bethune founded the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW); she earned a full-time staff position at the National Youth Administration (NYA) in 1936, where she was quickly appointed to Director of the Division of Negro Affairs; and in 1938, after befriending Eleanor and Franklin Rooselvelt, Bethune formed the Federal Council of Negro Affairs, which served as an advisory board to President Roosevelt.  Anna Julia Cooper (1858 - 1964) One of the first African American women to earn a doctoral degree, Anna Julia Cooper emphasized the importance of education for Black women and is considered one of the most significant contributors to the field of African American women’s studies through her scholarly work. Her first book, A Voice from the South: By a Black Woman of the South, is considered her most important work and is recognized as one of the earliest books about Black feminism. In 1930, she became the president of Frelinghuysen University, where she was dedicated to increasing literacy among unskilled Black workers.  William Leo Hansberry (1894 - 1965) William Leo Hansberry, a pioneering scholar in African history and studies at Howard University, was the first to teach African history at a university in the United States. During his more-than-forty-year tenure at Howard University, Hansberry mentored many African and African American students, including Kwame Nkrumah, who would later become the first prime minister and president of Ghana, and Nnamdi Azikiwe, who was a driving force in the movement for Nigerian independence and became the country’s first president.  Marva Collins (1936 - 2015)  Dedicated to providing high-quality education to low-income African American students, Marva Collins founded the Westside Preparatory School in Chicago in 1975. With decades of teaching experience in the inner-city Chicago Public School system, Collins developed innovative teaching methods that instilled confidence and a love for learning in her students, achieving academic success with children that were mislabeled by the Chicago Public School system as being learning disabled. Together with her daughter, Collins ran the school for more than 30 years.  Carter Godwin Woodson (1875 - 1950)  Often referred to as the “Father of Black History”, Carter Godwin Woodson was an educator and historian who devoted his life to promoting the study of African American history. In 1915, Woodson founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, which created Negro History Week in 1926. Woodson elected to celebrate Black history in the middle of February each year because the time coincides with the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln (February 12) and Frederick Douglass (February 14). While Woodson did not live to experience Negro History Week becoming Black History Month, he is one of the most important driving forces behind the February designation.  Johnnetta Betsch Cole (1936 - )  The first female African American president of Spelman College, Johnnetta Betsch Cole is a prominent advocate for diversity and inclusion in education. While at Spelman College, Cole established innovative programs aimed at empowering African American women and promoting academic excellence and social responsibility. Cole also served as the Director of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African Art, became the 7th president for the National Council of Negro Women (2018 - 2022), and was once considered for the cabinet post of Secretary of Education. ... View more

What is modern love? That’s a question that The New York Times seeks to address in its weekly column. Though a specific, yet generalizable answer remains elusive; modern love takes on a different shape for everyone. It’s not always romantic. Sometimes it’s transactional. And sometimes it’s about seeking the love that one never had before but wishes they could find–or create for oneself–in the future.  This was the type of love that Heather Sellers, author of The Practice of Creative Writing and Professor of Creative Writing at University of South Florida, grapples with in her 2013 submission to the Modern Love column. With the title “Do Not Adjust Your Screen Or Sound,” the reader immediately wonders what type of love story this could be. A long-distance relationship between a couple overwhelmingly in love with one another? One of scandal and heartbreak caused by infidelity? Within the first two paragraphs, the reader learns that it is neither. Rather, it is a story about a daughter and her father. A story about reconnection and forgiveness–and whether or not it’s possible to forgive. It’s also a story that redefines what love can become when it is contained to a box–a desktop computer screen.  For this year’s Valentine’s Day, we asked Heather to reflect on both her essay from ten years ago and the more recent Modern Love podcast episode in which she was asked to read excerpts from her essay and provide commentary. Keep in mind that there may be spoilers in our interview with Heather, so we encourage you to read her essay and check out the podcast first.  Heather Sellers, Professor of Creative Writing, University of South FloridaIn your Modern Love essay, you’re searching for a kind of love with your father. In doing so, I couldn’t help but feel that in searching for love–that almost fantasy perfect parent-child love that we all recognize in books and movies–you were also redefining what “love” could mean. You even describe yourself as finally feeling like a “normal daughter” through the process of reconnecting with your father. Could you talk about what it was like to strive for this ideal type of love that children desire from their parents?  I wanted, very much, to have a relationship with my father, even though it was pretty clear not much was available. I wanted to be able to feel I loved my dad. And she had a father. I was under no illusions this would look anything like a fairy tale. I just wanted to feel, before he died, that we had connected in some authentic way, that we had known each other, and maybe, in spite of enormous difficulty, that there was some mutual cherishing. That striving for connection with the parent is hardwired in. I don’t think there was any way I could escape that longing–no matter how awful things were. And they were awful, much more awful than I could permit myself to acknowledge, for a very long time. I needed to protect him. But more importantly, I needed to protect myself. How is your understanding of “love” different after not only writing this essay, but also reflecting on it 10 years later?  What I’ve learned in working with the truly amazing team at The New York Times is that it’s so crucial to keep looking at our relationships, to keep turning them over, and examining every nook and cranny for meaning. My understanding of “love” is much more nuanced and complex now than it was when I was a younger woman, craving some kind of healing in that family. So, I’m sorting out, in the essay and in the subsequent process via the podcast, how to sort out the longing for love with love itself. (Aren’t we all?) In the end, there’s this: I showed up for my dad. He was not able to do that for me. I showed up anyway. I’m gobsmacked by how much fantasy I had to construct in order to pull that off (much more fantasy than I understood at the time, at the end of his life). But I have no regrets about showing up, and telling myself it all went much, much better than it actually did. I have a lot of compassion for the woman who did that–tried to make us look like good, loving people. She wanted that fantasy so badly! Could you tell us more about decisions made when writing the original essay? In the podcast, you laugh about what you wrote 10 years prior and admit to the host “That’s not true” about certain scenes in the essay. Yet, the essay remains quite true and reflective of what you were feeling at that time. Is it fair to say that this essay captures what happened, while simultaneously depicting how you wish things would have been different?  I haven’t listened to the podcast, and I can’t imagine doing so. I laughed? Wow. That must be a laugh of…shock.   I hadn’t reread the piece since I wrote it 10 years ago. They asked me to wait, and to read it cold, on the air. I was crying when I came upon those tender, tender words written by that younger self, that daughter who so desperately wanted to have a beautiful ending with her dad. That laugh–it’s a gasp, that kind of defended laughing we do when we’re feeling caught, perhaps.  Nothing I said in the essay is false, exactly. It’s not true though, the way it’s framed–that we talked, over a period of days, in a loving and connected way. My dad did not have that capacity. Not at the end of life, not ever. It was super hard for me to let go of the notion I could enforce a meaningful relationship. I imagine that you must encourage your students to pursue similar experiments in their creative writing. How do the two–memories and lived experiences combined with wishes and desires–marry in the creative writing process?  In my classes at University of South Florida, the work is to train students to observe the external world, and to carefully observe their internal worlds–to work the muscles of paying closer attention, on a daily basis. It’s such hard work and so much practice is required just to be semi-proficient. (This is what my textbook is about!) The mind is always wanting to get in there, and to pull in emotion and judgment. All my assignments come from this objective. But I think I know what you mean–the writer has to work to portray those disjunctures, where one thing is happening before us, and a very different reality is playing out internally. Your question makes me want to write an assignment sequence based on this premise–it’s so smart. On it! I want to briefly discuss the “desktop-sized box” in your essay to which your father is effectively contained. You write “Here, in a box, was a man I could love.” This was, of course, during a time before the pandemic and the boom of video communication as we know it today. How do you see these boxes (our computers, cellular phones, etc.) changing the way we both communicate with and love one another moving forward?  