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

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

Technology is an essential part of our lives today. This is as true for us as an educational technology and publishing company as it is for the students who are using our tools to learn. And it’s just as true at work or college as it is at home, where the need to push a few buttons to get your electronics up and running has been replaced with the need to connect your crockpot to the WiFi, or program your phone to talk to the washer and dryer. It’s no longer enough to know what buttons to push -- now you need to know why you pushed them and what happens when you do … and even how to create new buttons that correspond to the latest discovery.  It can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Today’s technology offers access to a set of experiences not available to prior generations. It spurs innovation, offering us new ways to think and learn. And just as students need to continue learning, so must the people who develop the technology. That’s one reason we developed Macmillan Learning’s “Technology Education Program” (TEP).  We use this program to help upskill our employees in specific areas, building on what they know or what they can imagine. But upskilling isn’t necessarily limited to technology. About Upskilling Upskilling is the process of learning new skills to enhance and expand your current knowledge and abilities, and it's one of the most important activities you can do for your career. Many confuse it with “cross skills training”, believing upskilling is about getting a different job or advancing in a current career path. But it’s so much more than that. Learning a new skill can help prepare you for a next level (or even side step) in your career. We’re even seeing technology and technical skills beginning to trump experience. Upskilling is good for both employee and employer, helping bridge the skills gap and enable individuals to create new opportunities for themselves and their organizations. While upskilling is often associated with the technology industry, or technology specific roles, it is applicable to just about anyone interested in expanding their opportunities.  The demand for highly skilled people continues to grow and, in some industries, is growing exponentially in terms of both the number of workers that will be needed and the skills those workers will need. Further, the line between the expectations of a programmer and an office worker, accountant or media director is becoming blurred and, in some cases, even broken. In the past, our world was about your ability to work within it. Today, it is more about creating new realities and helping yourself or your organization to reach desired outcomes faster and more effectively. At the heart of upskilling, you are building new ways that you can participate, developing new forms of communication and forming new pathways to problem-solve across the business. By broadening your knowledge and skill set, you become more versatile and adaptable, which makes you a more valuable contributor to your team and organization.  Upskilling at Macmillan Learning Macmillan Learning and innovative companies like ours progress and evolve over time. In doing so, new challenges emerge that must be addressed by the people that show up every day to do their job. Because the industry is constantly changing to support new technologies, new market challenges, and new opportunities, employees want to be prepared to adapt. And, in many cases, that means learning new skills.  That’s one reason why our TEP works so well. It’s one of many examples of upskilling taking place at the company, and one that I’m particularly proud of since I partnered with teams across the company to develop it. We can gently introduce individuals to software development concepts, which can improve problem-solving and critical thinking skills. At Macmillan Learning, we have seen team members move from non-technical departments to roles where technology skills are leveraged for data science, operations, software development, and PMO.  The TEP was created jointly with HR, Learning & Development, and technology teams to help raise the collective “digital” tide of all roles at Macmillan Learning. It is a derivative of a 2018 program inside the technology group to expand the AWS cloud technologies experience for our application engineering team. This program, in partnership with AWS, awarded over 100 AWS certifications. From the learnings of those two programs, the TEP was developed to allow others outside of technology, to not only learn new skills but also to be part of a growing community of technologist that leverage AWS, Google Workspace, and software development to improve workflows and develop new value in the support of students and instructors.  I’ve witnessed the benefits of upskilling within Macmillan Learning, and believe it has the potential to generate so much opportunity. With Tech Bootcamps, Tech Talks, and Hackathons, it’s not the tech team's first take at upskilling and it won’t (nor should it) be our last. The Opportunities Ahead I asked a colleague of mine who knows me well to give insight into how they believe skills building and education has enabled me in my career. David always strived for self-improvement. He sought knowledge from a variety of fields, constantly expanding his perspective. Through connecting dots between different subjects, David's thinking became more creative and holistic. He found innovative solutions to work problems and rose through the ranks at his company. David's cross-domain thinking didn't stop there. He applied it to his personal life, improving relationships and overall well-being. He embraced a lifelong learning mindset and encouraged others to do the same. David's success and wisdom inspires many. He is living proof that expanding one's perspective can lead to great things. –Chat Generative Pre-trained Transform, 2023 While using ChatGPT to write part of my blog may be a bit unusual, my goal was to highlight a point about AI systems. The more information, the more perspectives and the more skills they have, the more human-like they become. For you, already human-like, upskilling is your vehicle to building choices and opportunities for the future story of your life and career. Upskilling ensures you are able to keep pace with your dreams and aspirations. Not everyone has the same kind of exposure to technology. There’s a systemic problem in both K12 and universities, where having access to the best technology is not universal. Technology is often seen as the great equalizer, but that is only true when everyone has an opportunity to access and use it. Upskilling programs can help close the digital divide by helping to develop skills and confidence in using technology. This not only enhances their own job prospects and advancement opportunities, but also allows them to bring new ideas and perspectives to the table. By providing opportunities like the The Technology Education Program (TEP) we are empowering employees to succeed in their careers, regardless of their background. ... View more

Picture a university college campus. Are you imagining majestic buildings standing tall, perhaps of Gothic architecture? How about the intricate stone carvings and pointed arches exuding academic excellence and tradition? What about the steep steps that take you inside that building? Those stairs are a key architectural feature and they are everywhere on college campuses. They’re also, both literally and symbolically, a barrier for many college students. We spoke with Macmillan Learning Author Dr. Jay Dolmage to discuss this and more as part of our ongoing Author Spotlight series. We recognize that the success of our content and courseware is in large part due to our outstanding authors, many of whom have years of experience in research and higher education. The series explores each author’s educational background, teaching interests, and the life experiences that impact their writing and teaching. A co-author of How to Write Anything 5e with John Ruszkiewicz, Dr. Dolmage is Professor of English at University of Waterloo.  He has a passion for both writing and teaching (and in particular, teaching writing to first-year students.) And there’s a special reason he’s so passionate -- he wants to change the way we think about education. Dr. Dolmage argues that education is not always inclusive, and therefore for far too many people, not receiving the best education is an unfortunate reality.   Early Influences “Can I teach more?…” “Can I teach writing more?…” Those were the questions Dr. Dolmage asked himself as he made decisions about his career path. And the answer each time was “Yes.” He taught his first writing course about 20 years ago to incoming freshmen -- something that quickly became his favorite thing to do. He’s passionate about continuing to teach writing to new students year after year because of the oversized impact he believes it has.  It made an impact on him. Dr. Dolmage went from a small town to a large university -- an experience that he said helps him relate to his students. “I like that I can connect with students in their first year, and that I'm a professor who knows their names, and can help them learn one another's names.” He believes that the skills he teaches his students in first-year writing will not only provide them with the confidence to succeed, but will act as the critical building blocks that they’ll use for the remainder of their college experience.  His small town upbringing isn’t the only aspect of his youth to have had an impact on him. When Dr. Dolmage thinks of the things that prepared him for becoming a top teacher and prolific author, being a camp counselor is one of the surprising things that comes to mind. He also credits his parents, who were both “teachers.” While his dad was a high school physical education teacher, his mom was a social worker by trade. “You might not think of a social worker as being a teacher, but in fact, I really think she is, and continues to be, a powerful teacher.” Teaching wasn’t his first dream. Writing was. “I really wanted to be a writer, and I loved writing. I loved the challenge of it; the feeling of creativity..” It was that very experience and struggle that made him want to pursue writing, a desire that followed him throughout his undergraduate degree into his master's degree where he was thrown into teaching writing. “I was excited about it, but I didn't know what it was going to look like.” He ultimately discovered that teaching was a fantastic way to support his goal of being a writer.  Education is Worth Fighting For “You don't realize the cost of exclusion in education unless you've lived through it.” Dr. Dolmage knows all about that cost, because he’s seen the impact firsthand as the sibling of a brother with disabilities. It’s just one of the many reasons why he’s so passionate about supporting inclusivity in education. As an individual with disabilities, Dr. Dolmage’s older brother, Matthew, was not allowed to go to the same school as him and his sister. In a practice known as "segregation," children with disabilities were sent to schools with “specialized education.”  