It’s so wonderful to be able to see our people, in real time, in this way. It’s been life changing! I have severe face blindness, a neurological disability that prevents me from reliably recognizing people, even my closest associates. So to be able to always know who I am with, at all times–I can’t even begin to tell you how transformative this has been for me. So in terms of access, and ability, and thinking about what we know about connectedness as being critical for not just mental health, but physical health, I’m thrilled we have these visual, real time communication tools. Life changing. Lastly, I have to ask because it continues to be a topic on everyone’s mind. The box itself now has a mind of its own with the emergence of artificial intelligence. Could you please share a little bit about how you are incorporating AI in your teaching and perhaps in your own writing?  As a creative, I’m always going to be a fan of disruption and the AI disruption, which has been around for some time, is exciting. Because of ChatGPT thundering onto the scene, this past summer, I retooled every assignment in my courses. Every assignment. My old ways of working to assess student learning are no longer remotely relevant. Labor intensive, but I loved getting to think intently about what it is I’m teaching, and how students are learning, and how our conversations can be productively shaped and advanced because of AI. I use AI as a tool all the time–to help me create our annual program review (so helpful), to write recommendation letters, and to generate content for all kinds of writing situations at work.  In the classroom, we are called to teach a new set of skills to our students, helping them shape the material generated by AI tools, and to learn about the suite of tools that is available. These skills are ones we have always been teaching in our revision modules–the shift for us is only a slight one, but it’s a crucial one. Creative writing students are capable of all kinds of interesting and complex projects, and part of my work is giving the students agency to come up with AI uses in the creative writing classroom that will deepen our connection to language, and to each other. I begin class with a poem written by AI, so we can talk about all the things that humans can do, and must do. It’s an exciting time. As a teacher, I’m super interested in a conversation that keeps at the fore all the ways in which English and writing studies programs can remain a vibrant, core part of every learner’s development as a thinker and a creator. ... View more

At Macmillan Learning, our commitment to education and the transformative power of learning are at the forefront of our mission: "inspiring what’s possible for every learner." We understand that learning is an inherently human experience, and that technology can play an important role to support it. But with new technologies come new responsibilities and new questions we must ask ourselves; and in our journey to develop AI-driven educational tools, we’re aiming to establish thoughtful governance. While AI can be incredibly helpful to both students and instructors, there are flaws in many AI tools that may negatively impact the learning journey. Given the potential challenges of AI-driven tools, we became determined to avoid perpetuating biases whenever possible, maintain high ethical standards to guide development of digital tools, and seek active guidance from experts.    To navigate these ethical waters successfully, we sought guidance from experts with deep knowledge of both higher education and AI tools. Additionally, we wanted to ensure that the perspectives and experiences of our instructors and students were represented in the advisory process. This led to the creation of two advisory boards, the Macmillan Learning Ethics Advisory Board and the Data Privacy Board. Together, the boards help us to explore complex issues like ethical and equitable ways to ensure representation of the diverse groups we serve, effective mitigation of data privacy concerns, and improvements in how we could leverage AI to fortify our research practices. Our Ethics Advisory Board In my role leading our Learning Science and Insights team, I helped manage the ethics advisory board, which is composed of distinguished individuals who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. Each of the advisory board members were carefully selected for their deep understanding of AI and their direct interactions with students; they worked roles that range from Data Science and Data Activist to Professor of Learning Analytics. The advisory board held two virtual sessions during the summer of 2023. In the first session, we presented the Macmillan Learning preliminary AI guidelines, which aimed to establish principles for the responsible development and use of AI in education. The board members provided valuable feedback, helping us refine our guidelines and develop a mission statement that would guide all our AI-related work. Our Mission: "We create research-driven opportunities through AI for educators to better support the diversity of students within their learning environments." We next worked together to create AI principles that will guide our product development. Our AI Principles Based on the feedback and insights gained from these sessions, the Macmillan Learning team is now diligently working on the development of new AI technologies. These technologies are designed to support our instructors and students in meaningful and equitable ways while adhering to the ethical principles established with the guidance of our advisory board. As refined with the advisory board's input, our principles are: We are transparent, accountable, and ethical in how we use AI. We keep people at the center of AI oversight and improvement. We promote AI literacy and education on AI safety, ethics, and responsible use. We strictly observe, monitor, and improve data privacy and security principles. We continually monitor our AI tools and research to verify that we are not introducing unintended harms or exacerbating inequalities. We continually learn from diverse groups of experts to improve AI safety and ethics.  As we move forward, we remain committed to using AI as a tool to augment learning, while also retaining the humanity of learning and fostering meaningful and transferable educational experiences. AI can be a helpful companion on the path to learning, and we are determined to make that learning journey safe, reliable, effective, and unbiased for every learner.  We recognize that our work isn't done. The landscape of AI is constantly evolving, and so we remain committed to updating our practices and policies to ensure our research and development practices are ethical and transparent.  By continuing to have conversations with our learners seeking expert guidance, and undertaking  collaborative explorations of AI's potential uses, we underscore the broader narrative - that the integration of AI into education must always be guided by ethical considerations and a deep commitment to keep learning at the heart of what we do at Macmillan Learning. Stay tuned as we continue to shape the future of AI in education. Read more about Macmillan Learning’s AI journey, including Generative AI and Product Development: What We’ve Learned & What’s Ahead,  The Impact of AI on the Inherently Human Experience of Learning, and how we’re Readying our Workforce for an AI World. ... View more

On the surface, gaming and academic learning may seem fundamentally opposed—perhaps even antithetical—to one another. After all, what place could the cult classic Mario Kart, for example, possibly have in the classroom?  The intersection of technology and pedagogy has given rise to transformative approaches that both captivate and inspire learners. Though AI has recently saturated much of the conversation surrounding technology and education, the concept of gamification in learning has been comparatively more studied and is utilized across many of the digital platforms we know and love.  Merriam-Webster defines gamification as “the process of adding games or game-like elements to something (such as a task) so as to encourage participation;” in this case, gamification represents a unique opportunity to integrate game elements into educational platforms, designed to enhance engagement, motivation, and student learning outcomes (Armstrong & Landers, 2017; Rigby & Ryan, 2011). Studies suggest that gamification can positively impact cognitive, motivational, and behavioral learning outcomes (Sailer & Homer, 2019). In particular, the inclusion of engaging game fiction—a setting, context, and stakes—as well as competition and collaboration have been shown to benefit learning. As its name implies, the nostalgic first-person role playing game The Oregon Trail leads players through a journey inspired by and based on the historical event, which is a clear example of the use of game fiction in teaching history. In addition, trivia games such as Pictionary or Jeopardy encourage both team-based competition and collaboration.  Given the increasing number of distance learning and hybrid classrooms, student engagement in all formats is more important now than ever before. Therefore, here are four research-backed ways that instructors can incorporate gamification in the classroom now: Create leaderboards. A leaderboard can introduce healthy, low-stakes competition to the classroom. Instructors may provide a visual representation of team or class-wide achievements, whether based on a single activity or as a semester-long tracker. Students, “competing” in teams, would be able to benchmark their progress against their peers, fostering a sense of camaraderie and shared achievement. For example, instructors assigning Macmillan Learning’s LearningCurve adaptive quizzes can challenge students to compete for percentage completion, all the while working in opportunities for further understanding.  Add quests and ground content in a story. The inclusion of game fiction is particularly effective in grounding learning in a relatable or memorable context. To take this a step further, instructors may develop “quests” for students to embark upon, whether through story-based challenges or milestones. By weaving educational content into a compelling storyline, gamification transcends rote memorization. This allows students to connect with the material on a deeper level, enhancing long-term retention and understanding.  Create and launch live polls. Much like games provide players with relatively low-stakes opportunities to practice their skills and engage with content, live polls can similarly encourage students to do the same. Macmillan Learning’s iClicker helps instructors facilitate effective polls while offering unique insights and analytics to visualize student response data. Coupled with a leaderboard, this could enhance both individual and class motivation.  Use a points system unrelated to—or, at least contributes little to—grades. The key here is to decouple the leaderboard, quests, points, etc. from actual grades. Students should feel free to make mistakes and be rewarded for achieving milestones or mastering specific concepts. Tracking points not only quantifies progress but also taps into the intrinsic motivation of learners, fostering a sense of accomplishment that goes beyond traditional grading.  Despite what its name suggests, gamification is not only about playing games and earning points; it is also about creating a context and an environment for learning, where students are rewarded for their engagement and can interact with their peers in meaningful ways. By integrating game elements like leaderboards, game fiction, live polls, and point systems, instructors can create educational opportunities that support student success and garner classroom participation. And this way, both students and instructors can work to level up learning experiences, one lesson at a time. ... View more