He and his family fought to have his brother attend the same school all the way up to the Supreme Court of Appeal in Ontario, in Canada. When that didn’t go as they hoped, they switched neighborhoods and schools. After that move, Dr. Dolmage and his brother started going to school together and everything changed. The world opened up to his brother, who was finally included in the same activities and classes as him, and was welcomed into the neighborhood. It was then that Dr. Dolmage realized the power of inclusion and the impact it could have on someone's life. It emphasized for him that education is not something he would ever take for granted and it inspired him to help others in the same way. “There always was an understanding that education was something worth fighting for. And that has been the thing that motivates my research and scholarship, and also my teaching. It's one of those things where you don't realize the cost unless you've lived through that kind of exclusion.” He added that it’s an unfortunate reality for lots of people, which is why he continues fighting for more inclusive education. In his career, he has worked to buck the ableist attitudes, policies, and practices that he feels are currently built into higher education. Or as he refers to them -- the “steep steps.” The Steep Steps Remember those steep steps? Now imagine, if just for a day, you decided you weren't going to go up any stairs, but you'd only use elevators. You'd only use doors that had push-button entrances, or other accessible features on your campus. The steep steps make it nearly impossible for some students to access various areas of the buildings. Even when there is an accessible entrance, it may be located in a less convenient or less prominent location. That doesn’t even include considerations of the uneven terrain, bumpy sidewalks, narrow doors and steep ramps, which also make the campus difficult to navigate. More than just an inconvenience, having to locate accessible features of a campus could add about an hour each day -- time that could be used in class, or to study, work, or spend time with family and friends. The steep steps are a powerful metaphor for the barriers that some students face. “They are physical features on campus that we keep reproducing. We associate them with upward mobility and say things like ‘pull yourself up by the bootstraps’ and ‘step up.’” The steep steps determine who has access to privilege and knowledge, he added. “If we see it physically, then we can understand that it happens in other ways. It happens across the curriculum. It happens in the ways that we teach. There are so many barriers just built in because it's the way that we've always done things.” He added, “The messages that are conveyed to disabled students that their access is at the back door and at the end of the syllabus are also forms of ableism.” Dr. Dolmage believes those steep steps represent a key reason why colleges lose so many disabled students. “The graduation rates are much, much lower. The amount of time it takes students to get a degree is much, much higher. The retention rates are really poor.” The cost of the steep steps is that colleges are losing a lot of students.  Dr. Dolmage believes that the writing classroom can be a powerful place to change that dynamic. There, he said, we get to see a diverse group of students early in their college experience; bringing us full circle to explain why teaching first-year students in the fall semester is his favorite thing to do. “Since writing is a required class, there’s a good cross-section of the students who are coming into the university. We get to deliver our courses differently. That’s the reason why I like teaching in the first term.”  It’s a dynamic that wasn’t present during Dr. Dolmage’s schooling.  The Version of History We Choose When Dr. Dolmage was in grad school, he noticed the absence of disability and persons with disabilities in the courses he took. That didn’t track with his own experiences. “I was learning all of these things as part of my grad program, these kinds of histories and theories of rhetoric, and disability was nowhere to be seen.” This was a version of history that he didn’t believe or trust. He likens it to professors he had who had seen a version of the history of rhetoric that only included white men and knew there was more to the story. Just like those who saw the injustice set out to tell the fuller story, so did he -- but with a disability angle. “We've chosen a version of history here where we've cut out all of the rich evidence of the power of disabled people and rhetoricians, and we could have told it differently. And so we did.” This experience has ultimately helped Dr. Dolmage’s role as a teacher and as a writer. He wanted to ensure that all students, regardless of ability, have the chance to learn, develop, and thrive in an inclusive environment. He wanted to challenge the version of history that excluded people with disabilities and to show the power of disabled people and rhetoricians.  His first book, Disability Rhetoric, was the first of many titles about academic ableism that Dr. Dolmage would write. In the following years, he continued writing with titles that included: Academic Ableism: Disability and Higher Education (Michigan University Press), Disabled Upon Arrival: Eugenics, Immigration, and the Construction of Race and Disability (Ohio State University Press), How to Write Anything (Bedford/St. Martin’s) and Disability and the Teaching of Writing (Bedford/St. Martin’s). Even with the focus on inclusivity, Dr. Dolmage recognizes that not all students want to be in class. To counter that, he seeks out creative and inventive ways to support students who have different levels of preparedness with the goal of using the 16 weeks an instructor has with them to change their mind, and help them feel connected to each other and their instructor. He focuses on classroom collaboration, helping students build confidence, and safely try new things and get out of their comfort zone. He noted that writing books is a test of flexibility and inclusion. How to Write Anything, he said, can sound disingenuous, “as if we could teach people how to write anything.” But it’s not about teaching every single form of writing that a student will ever need. Rather, it’s teaching a student that no matter what gets thrown at them, they can figure it out because they have learned the basics and built in flexibility and confidence. Building those skills are what he thinks about every time he sets down to write. He knows that students from all walks of life, taking a variety of different programs, will be using his text. “How can I support those students .... whoever walks in the room? Any kind of student, no matter where they're from, what they want to do, what zip code they live in, what background they're from, whether or not they're working a full time job in addition to being a student. Because those are the realities, aren't they?” ... View more

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

Whether you’re a seasoned instructor or it’s your first time teaching, connecting with students can pose a significant challenge. Maybe it’s been years (or even decades) since you were a student yourself. You may feel disconnected from the current generation of students and struggle to find ways to build rapport with them. On the other hand, you could be a new instructor with the opposite problem: worrying that you need to keep some distance from your students to maintain classroom authority. When I first started teaching, I certainly struggled with the latter of those two scenarios. I learned quickly that building meaningful connections with my students not only helped my students succeed, but it also made me a better instructor. Through conversations with more experienced colleagues, I learned that connecting with my students would mean more than just focusing on the start of the semester; it would require consistent effort. Often students think of instructors as gatekeepers of their grades, not people with whom they can partner to achieve their own learning goals. However, this shift from being perceived as a gatekeeper to a partner can have a lasting impact. A handful of my own instructors understood the importance of building and maintaining connections with their students. Those are the courses–and instructors–that I remember most fondly. Those are also the experiences that I sought to replicate with my own teaching. Building rapport with students fosters engagement in course content among students and it shows them that they are valued. It also provides instructors with insights for improving their students’ success. Here are 10 steps to building meaningful connections with students not only on day one of class but also throughout the semester. Connecting With Students at the Beginning of a New Term 1. Introduce yourself (honestly). Remember that feeling of running into one of your elementary school teachers outside of school—at the grocery store, in the park, or at the movies—and being stunned to find out that they were a real person outside of the classroom? While high school and college students have no doubt that you’re a real person, that same sense of disconnection can still exist. Let your students know who you are as an instructor, but also as a person. You could also share with your students an anecdote about when you took a similar class to the one they’re now in. Showing your students that you’re a real person may make them realize that they share similar interests. Possibly, they’ll even look at your experiences as a student in their shoes as inspiration to aspire to become an instructor like you someday. 2. Break the ice. It’s safe to say that there can be a lot of nerves on that first day. There certainly were for me as a first-time instructor, and there were for my students as well. An icebreaker is a great way to ease the tension and encourage participation and there are endless possibilities for icebreaker activities. You can keep it related to course content, such as asking students to think about previous knowledge they’ve gained in past courses, or you can ask students questions that are unrelated, such as sharing a fun fact about themselves or their favorite part of their summer or winter break. Get several sample icebreaker activities to use with iClicker. 3. Make yourself available (within reason). It’s important that your students know that you are a resource both during and outside of class. Arrive to class early or stay a little late, plan to hold regular office hours, either in-person or virtually, and set clear boundaries. For example, let your students know that you check your email between certain hours during the day, and if they reach out late in the evening, you may not respond until the next morning. Connecting With Students at Mid Term 4. Create assignments and activities that let students draw on their experiences. As the term progresses, you may find that you’ll need to find new ways to capture and maintain your students’ attention. This is a good time to remind them of the applications of what they are learning in the world outside of the classroom. Ask your students to think about examples of class concepts in their daily lives. 