This time last year, Macmillan Learning updated our mission, vision and values. We remain committed to our mission: to inspire what’s possible for every learner. At the core of this mission is our unwavering belief in the enduring value of education. We believe that an investment in education is an investment in human potential. Whether that means a more prosperous future or by providing a stepping-stone to personal and societal growth, we know we have a role to play.  Over the past year, there have been concerns about AI in education leading to its overuse, students’ diminished critical thinking skills, or a reduction in students' investment in their own learning. But I believe that those of us who intimately know what makes learning successful understand that an education is more than just accumulating facts or mastering skills; rather, it's an exploration of self and world and the genesis of lifelong curiosity and learning. This is a new era for education – one that embraces the dynamics of a digital age. But also one that acknowledges the timeless value of human connection and the importance of learning from each other. As we navigate this rapidly changing landscape, our mission remains our anchor, guiding our endeavors and fueling our passion. AI doesn't change this. We believe all  technology enables the human-centric experience of learning. In a world marked by political turbulence, the role of education becomes even more critical. We remain steadfast in adhering to our values and mission and believe that classrooms must be places where ideas are fostered, engaged with, and critiqued – not removed or banned. Which brings me to another thing that hasn’t changed for us in 2024: our dedication towards diversity and inclusion.  We understand how access to our course materials and technology can help transform 'what’s possible' into reality and carry this responsibility with a deep sense of purpose and optimism. Importantly, we take pride in creating products that reflect the rich diversity of the student populations we serve and strengthen the inclusive value of educational environments. It’s through such commitments we envision neutralizing persistent gaps in outcomes reflective of racial, ethnic, gender, socioeconomic, and cultural lines. We believe that educators and students should feel represented in our learning materials, and that no student should be expected to adopt any particular political or cultural point-of-view in order to succeed in the classroom. As we proceed in this new year, expect to see us further embolden our commitment to our mission. Expect us to stand firm in our belief in the value of education, and steadfast in our dedication to inspiring possibilities – to fostering curiosity and enabling success for every student. Our ultimate goal? To make a difference in learners' lives – to not just educate, but inspire what’s possible. And we envision a world in which every learner succeeds. Through our content, services and tools we aim to make that a reality. We invite you to join us on this journey, as it will surely be an interesting and exciting one in 2024. ... View more

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

Here at Macmillan Learning, we understand that learning is a process that begins at birth (or even before) and continues indefinitely. It’s how we acquire new knowledge, skills, behaviors, attitudes, and preferences. We also understand that learning is a robust process that can be optimized to suit different needs and learning styles. It’s both an intuitive and active process. Today many students are more comfortable learning online and in hybrid classrooms. As a result, it’s pivotal that we, as instructional designers, continue to evolve and adapt to student needs. Thus, it follows that Macmillan Learning’s flagship digital learning platform, Achieve, uses core instructional design principles to provide an exceptional learning experience that’s personalized, engaging, and supports learners of all abilities. Instructional design is like the architect’s blueprint but for education. It’s the strategic art of planning, producing, and delivering educational content and experiences, whether in digital or physical formats. The primary goal is to ensure that this process is dependable and results in efficient, effective, and engaging knowledge acquisition. “The Achieve platform was built on a foundation of learning science and instructional design principles,” says Sarah Gray, Research Specialist on the Learning Science and Insights team at Macmillan Learning. She noted that to drive learner outcomes, the company applies what it learns from research to improve product design as well as the user experience. Today we’ll dive into how Achieve incorporates core learning science and instructional design principles in its product. While there’s no universal way to implement instructional design, one model that's been cited for more than 50 years belongs to Robert Gagné, an American Educational psychologist. Here are his Nine Instructional Design Principles, and the features within Achieve that support them: Gain attention: The first principle is to grab the students’ attention and ensure they’re engaged. Many Achieve courses come with Lecture and iClicker slides that serve as visual aids and help students pay attention during class. For example, film class instructors can share a slide where they ask students to list their favorite movie directors. This can immediately get the student thinking about movies and why they prefer some directors’ styles over others. Tell the learners the learning objective: What will the student gain from the instruction? Achieve has Learning Objectives (LOs) attached to many assignments informing them of the exact outcome they’re trying to arrive at. Additionally, Achieve also has Draft Goals in its Writing Assignments, which help give students some direction during the drafting process. This guidance acts as a de-facto LO that helps students figure out what to focus on for that particular draft. For example, if instructors notice that their student is struggling with writing their topic sentences, they can set their topic sentences as a Draft Goal for them to focus on. Doing this helps the student keep the objective in mind and understand what they’re working toward. Stimulate recall of prior learning: Many courses in Achieve come with various Instructor Activity Guides. These guides are resources for instructors who want to organize activities or group work in remote or in-person classes. These guides include pre-class assignments that serve as mental primers, designed to connect the day’s lesson with prior learning. These tasks get them ready and make it easier to remember and contextualize new knowledge with the old. Present the stimulus: Achieve comes with a variety of stimuli such as videos and podcasts, which cater to diverse learning styles and preferences. For example, in a Communication course, students may find it more helpful to see an example of body language rather than just read about it. Provide learning guidance: How can instructors make sure that students can get the support they need? Through LearningCurve, Achieve’s adaptive quizzing feature. Let’s say that a student has been learning how to write effective theses. One solution is to assign them the LearningCurve for Argument and have them learn by answering multiple-choice questions of varying difficulty levels on this topic. LearningCurve gamifies the learning process by rewarding students points based on how many tries they take to get the correct answer. It also allows students to refer to the e-book for help, encouraging them to read and learn. Elicit performance: Students can demonstrate their comprehension and application of the content they’ve learned in class through formative assessments. There are quizzes, reflection questions, and video activities that ask students to apply key concepts they learned in practice. These assessments all help instructors track how well their students understand the core principles of the lesson and whether they’re able to demonstrate understanding of those principles. Provide feedback: Imagine a virtual classroom where students are asked to complete a writing assignment. In Achieve, students are able to peer review and provide feedback on each other’s work. Peers provide constructive feedback on each other's writing, offering diverse perspectives and insights. The instructor can also add a layer of valuable feedback on the next draft, identifying areas of improvement and growth. This dual feedback loop supports a robust learning environment where students not only receive feedback from their teacher but also their peers. Assess performance: For this important principle, Achieve excels in helping instructors identify how well their students have been performing. The Diagnostics feature comes with a pre-test to identify knowledge gaps, a personalized study plan that’s tailored to fill those gaps, and a final test to assess whether students have truly learned the content. For example, if a student has problems with subject-verb agreement but is otherwise solid with pronouns and sentence fragments, results on their pre-test would reflect that imbalance and automatically generate a study plan. Through using the Diagnostics feature, instructors can also see which students are having trouble with which topics. If instructors are interested in the data, they can use Achieve Reports which provides further insight into which LO students struggle with, which assignments students are excelling at, and also student login activity. These tools are all available to help both instructors and students get the most out of Achieve, but more importantly, their learning journey.  