5. Ask students about their goals for the course and follow up with them. Students appreciate regular updates on their progress and performance in class. In a large course, this can be a difficult task for an instructor, but Achieve’s Goal-setting and Reflection Surveys help make this a little easier. Students can establish their own goals and reflect on their progress throughout the term. They can share with you how they feel about their performance, which can offer a good opportunity to check in with them. 6. Use iClicker to facilitate active learning. You can use iClicker to create quizzes and polls that students can respond to during class. What are your students’ muddiest points? Find out with a poll before or during class. How confident are students in their knowledge of the day’s topic? There’s an exit poll for that. Do students truly understand the material? Create a team-based learning activity where students can work in small groups to answer questions. There’s an endless amount of ways to engage and connect with students. 7. Let your students know you’re there for them. Everyone faces unique challenges both in and out of the classroom. You can play an important role in supporting students who are facing challenges by creating a supportive learning environment, being flexible and understanding, and connecting students with resources. Be sure to emphasize the importance of asking for help and let them know when you’re available to them outside of class and how to best get in touch with you. These simple steps will show your students that you’re committed to supporting them and to their success. Connecting With Students at the End of Term 8. Show them you’ve been listening. Your students have learned a lot this term, and so have you. Put what you’ve learned about your students to use as you prepare for the final exam or assignment. At this point in the term, you should be able to recognize your students’ strengths and weaknesses, and you can adjust your teaching during the last few class periods to focus on those weaknesses. 9. Talk to them about campus resources. At the beginning of the term, you committed to making yourself available to your students; but as more and more students need your help prepping for the end of the semester, you might realize you can’t accommodate everyone. The end of term means exams, final papers, and extracurricular commitments, which can be stressful. Make your students aware of the many additional resources your school offers, such as the writing center or tutoring. 10. Consider using the last class for review and discussion. One of the last things I wanted as a student was for my instructor to introduce new material during the penultimate or last class period. My peers and I always appreciated when an instructor would use the final class as an opportunity for students to ask anything they want about class material. If you do need to use every class to finish teaching all of the material on the syllabus, then consider offering an additional review session. Connecting with your students isn’t easy, but it is rewarding–for both you and your students. And, it’s important to build and foster connections throughout the entire term, not only at the beginning. Do you have other steps that you use as an instructor to build and maintain connections with your students? We would like to learn from you! ... View more

A Bainbridge Island Story, 1942-2022 Bainbridge Island lies ten miles across Elliott Bay from downtown Seattle, accessed by ferry from Colman Dock at the Seattle Ferry Terminal. On a March morning last year, my wife (Kimberly), her close friend (Carina), and I boarded the Tacoma for the short ride, taking in the scenery from its foredeck. We were visiting Bainbridge Island at the invitation of Dave Myers, best-selling textbook author of Psychology and Psychology for the AP Course among several others, as well as books for the general public; his most recent, How We Know Ourselves, having been published last year. For the three travelers, two life-long friends with me tagging along, it was an opportunity to spend a few days on the coastal waters of Puget Sound away from our daily obligations. The invitation to the island from Dave and his wife, Carol, came with one request: Please visit the Japanese American internment memorial on Bainbridge Island.  Formally known as the Japanese American Exclusion Memorial and built on the land where the first internees were taken from their homes, the site preserves the memory of the tragic period in our nation’s history when Japanese immigrants and American citizens of Japanese descent were ordered and removed from their land, their homes, their communities, and their livelihoods and crudely transported to internment camps hundreds of miles away. Issued on February 19, 1942, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Executive Order 9066 authorized the forced removal of all persons on the West Coast deemed a threat to national security to “relocation centers” in remote areas in six western states and Arkansas. The order resulted in the incarceration of 122,000 Japanese Americans, nearly two-thirds of whom were American citizens. The first removal, enforced by Civilian Exclusion Order #1, began with Japanese Americans living on Bainbridge Island.    The memorial is located on a budding landscape on the south end of Eagle Harbor, the cityscape of Seattle not far from view. On this March day the skies are clear and the temperatures a bit brisk as we make our way down the path: its first marker the sinking but orienting words: “Nidoto Nai Yoni” (Let it Not Happen Again). Designed as a “story wall,” and built out of old-growth red cedar, the memorial weaves into the natural landscape, guiding its visitors through wooded acreage recounting the experience of Japanese American families forced from their homes on Bainbridge Island for the duration of World War II. Remarkably, after four long years of internment, most of them would return to reclaim their land and practice the trades that they had hastily handed over to fellow residents under a community promise that their houses, farms, and property would once again be their own. This promise by their fellow residents rejected their government’s racist and xenophobic judgment that if any Japanese American may be a threat then all must be deemed worthy of relocation and imprisonment.  Placards line the exhibit, simply yet artfully designed, each one devoted to an individual or family removed from the island. Each person’s name is paired with their age at time of their forced relocation and recognizes the intergenerational impact on those taken from their homes: Hayano Moritani, 54; Nobuichi Moritani, 27; Tatsukichi Moritani, 24; Shigeru Moritani, 20… Otokichi Nagatani, 61; Kiwa Nagatani, 46; Ichiro Nagatani, 25; Kimiko Nagatani, 23; Kiyotaka Nagatani, 21; Miyoko Nagatani, 15. The placards appear to have no end, broken only by friezes etched into native wood depicting scenes of the families being herded away, children in the arms of their parents, the images ornamented by strings of origami left behind by visitors before us. Pinkish-red leaves of spring accent native growth of mahonia, salal, and shore pine bordering the walkway, steps from where two hundred and seventy-six residents of Bainbridge Island were shuttled to the Eagledale Ferry Landing over the course of the morning on March 30, 1942, federal troops at guard, rifles fixed with bayonets.  Nearly three thousand miles east, the grounds of Hyde Park in the Hudson Valley of New York are a long way from Bainbridge Island but a short drive from my home; stunning and beautiful, they overlook the Hudson River as it winds its way north of West Point. It is now autumn and my parents, Richard and Susan, are visiting. Both of them earned their graduate degrees in political science (inspiring their son to do the same many years later) and each remains a student of history. We are visiting Hyde Park to take in Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Presidential Library and Museum located on his family’s expansive estate. It's easy to find parallels in the beauty of the grounds at Hyde Park to what I remember from walking the coast of Bainbridge Island, but I’m on the lookout for something less panoramic: how the inspiration to bear record to one of our great presidents recounts his most grievous act. We make our way through the many exhibits, losing sight of each other as we are distracted by scenes of interest: recordings of FDR’s fireside talks intended to unite a nation, hallways devoted to legislation promising a New Deal, even his statements marking the end of Prohibition. I’m standing in front of a small piece dedicated to the events that followed the signing of Executive Order 9066, a brief mention of Eleanor Roosevelt’s opposition to the act (and her advocacy that followed), a short acknowledgement of its folly, a blight on his presidency it will say. No mention of Hayano or Nobuichi or Kimiko.  Allyship has been on my mind lately, in some ways because it is a newer term to my vocabulary; in other ways, because you come to learn it has always been present in our lives. On that day in March 2022, off the coast of Seattle and on a walkway as American as any other, I was left with gratitude for the allyship expressed by people in our lives like our friend, Carina, and our friends, David and Carol Myers. My wife and I would not have known about the memorial on Bainbridge Island without their insistence or understood their advocacy for it without the stories Dave had written; and the events and memories of that day would not have been as meaningful if we had not shared them with our dear friend, Carina. I’m grateful to the artists that dedicated their time to create a space worthy of the lives and events of the Japanese Americans on Bainbridge Island interned and wrongfully imprisoned during WWII. I’m also left thinking about the role of our communities and the manner in which the people of Bainbridge Island, no matter their ethnic background, took up the cause of their fellow residents’ well-being to ensure that they had homes to return to, land to farm, and trades to pursue. Each story, deserving of memorial, educates us and inspires us, and connects us with a history of allyship. It is one of the reasons why I’m grateful for colleagues that have come together to make Macmillan Learning the community it is today, and with special thanks to those colleagues who form our Pan Asian Alliance Network (PAAN) Employee Resource Group (ERG) and the way they encourage more of these stories to be lived and told.  The March day that I’m revisiting in memory and sharing with all of you ends with Kimberly, Carina, and I watching ships pass through Elliott Bay, many bound for East Asian ports, a few of them perhaps a signal light of how far Japanese and American relations have come. But today, February 19th, on the “Day of Remembrance of Japanese American Incarceration During World War II,” we remember the individuals, the families, their stories and their communities, like the ones on Bainbridge Island, that saw events unfold earning  their place in our nation’s history.  ... View more