How’s that for coverage? Enhance retention and transfer to other contexts: Hearkening back to earlier principles, the best examples of how students can retain and transfer key ideas to other contexts is through videos and reflection questions. If students watch videos in their history courses that demonstrate how specific geography shaped regional politics, for example, they can apply what they’ve learned to other similar situations across different continents and time periods. This knowledge can also be transferred towards other subjects as geography can also have an effect on studying biology, history, economics, etc. Furthermore, reflection questions can be used to gauge students’ knowledge and ask how they can apply that knowledge elsewhere.  These examples showcase only a fraction of what Achieve offers in alignment with Gagne’s Instructional Design principles on the learning journey. It's a flexible tool designed not just for convenience but to inspire innovation—where the value goes beyond prescribed use. Gray concludes that "Good instructional design needs to bridge the gap between what learning research says works best and what instructors and students can practically use in the classroom. Co-design with learners is at the heart of what we do." ... View more

AI has the potential to transform education by improving students' learning experiences and bolstering their critical thinking skills. This topic is of particular interest to many instructors and surfaced many times during “The Importance of Truth, Honesty, and Pedagogy in an AI World” webinar, which featured Macmillan Learning CEO Susan Winslow. t that  For some instructors, AI raises the concern that LLMs (Large Language Models) will serve as a shortcut to students, hindering the development of their critical thinking skills, including problem-solving and writing. However, that doesn’t need to be the case. One instructor noted during the webinar: “If the gauntlet is just to submit a written paper, we’ve missed the mark of what and how to teach.” He said that the goal instead should be to encourage students to critically navigate life. He added that this would require teaching in a way that helps students to recognize when or why to use these LLMs and, in turn, help them better understand the world around them.  From educators becoming AI learners themselves, to the crucial role of teaching responsible AI use, there are many different ways that it is showing up in the classroom. Before the start of the Spring term, here are seven ways that AI can impact students’ critical thinking skills. Teaching Responsible Use: A crucial aspect of fostering critical thinking in an AI-driven world is teaching responsible AI usage. AI is undeniably a powerful tool, and one instructor on the webinar stated that "it is on us to teach responsible use." By imparting the importance of using AI consciously and ethically, instructors can help equip students with the skills needed to make the best possible choices both in and out of the classroom.  Understanding AI Limitations: Critical thinking involves not only leveraging AI, but also understanding its limitations. Knowing this helps students to make informed decisions about when and how to use AI as a resource. In addition to helping foster a deeper understanding of its role in their learning journey, students can also learn the kind of human touches that AI simply cannot replicate -- which they’ll need to know as they consider their future careers. According to one instructor, part of teaching responsible use is letting students know "what AI can do well, what it can't, and what do WE add that AI can't?"  Mitigation, Not Elimination: Because challenges such as plagiarism may never be fully eliminated, some instructors support the idea of "mitigation" instead. One instructor noted, “as educators, we have the duty to help students navigate the gray areas and use AI to improve, not undermine their writing.” To that end, instructors can encourage students to view AI as a means to expedite research, fix grammatical errors, or enhance their understanding of a topic. By steering students away from the temptation to copy and paste, educators help students leverage technology to augment their learning rather than supersede it. AI's Role in Feedback: Constructive feedback is paramount to learning, but not all students readily embrace it. Introducing AI into the feedback loop can transform this experience and make it more positive, engaging and effective for students. As students interact with AI-generated feedback that’s personalized to them, they are prompted to reflect critically on their work, fostering continuous improvement and enhancing their overall critical thinking abilities. Evolving Classroom Dynamics: AI introduces a level of scalability and personalization that can change classroom dynamics. By tailoring learning experiences to individual student needs and pace, students can engage in a more participatory learning process tailored to their abilities. One instructor noted: “if we allow for AI to take care of most of the basic education students need, then brick and mortar schools have the opportunity to become a place for flourishing of project-based learning, social and cultural development, and experiential education-- all of which will still need us teachers to facilitate!" AI as an Enhancer of the Learning Process: Although AI cannot replicate human touch or original ideas, it can contribute significantly to the learning process. It can provide explanations, aid comprehension, and offer a platform for students to explore and understand complex topics. For students who may feel uncomfortable asking repetitive questions in a traditional setting, AI can act like a tutor and serve as a reliable and accessible resource. It democratizes education and becomes what CEO Susan Winslow refers to as “the great equalizer.” Educators as AI Learners: When it comes to AI, instructors are also students. Many are actively engaged with AI technologies, continually experimenting with different approaches to harness its power in and out of the classroom. This iterative process of improvement ensures that they’re well-equipped to guide their students as well as take advantage of the latest advancements. As they adapt and refine their approaches, they become role models for students in embracing technology to help augment their critical thinking abilities. AI in education represents more than just a technological advancement; it is a paradigm shift that empowers students to adapt, explore, and refine their critical thinking skills. It can bring about a significant shift in education, creating new landscapes for students to adapt, explore, and enhance their critical thinking skills. As educators embrace AI as a tool for enrichment, they pave the way for a more engaging, equitable, and intellectually stimulating educational landscape. If you're curious about the intersection of education and AI, check out additional insights from instructors on Supporting Academic Integrity in an AI World or check out Five Things Instructors Should Consider When Assigning Homework in a World with ChatGPT.   ... View more

Dr. Tyler Cowen, Professor of Economics and Director of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, is the type of person who knows what he wants to do and then accomplishes it. At a young age, he knew he wanted to study economics and become a successful economist. Now he is consistently recognized as one of the top economic and political thinkers of our time. More recently, Dr. Cowen wanted to be the first person to publish a book with AI. Earlier this year, he also achieved that goal.  Macmillan Learning recognizes that the success of our textbooks and courseware is in large part due to our outstanding authors, many of whom are distinguished professors and academics at some of the most reputable colleges, universities, and institutions around the world. Dr. Cowen is perhaps one of Macmillan Learning’s most accomplished and impressive authors. We recently sat down with Dr. Cowen to learn more about his background, interests, and accomplishments–both related and unrelated to the field of economics.    Dr. Tyler Cowen, Professor of Economics and Director of the Mercatus Center, George Mason UniversityDr. Cowen knew that he wanted to become an economics professor at age thirteen. Remarkably, he made his childhood dream come true. “I consider myself largely self-educated,” he said. “I’ve always been motivated to read, and learn, and explore my interests.” Those teenage interests included reading the works of Adam Smith and Friedrich Hayek, two economists who had a big influence on Dr. Cowen’s own approach to economics.  “Smith and Hayek were more focused on thinking about the world as a whole rather than limiting their thought to the field of economics,” he said. Their influence on Dr. Cowen’s approach to economics is recognizable in his writing, teaching, and in his passion to continue learning just about almost any topic.  "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." How does Dr. Cowen think is the best way to learn? Talking and writing. While his formal education includes earning his Bachelor of Science in economics from George Mason University and his PhD from Harvard, Dr. Cowen firmly believes that he’s learned most when having to write or talk about the topics that interest him. “When you have to consider how to communicate and explain concepts or ideas to other people,” he said, “that is when you learn the most.”  Dr. Cowen’s graduate students will tell him something similar. They’ll say to him, “Well of course I learned something from your course, but I really learned from having to teach your book.” By this, his graduate students don’t mean that they are learning from Dr. Cowen’s textbooks, which in this case are largely for introductory undergraduate courses, but that they need to be able to share the book’s content in a way that the students can understand. Or as Albert Einstein is quoted as saying: "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."  