As a child, we learn our ABCs before we learn how to write. In high school, Algebra I precedes Algebra II. But the connections students need to make in college, or as they transition to work, aren't always as obvious. For example, it’s not as clear that the techniques and rules for writing that a student learns in their composition class will help them with writing assignments in their upper-level courses (or even to get their first post-college job). Knowledge transfer, or the ability to apply knowledge and skills to new situations, is not always automatic or easy. It requires students to learn how to learn—how to both acquire new information and skills effectively and how to apply them in different contexts. While college education is a journey that builds upon what students have learned throughout their lives, research consistently finds that students have difficulty applying acquired knowledge and skills to new or different situations.  Several learning strategies can equip students to transfer their knowledge to new situations, understand complex ideas, and continue learning throughout their lives. There are things that can be done to help nurture that transition and build a bridge between educational experiences. But to do that, there needs to be a greater understanding of why that critical knowledge transfer is not happening. The Transfer of Learning Theory, proposed by Robert Gagne, suggests that transfer of learning is most likely to occur when the new task is similar to the task on which the student was originally trained, and when the student has been explicitly taught how to transfer their knowledge and skills to new situations. Drawing inspiration from and building upon Gange’s research, here are 13 practical suggestions to help instructors support the transfer of knowledge: Have a sense of what students already know: Whether it is from their high school or college experience, or through their own personal exploration, students often come to college with a wealth of knowledge and skills that can be built upon. Low-stakes assessments can help offer both students and instructors a sense of what they already know, as well as what should be an area of focus. Also, validating knowledge can help ease the transition between academic environments and make the student feel more confident in their knowledge. Gain students’ attention: To capture attention, share a surprising fact, use humor, reveal a relevant personal anecdote, or ask a thought-provoking question using iClicker. When students are focused and engaged, they are more likely to understand, retain, and apply what is being taught. Additionally, a positive and engaging classroom environment can foster motivation and enthusiasm for learning, leading to better academic performance. Inform students of the learning objective: Clearly state the goals of the lesson, what learners will be able to do after the session, and why that lesson is important to not only the class, but to their overall learning path. Instructors can also ask students to set their own goals. One way to do this is by reflecting on class objectives with Goal-setting and Reflection Surveys found within Achieve. By setting goals, students can identify what they want to accomplish and prioritize their study plans, monitor their progress and improve their metacognition. Stimulate recall of prior learning: Recall exercises such as asking learners to share what they already know about the topic, or conducting a pre-assessment can help activate prior knowledge. Spellman College Senior Instructor Kiandra Johnson recommends starting a new topic by asking students if they are familiar with a concept, what they know about it, and what they think it might mean. This can help instructors gauge student understanding and build upon it, rather than start from scratch. Fill in learning gaps: Not all students come to class with the same level of understanding. This is increasingly common with learning loss incurred during the pandemic. Macmillan Learning's Achieve platform offers diagnostic tools like General Chemistry Readiness which covers basic math, algebra and chemical concepts to assess students' understanding; based on the assessment results, it also offers recommendations on how to improve readiness for the course. Promote equity and inclusivity in the classroom: Instructors can use methods like culturally responsive instruction to help make all students feel valued and respected, regardless of their background, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, or any other personal characteristic. This can help lead to better academic outcomes and personal growth, as well as foster a sense of community and empathy among students, and prepare students for success in a diverse and interconnected world. Present the information effectively: Information should be presented in an engaging, organized and clear manner. This works best when there are examples, images, and visual aids. By engaging multiple senses, tools like animations, videos, or our interactive graphs in Principles of Economics, and other multimedia can help increase student attention, facilitate the understanding of abstract concepts, and provide opportunities for practicing