For someone like Dr. Cowen, who has taught most economics courses that you could imagine, communication is exceptionally important. “In the spring,” he said, “I’ll be teaching a graduate level course on the history of economic thought.” It’s the first time Dr. Cowen will teach such a course, for which there is already great interest and a long waitlist. Nonetheless, he’ll be prepared and well-equipped to teach the course, for he previously researched and published a book on the same topic.  Dr. Cowen always enjoys when he is able to use his own books in his courses. “Especially for the introduction to economics courses,” he said, “there were not great books on the market–adequate, but not great–and I used them. But, when using my own books, the students can feel it’s me somehow.” It’s this unique situation in which Dr. Cowen’s students get to know the author of their textbook that allows them to truly understand their instructor’s passion for and dedication to teaching.  Dr. Cowen’s relationship with his co-author, Alex Tabarrok, also greatly improves their students’ experience with their textbooks. “I’ve been working with Alex for over 33 years,” Dr. Cowen said, “and after all of those years, I can still speak about him with affection in my voice.” Dr. Cowen firmly believes that their face-to-face relationship as colleagues in the same department for more than three decades is a significant reason that their textbooks are better than competitor books. “Whether working on revisions for one of our textbooks, or needing to exchange ideas about another shared project, all we need to do is walk down the hall to each other’s offices,” Dr. Cowen said.  Communicating with the TikTok Generation Dr. Cowen is a prolific writer, and textbooks such as Modern Principles of Economics, Modern Principles: Microeconomics, and Modern Principles: Macroeconomics are only one genre of writing in which he’s published. He has also published dozens of popular nonfiction books and journal articles; is a frequent contributor to The New York Times and Bloomberg View, among other publications; writes entries often on his and colleague, Alex Tabarrok’s, blog, Marginal Revolution; and he has even published an Ethnic Dining Guide for the Washington D.C. area.  “I like writing in all genres,” he said, “and I feel like the style of textbooks shouldn’t be that different from other, popular nonfiction books.” Dr. Cowen believes that textbooks, like trade books, need to start with compelling examples that grab the reader’s attention and hold it. “More textbooks need to be written that way,” he said, “especially today with the generation on TikTok and Instagram.” Dr. Cowen views the social media giants as his biggest competitors. “You have to interest your students immediately. If not, they’ll click, tap, and swipe to find on their phones what they’re searching for,” Dr. Cowen said.  Dr. Cowen knows more than one way to keep things interesting for his students. In addition to his written publications on a plethora of interesting topics, Dr. Cowen also hosts his own podcast called Conversations with Tyler. The podcast is free and there are transcripts for each episode. “Many of the episodes feature prominent economists such as Larry Summers, Paul Krugman, Raj Chetty, and Claudia Goldin,” he said, “but there are also many episodes with other people such as Mark Zuckerberg, Margaret Atwood, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.”  “The podcast features whomever I want to speak with and whoever is willing to speak with me,” Dr. Cowen said. With more than 100 episodes, Tyler has covered topics ranging from Irish and British history, to ornithology, to daily life in Nairobi, Kenya. “It’s a lot of work for me,” he said, “to keep up with these people and the work they’re doing in their fields.” Dr. Cowen says that the conversations on the podcast are not inherently about economics, not analytically at least; the topics are rather a kind of economics conducted anecdotally or culturally.  Much of Dr. Cowen’s work can be thought of as innovative and ahead-of-the-curve, and his most recent book publication is a project of the future available to readers in the present: the first book published with generative AI. “It’s titled GOAT: Who is the Greatest Economist of All Time and Why Does it Matter? I started writing this book during the pandemic–with chapters on Hayek, Smith, and other names that would not surprise-and include my views on why these people are important economists and thinkers,” he said.  The book is certainly the first of its kind, and Dr. Cowen believes that it is the future of publishing. “Actually, I would say that it’s already the present,” he said. An app was built for the book that is integrated with ChatGPT and other AI platforms, so that readers can ask questions about the book, about economics, about the author, or anything they would like more details on. “If readers want to know how Paul Krugman would view something differently, ask the app,” he said. “If they want a summary of a chapter, ask the app;” he added, “it’s like an all-purpose universal tutor for the reader.”  One question the app may not be able to answer–if you’re curious–is Dr. Cowen’s food recommendation for the holiday season. Having visited over 100 countries, including eleven visits to China, seven visits to India, and more than thirty visits to Mexico, Dr. Cowen has tried food from all over the world, and he speaks proudly of the restaurant scene where he lives in northern Virginia. “The best people to ask for food recommendations are always travelers,” he said with a smile, “like people who sell textbooks.” Dr. Cowen’s advice: next time you receive a visit from a Macmillan Learning sales representative, ask them for their food recommendations. ... View more

Since its explosion over the last year, AI is no longer a distant, futuristic concept. It's here, woven into our daily lives in ways we might not even realize. From voice assistants guiding our mornings, to algorithms helping us choose what to watch or buy, AI is everywhere, quietly shaping our world. But how do we prepare our workforces for this new era? Macmillan Learning CEO, Susan Winslow, recently described her AI journey akin to processing the stages of grief; I see some of our teams having the same experience - denying the impact AI will have on their workflows, hoping it will go away, or angry at being asked to evaluate processes that seem fine already. It is clear to me, however, that we all need to embrace the AI learning curve. That extends beyond our tech talent and coding gurus and starts with seeing AI not as a replacement for our jobs, but an opportunity to enhance human potential. At Macmillan Learning, we are providing our teams with foundational courses to get them started, including content explaining what AI is to understanding the various ways that AI can be leveraged as a learning tool. We’ve been training best practices of good prompting and creating guidelines on how to ensure safety and ethical use along the way. These basics are followed with a challenge for each of us to keep an open mind, take initiative, and experiment. Our leaders are not exempt from this. It’s proven important for each of us to lead by example, rolling up our sleeves and diving in to set the tone for our teams. I recently took a hands-on approach to testing HR use cases for generative AI and even dug into the development of an employee self-service chatbot. The insights that I have gained from both successes and failures have helped me to communicate, first hand, insights to hopefully make it a little less scary for our teams to take a first step. But change is hard and saying “this will be a fun adventure” doesn’t always quiet the fears people have about the unknown. That’s why we have to continually remind ourselves that people will always be at the center of successful evolution. AI can handle repetitive tasks, and serve as a great starting point for ideation; but empathy, creativity, and intuition? Those are OUR superpowers. That's what sets us apart from the algorithms.  As a People & Culture leader, I talk every day to our team about jobs, and AI has left a big question mark for a lot of people as they worry about proficiency or replacement. I have told our teams to try not viewing AI as competition, but a collaboration between human ingenuity and AI efficiency that frees us up to focus on what we do best—using our creativity, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving skills. Incidentally, those are the skills I’m leaning into to get the most out of using AI tools too.  Our approach may not be perfect, and I keep reminding myself that it will take resilience to stay energized about the possibilities when advances in tomorrow’s technology require us to retool our thinking all together. I will challenge you, just like our teams, to embrace the potential of AI, learn from it, and together, let's shape a future where technology empowers us to be the best versions of ourselves. As one of our core values reminds: learning is a journey we are on together. ... View more

Picture a classroom where cupcakes aren't just a sweet treat but a lesson in inequality or where karaoke isn't just for fun, but a tool to understand the supply curve in action. Seeing economics in action can help students not feel overwhelmed by its complex theories and intricate models. Instructors can use products and activities students know and love to help them contextualize the concepts and help make the journey of understanding the world through the lens of economics fun and engaging. Macmillan Learning asked our Peer Consultants to share the most effective engagement activities that they use in their Microeconomics and Macroeconomics classes. They delivered, and it should come as no surprise that many of the activities revolve around some of students’ favorite foods. These activities can be scaled and work well in both large and small classes. Here are four ways to incorporate real-life activities and interactive experiences to help students learn and retain complex economic concepts. To see them all, and get more details on the activities, hear from the instructors in this seven-minute video. Supply curve karaoke: Economics Assistant Professor Dr. Kalina Staub, University of South Carolina Chapel Hill, asks her class to stand up if they’re willing to sing in front of the class for $1,000. Usually about 90% of the class will stand up at first, but then students begin to experience the creation of a supply schedule, and eventually a supply curve, in action as they count the number of students who remain standing as that pot of money decreases.  Cupcake economics - visualizing inequality: To teach about inequality, Dr. Christopher Clarke, Economics Assistant Professor at Washington State University, brings five students to the front of the class. Each represents a 20th percentile of the population, and he distributes the amount of cupcakes reflective of their wealth. Students are often surprised when the bottom 10% get only a sliver of one cupcake. Often, the person with the most cupcakes will offer them to other students, which also allows teaching of voluntary redistribution, among other topics. The taste of competition: To discuss competition, Dr. Aisling Winston, Clinical Assistant Economics Professor at University at Buffalo, uses chicken nuggets from a range of fast food restaurants. The students are asked to identify which nuggets are from which restaurant, choose their favorite, and then consider whether they’d switch to their second favorite. This brings them to a discussion about perfect competition, monopolistic competition, and monopolies. Donut dilemma - scarcity in action: Economics Senior Instructor Dr. Erika Martinez from the University of South Florida uses donuts to talk about scarcity. If there are 20 students, but only 10 donuts. The students then ideate about how to allocate the donuts, which brings up discussions about the price system and can lead to suggestions like arm wrestling -- all allowing for conversations about allocation mechanisms.  These are just some of the many activities instructors can use to make economics more engaging. To see all the tips, and hear from these and more instructors, check out Macmillan Learning’s EconEd page where you can watch the seven-minute video or get tips from Macmillan Learning’s authors on AI and other topics. ... View more

In a recent Executive Order from the White House on AI, President Biden encouraged the industry to “shape AI’s potential to transform education by creating resources to support educators deploying AI-enabled educational tools, such as personalized tutoring in schools.” We’ve known since research completed in the 1980s that personalized tutoring is significantly more effective than “factory models of education,” and I have spent a good portion of my career considering how human-centered product design and technology can help fulfill the promise of personalized learning.  The time is now. This fall, I’ve watched with great interest and excitement as our teams at Macmillan Learning have tested personalized tutoring with thousands of students in courses in our digital courseware product, Achieve.  Early results indicate that AI-enhanced personalized tutoring positively impacts student engagement and progress, especially at times when they need help with assignments. Without giving answers away, the AI-powered tutor uses socratic-style questions delivered in a chatbot to help guide students step-by-step to the correct conclusion. Importantly, we have seen that whereas students sometimes feel self-conscious asking their instructor or teaching assistants for help, they are open and persistent with the AI tutor, asking questions repeatedly until they gain better understanding. Faculty have also responded positively, noting that the AI tutor is available late at night or generally when faculty and teaching assistants are not available to answer questions. Because our AI tutor is grounded in the specific Achieve course content from the instructor’s assignment, faculty have reported confidence that their students are receiving better assistance than other online options. While it’s still a bit early for us to understand the efficacy of the AI tutor, we have enough early positive indicators that we are eager to now understand the impact it has on learning. Please stay tuned!  AI tutoring is just the beginning of the opportunities in front of us. Imagine a learning environment in which teachers have a learning assistant that knows each student's preferences and levels of preparedness, paces lessons accordingly, and provides timely interventions when needed. Imagine that instructors can intrinsically engage students by framing knowledge acquisition and skill-building in ways that acknowledge the student’s curiosity, their lived experience, cultural background, and personal goals/mission–all while ensuring that students make progress against faculty course outcomes. The promise of AI is that we can support both instructors and students in making learning more deeply personal, accessible, and engaging. But how do we get there? It may be easy to surmise that with the breathtakingly fast evolution of Generative AI technology the promise of personalized learning assistants will be delivered very soon by large language models. But, human-centered products never result purely from technological advancement–instead, we must roll up our sleeves and intentionally create products that students and teachers find valuable and trustworthy.  One of the most challenging and important problems to solve with AI-enhanced personalized learning is the management and protection of student data privacy and security. In surveys Macmillan Learning has conducted this fall, 63% of students indicated that they have concerns about how data is used, stored, and generated by AI applications and companies. In our fall 2023 AI tutor tests, we have been firmly grounded in the AI safety and ethics principles and processes that we developed with the help of two advisory boards of experts. Good intentions are important, but they’re not enough.  We have been, and will continue, actively monitoring to ensure that data, privacy, and security measures are working as intended. We will continually work with experts to stay current on quickly evolving tools and best practices, and importantly, to implement auditing processes on the AI products/features we’re developing. We are resolute that AI tutors and assistants in our Achieve and iClicker platforms will align with our rigorous human-centered AI ethical principles and processes. We’ve also heard concerns that the use of AI may create disparities in education, as economically disadvantaged individuals might not have access to the same resources. There's also the risk of AI systems inheriting biases present in their training data, which can also perpetuate disparities. We believe that it's essential to approach the integration of AI in education with an awareness of these challenges and a commitment to use these tools ethically, inclusively, and equitably.  Again, good intentions are important, but not enough. We are working with AI bias experts to determine if we can proactively detect and, when possible, mitigate bias in training data. This fall, we have conducted research specifically with students and faculty at minority-serving institutions to ensure that we acknowledge the needs, questions, and concerns around AI from traditionally underrepresented populations. As if these substantial challenges are not enough, we also have new AI software infrastructure, QA testing, and monitoring projects to tackle. Every workday feels more full and fulfilling than the day before, but I’ve truly never been more energized in my career in education. I share President Biden’s observation that we have not recently had such a tangible opportunity to fundamentally transform education–and to do so in a way that benefits every learner. ... View more

AI is rapidly reshaping the educational landscape, and maintaining and nurturing academic integrity is more crucial than ever. It’s a topic that Macmillan Learning is particularly interested in. To that end, last month our CEO Susan Winslow was a panelist in a webinar “The Importance of Truth, Honesty, and Pedagogy in an AI World” alongside Packback CEO Kelsey Behringer and hosted by Inside Higher Ed Contributing Editor Racher Toor. The webinar (which you can watch here) yielded invaluable insights from these three leaders, with candid conversations that spanned from strategies instructors can use to support academic integrity to the role of AI in classrooms and the optimal ways to bolster pedagogy.  Nearly 1,000 instructors attended the live session, actively engaging in dialogue around AI's role in education and the promotion of ethical academic practices. The discussion yielded several actionable suggestions for instructors and we have since received many requests for access following the session. We are pleased to continue the conversation here, sharing some of the insights instructors shared there. From unpacking the implications of AI in educational systems to highlighting effective measures for promoting ethical academic practices, below are some tools and ideas shared on how to reinforce the significance of truth and honesty while bolstering pedagogy in an era of AI-driven learning. Fact-Checking and Reference Checking: Educators are actively teaching students how to fact-check and reference-check AI-generated content, emphasizing the importance of verifying information from multiple sources. One instructor noted in chat: “Fact checking is a great conversation starter in class. (Students) present what they get from AI and they either support or correct the information by using evidence from legitimate sources.” Reflection and Accountability: Encouraging students to reflect on their use of AI in assignments, including fact-checking and critical evaluation, helps instill a sense of accountability and transparency. One instructor shared: “I have added an assignment on reflection. Students are asked to keep a field notebook of how they plan to use Gen AI before they begin an assignment. Then I ask them to reflect on their experience after the completion of the assignment. At the end of the course I plan to have them reflect on what they discover.” Critical Analysis and Rhetorical Evaluation: Rhetorical analysis is a valuable tool for assessing the credibility and quality of AI-generated content. This skill can help students distinguish between reliable and unreliable information. One instructor commented: “My students analyze GPT-written papers for rhetoric. When analyzing ethos, they dig into what the AI uses as sources. They often find that some information is credible, but there is still a lot that AI includes that is incorrect and even made up.”  Digital Literacy: Promoting digital literacy is a key component of integrating AI into education. Educators are incorporating assignments that require students to critically evaluate information from different media sources. One instructor noted: “Some employers are seeking a workforce that has a developed digital literacy. Educators need to think deeply about what we're implying when what we expose them in the classroom is disconnected from the world around them.” Balancing AI Use with Traditional Skills: Educators are mindful of maintaining a balance between teaching AI-related skills and ensuring that students continue to acquire traditional knowledge and skills in their respective disciplines. One instructor noted this in chat: “When deciding when and when not to use AI, for me it comes down to what the purpose of the writing is. If the students are writing to show their writing skills, AI won't be able to help with this. If the students, or the instructor, are writing to convey information (i.e., facts, etc.), why wouldn't AI be helpful and permissible then?” Understanding Source Credibility: Teaching students to differentiate between "credible" and "expert" sources helps them assess the trustworthiness of information and identify authoritative voices in their research. One instructor commented: “I make a distinction between "credible" and "expert." A credible author is trustworthy; however, an expert is someone who, by their training and hands-on experience, has a higher level of knowledge on a specific topic.” Restricting Source Types: Some educators limit the types of sources students can use, encouraging reliance on reputable academic and government sources while discouraging the use of sources like Wikipedia or less reliable websites. One instructor gave examples of the types of sources they did and didn’t allow students to use; they restricted students to using PsycINFO, university websites and government websites and do not allow Wikipedia, Simply Psychology, and Verywellmind, among others. Promoting Honesty and Integrity: Fostering a classroom environment centered on learning, honesty, and enthusiasm for knowledge encourages students to value the integrity of their academic work. One instructor shared in the discussion: “I think the classroom climate matters a lot. If the focus is always on learning, then our goal is to activate and facilitate learning always. Those who choose to cheat themselves out of learning by cheating will always find a way. But we can aim for the joy and enthusiasm of learning, and bring along those who are with us.” Hands-On Learning with AI: Encourage students to actively engage with AI by using it for practical tasks, such as lesson planning and project creation, while also encouraging critical thinking about the generated content. One instructor commented: “I teach both history and history ed. I have my history ed students use AI to write lesson plans, create projects, write activities, etc. I do ask only that they don’t accept it as perfect and to tell me they have used it. But I encourage it. I am judging them less on whether they came up with the material out of their own creative juices and more on whether they think something will work in the classroom.” These ideas collectively highlight the educators' commitment to equipping students with the skills necessary to navigate the AI-driven information landscape responsibly and ethically while emphasizing the enduring importance of traditional educational principles. Stay tuned for even more insights and for more webinars from Macmillan Learning discussing teaching with/through AI. For additional resources you can use, including webinar recordings, blogs from Macmillan Learning’s leadership and access to our community for instructors, visit the AI for educators website; you can also watch the full webinar at no cost here. ... View more

Macmillan Learning recently wrapped up EconEd, our annual economics conference which explores the multifaceted ways that instructors teach college economics. This year’s focus was the topic on everyone’s mind: AI’s impact on education, work and life.  The 2023 conference included a series of webinars from instructors, who also happen to be our Principles of Economics authors. Justin Wolfers’ session discussed the elephant in the room - Assigning Homework in a World with ChatGPT. The Macmillan Learning Principles of Economics author, New York Times Contributing Columnist, and professor of economics and public policy at the University of Michigan spoke about how traditional ways of assessing students are being challenged with the rise of powerful AI tools like ChatGPT.  There aren't always simple solutions when AI tools can not only quickly finish homework assignments and pass exams, but in some cases, can even outperform students or trick instructors into believing generated essays were written by students. At a time when algorithms and automation are reshaping industries, it’s more important than ever that higher education helps equip students with skills that complement AI. This is especially true in an economics course, where students can develop these critical thinking skills alongside an understanding of how AI intersects with economic theories and practices.  Instructors are considering the best ways to restructure their syllabi and assessment methods and, importantly, seeking out the best ways to support students’ ability to succeed both in class and down the road; they're also exploring how they can best account for the presence of AI tools in the class while at the same time encourage academic integrity.   Here are five things instructors should consider about homework and assessments in their Economics class. Whether or Not to Use AI is an Economic Decision for Students Every decision is an economic decision. Thus, it’s also the case for students deciding whether or not to use an AI like ChatGPT when completing homework or other assessments. Using a cost-benefit analysis framework, students have to weigh the benefits of saving time and potentially getting higher grades versus the costs of getting caught, facing punishment, and missing out on learning opportunities.  The Challenge of Academic Integrity In our digital-first world, the line between legitimate assistance and outright cheating has blurred. With 35% of students admitting to using online tools during remote exams, educators are challenged to reconsider assessment strategies. Wolfers cautions educators about the dangers of relying solely on detection software to catch instances where ChatGPT or other similar models might have been used to complete assignments.  It’s Time to Rethink Traditional Assessments ChatGPT's performance varies with question type and subject area. For example, it is very proficient in answering introductory economics questions and scored high on multiple standardized tests related to economics, outperforming many students. ChatGPT achieved an A- in microeconomics and an A in macroeconomics in tests conducted at Harvard. It scored 5 out of 5 on AP Microeconomics and AP Macroeconomics exams, placing it among the top students. Wolfers argues that to discourage cheating, the goal should be to use questions in a way that makes large language models like ChatGPT less reliable. To that end, ChatGPT struggles more with multiple choice than true/false questions, and it’s not much help with the graphical ones. For instance, when presented with a graph depicting economic trends, ChatGPT couldn't interpret the data as effectively. It also struggled with multi-step questions with interdependent information. While its capabilities are advancing quickly, by delving deeper and focusing on application or critical thinking, educators can make these tools less appealing for cheating.  Leveraging Technology's Double-Edged Sword Ignoring the growing role of AI in education isn't a solution. While the immediate fear is cheating, ChatGPT and similar models can also be used to enhance educational experiences. For example, ChatGPT can act as a learning companion, answering questions, explaining complex concepts, and providing instant feedback. Wolfers demonstrated an AI tutor designed to help students, but without providing direct answers. The tutor follows a Socratic approach, guiding students toward answers rather than giving them outright. Make the Content Relevant Making assessments and content in textbooks more relevant and meaningful to students can motivate them to complete their work. Real-world examples and applications can enhance the learning experience not just by presenting information, but by offering context, fostering critical thinking, and facilitating deep understanding. Interactive experiences, real-world case studies, guided exercises, and opportunities for active learning can differentiate a textbook from mere information. To that end, the role of textbooks should not just be about information delivery but conceptual organization, rich context, and problem-solving guidance. A good textbook doesn't just present data, but crafts a narrative or a framework that makes the data make sense in a way that AI-driven summaries might not -- especially when paired with effective teaching. According to Wolfers, while tools like ChatGPT might change the landscape of learning, they can't replace the depth, contextual understanding, and human touch that comes from well-crafted educational materials and effective teaching. The challenge is for educators to continually adapt and ensure that the materials and methods they use provide genuine value to students. A recording of Wolfers’ session alongside content from the last decade of EconEd and fresh content from our teaching community of peer consultants is available at our revamped EconEd page. We will be offering fresh content in this space throughout the year, and giving updates about EconED 2024 in Chicago next fall.  For more information from Wolfers, be sure to watch the full webinar: Assigning Homework in a World with ChatGPT. ... View more

Dr. Doug Emlen, Regents Professor of Evolutionary Biology at University of Montana and co-author of Evolution: Making Sense of Life, was recently inducted into the National Academy of Sciences. “It’s surreal and difficult to process,” he said, “but it’s an opportunity to be an ambassador for science on a much grander stage.”  A fierce believer in the importance of vibrant science and a population of citizenry that understands, embraces, and appreciates it, Dr. Emlen has spent his career fostering a passion in his students for the sciences. Macmillan Learning recently sat down with Dr. Emlen to learn more about his background, to find out what inspired him to become a biologist, and to learn more about his research and teaching interests. Get to know Dr. Doug Emlen in this month’s author spotlight.    Science is in Dr. Emlen’s blood Dr. Doug Emlen, Regents Professor of Biology at University of MontanaDr. Emlen is a third generation biologist and a fourth generation scientist. His dad was a biologist who studied animal behavior, his grandfather was a biologist who studied animal behavior, and his great grandfather was a physicist. As Dr. Emlen puts it, science is in his blood. “I guess you could say that my background is a little unusual,” he said. “As a kid, I was dragged along with my dad to do field work in some spectacular places around the world.”  Those travels during his childhood and teenage years were formative for Dr. Emlen. He spent six months attending middle school in Nakuru, Kenya, while his father conducted research on White-fronted Bee-eaters in Lake Nakuru National Park, and he spent a month in Panama during high school. “I learned early what it was like to live and work in the field,” he said, “and I grew up with a great appreciation for the natural world and this intense, infectious desire to understand it.”  Dr. Emlen is grateful for those experiences. “I was raised in the life of a field biologist,” he said. “We rarely traveled as tourists, but actually lived in the places we visited, getting to know and understand the people and culture, and studying animals in the context of their natural environments.” As he put it, that’s just what the Emlen family did. Dr. Emlen was hooked early; he was also going to become a scientist.  Though when he started his undergraduate career at Cornell University, he decided to pursue a degree in archeology–not biology. “I wanted to break out of the mold,” he said. “I’ve always had a closet passion for history, so I considered becoming an archaeologist or maybe a paleontologist.” The reason he switched majors is a reason that many students change their majors: how much they like or dislike their professors. While a really good professor may persuade a student to change their major to that professor’s discipline, a poor professor may convince students to leave their major for another. For Dr. Emlen, it was the latter. “I didn’t like my professors in my archeology courses,” he said, “and the coursework just didn’t light my fire.”  When Dr. Emlen changed his major to biology, he needed to take all of his father’s classes, as he was on the faculty at Cornell. “Oops,” Dr. Emlen said with a smile. “Maybe I should have gone to a different university.” Even with his father as one of his professors, Dr. Emlen’s love of biology continued to grow. At the conclusion of his undergraduate degree, he decided to continue his education, pursuing a PhD in biology at Princeton University.    The uncharted frontier: beetles  Dr. Emlen may not have broken away from the field of biology in undergraduate, but during his time at Princeton, he was determined to carve out his own path. “My dad’s main area of research was birds,” he said, “and my grandfather also worked on birds.” Dr. Emlen wanted to focus on something new, something about which far less was known, an uncharted frontier. For him that meant beetles.  More specifically, that meant rhinoceros beetles. “I like extremes,” said Dr. Emlen, “and I wanted to explore things that seem like they shouldn’t be possible.” When looking at different species, from extinct triceratops, to deer and elk, Dr. Emlen became fascinated by extreme structures. “But, unlike many other animals, there were literally thousands of beetle species that nobody knew anything about,” he said.  Dr. Emlen’s interest in beetles also resulted in the fulfillment of another one of his dreams: a trip to the rainforest. “I had always wanted to visit the rainforest, and now I had a reason to go,” he said. When doing his PhD research, Dr. Emlen got to spend more than two years living in the rainforest studying beetles in their natural habitat. Although that was nearly thirty years ago, he continues to be fascinated with beetles to this day. “My questions are always changing; technology is always changing,” he said, “and I like the intellectual challenge. It’s exciting!”  For Dr. Emlen, it’s the sheer size of male weaponry in species like rhinoceros beetles, elk, and deer that first grabs his attention. “They’re huge!” he explained. “Say you line up one hundred of the same species in a row. If you compare the smallest to the largest in body size, the difference will only be about twofold. But, if you look at their horns or antlers, there can be a thirtyfold difference in size.” Dr. Emlen and his students seek to understand how this happens, exploring the genes and developmental pathways regulating weapon growth, as well as why it happens – what advantages (besides when fighting for territory or a mate) this exaggerated male weaponry serves.  “For years, I’ve sent graduate students to Japan to conduct field work to study these fascinating beetles,” Dr. Emlen said. “We’ve sequenced their genome and looked at the genes involved with the expression of their horns, but all from a lab.” Last summer, Dr. Emlen finally got to accompany his graduate students on their trip to Japan. “I was back in the forest again studying them in the wild,” he said enthusiastically. “I felt like a kid again, when I was just starting out my career in the field.”    An old-fashioned teacher and storyteller  In addition to his graduate student advisees, Dr. Emlen also teaches two large undergraduate courses each year: Genetics & Evolution and Behavior & Evolution. “The way I teach now for my large format classes is a combination of lecturing and discussion sections,” Dr. Emlen said. “I know that lectures may seem a little old-fashioned for many, but I believe that done right, a lecture can be a tremendously impactful way to teach.”  Dr. Emlen sees himself as an outlier in that regard. “I’m a storyteller,” he said. Dr. Emlen takes time to carefully craft his lectures so that they are interesting and engaging. “I try to pull the students in by grounding what the students are learning in time and place, so that the students can relate to the content,” he said. Many of Dr. Emlen’s students grew up in rural Montana, surrounded by the agriculture industry, so he uses what the students already know to improve their understanding of difficult topics. “What they don’t know before coming to my class is how much agriculture has to do with evolution,” he said. “It has everything to do with evolution!”  Dr. Emlen also builds his classes around contemporary issues that are on the minds of his students. “I love teaching most when I can awe my students a little,” he said. “When I can leave them sort of spinning and reeling and thinking about their world in ways they never thought they would.” Dr. Emlen also recognizes that many of the topics discussed are not easy, and that his students can become quite overwhelmed. “The pandemic and climate change are big topics for the students,” he said, “which is why I want to start including a segment on hope in my classes.” He wants his students to walk away from his class feeling energized and optimistic. “Science can do that. Especially with new technology, biology can provide the solutions they’re looking for,” Dr. Emlen said.    A biologist and a writer Dr. Emlen never intended to write a textbook, even though his teaching and storytelling experience would have positioned him well to do so. Instead, he was approached by a publisher to review a non-majors biology textbook written by Carl Zimmer. “I didn’t know Carl at the time,” said Dr. Emlen, “but I was a huge fan of his writing. There are a few science writers out there that really get it. Carl is one of them.”  As a journalist by training, Carl Zimmer was an excellent writer who also really understood science and knew how to articulate difficult topics without making them too simple. “They asked me to go through the chapters because of my teaching experience,” Dr. Emlen said, “and to bring a trained research biologist on board.” Based on his contributions to Zimmer’s non-majors textbook, Doug was asked to continue working together with him on a majors-level textbook. “I viewed it as a good opportunity to learn from Carl and improve my writing,” Dr. Emlen said. “After working on the non-majors book, I thought I was ready. How wrong I was! I’ve probably spent 10,000 hours of my life working on this book.”  A majors-level textbook has different criteria then a non-majors book. On top of that, Dr. Emlen and Zimmer wanted to achieve something new with their textbook. “Flashback a generation,” said Dr. Emlen, “textbooks were more like an encyclopedia, used as a desk reference to look something up. Today, students can do that on their own, so we wanted to create a book that students would actually want to read.” Dr. Emlen and Zimmer saw this as an opportunity to build a textbook that didn’t feel like a usual textbook.  “While I’m proud of what we created today, we made the mistake at first of sharing our book with instructors without clearly explaining the goals of our book,” Dr. Emlen said. When finished with their first edition, they asked biology instructors to try their new book. What they didn’t expect was the sharp criticism. “‘It’s not technical enough,’ ‘You don’t have this equation,’ ‘And what about this? That’s not how that study actually works,’” he said. “The pushback was massive.”  The next time they shared their book with instructors, they included a cover letter explaining why they departed from a traditional textbook format. “They eventually came around,” Dr. Emlen said. Soon, Dr. Emlen and Zimmer were receiving praise for what they achieved. Students were reading the textbook and understanding topics and concepts they hadn’t before. “Our approach with this book was to introduce students to material through stories and to build on what they learn in each successive chapter,” he said. “By the third edition, as far as I’m concerned, we nailed it.” ... View more