skills and knowledge. Provide learning guidance: Techniques such as summarizing key points, using analogies or comparisons, and asking learners to restate information in their own words can help provide guidance for learning. Tools such as iClicker’s confidence rating can be helpful in this, as they allow students to indicate their confidence level in the answer they have given by selecting a rating, such as "very confident," "somewhat confident," or "not confident." This can help instructors gauge students' understanding of the material, and give instructors information that empowers them to adjust their teaching accordingly. Encourage active learning: Ask questions, conduct group discussions, or have learners perform a task or complete a small project. Incorporating peer learning and other soft skills development opportunities can not only help students engage with the material, but can also help students develop communication and teamwork skills that will serve them well in the future. Student response systems like iClicker encourage participation and interaction with the material. Just as important, they allow instructors to ask questions during lectures and gauge student understanding in real time. Nurture critical thinking and self-directed learning: Encourage students to use the resources available to them, such as research and library databases, to explore and develop their own interests. This will help them to develop a greater understanding of the subject matter and build on the knowledge they have already acquired. This is also where goal setting and reflection shine, as it encourages students to take ownership of their learning by setting their own goals, seeking out resources, and reflecting on their progress. Provide feedback: Feedback goes two ways. To reinforce learning, instructors can provide immediate feedback on a task or quiz, and also offer constructive criticism to help learners improve.  Spellman College Senior Instructor Kiandra Johnson noted that tools like LearningCurve Adaptive quizzing are helpful because they provide immediate feedback to students; this helps them understand why they got the wrong answer rather than creating frustration over missing a question and not understanding why they got it wrong. Instructors may also want to use exit polling to quickly gather feedback from students at the end of a class or lecture. Using iClicker, students can anonymously respond to questions about the session, providing insights into what was learned and areas for improvement. Assess performance: Exams, quizzes, or other forms of assessments can help evaluate how well the learners have retained the information and apply it to new situations. Tools like LearningCurve Adaptive Quizzing use machine learning algorithms to analyze students' performance on quizzes and adapt to their individual learning needs. The system provides immediate feedback, target areas for improvement, and adjusts the difficulty of future quizzes based on students' performance. Also, having learners complete a final project or presentation that requires them to apply the information in a new context can also help assess retrieval. Make information relatable: To enhance retention and transfer of learning, instructors can encourage learners to relate new information to their prior knowledge, and also provide opportunities for learners to apply the information in new and different situations. By drawing on what students have learned and experienced in their lives, instructors can help students see the relevance of the course content to their interests and perspectives. One way to do this is by incorporating real-world examples or case studies to help learners see the relevance and applications of the information. The New York Times offers a lesson plan with four different ways to help students connect with their studies. Learning is a journey that takes place not only in the classroom, but also in the wider world. Building a bridge between students’ different educational experiences is critical because it allows them to connect their previous knowledge and experiences to new material and to better understand and retain knowledge. This helps lay the foundation for students' future success both in and out of the classroom. ... View more

On the red carpet for the 2017 Emmys, Issa Rae iconically declared that she was “rooting for everybody Black”. I cannot begin to describe how much I relate to that sentiment.  Some of my clearest memories involve my grandmother, Olivia, refusing to run any errands, schedule any appointments, or otherwise leave the living room of our home, when normally her attention was rarely glued to the television. Her excitement was visceral in 1996 when Dominique Dawes was the only Black member of the Magnificent Seven. I can recall not a single instance prior to that year when anyone in my household - in my life - had ever cared about gymnastics. My grandmother didn’t understand what we were watching; she didn’t know how the judges were scoring or what they were looking for. Grandma only cared about supporting Dominique.  But this was nothing compared to the feverish energy that came upon my grandmother whenever she heard the names Venus and Serena. She watched more than just the Olympics to get glimpses of these two phenoms, consuming the sport of tennis as if it had always been a passion in her life. She cheered with a rowdy tone that one generally hears coming from hockey fans. She cried when they won and cried when they lost. Her eyes would twinkle in anticipation when she realized one or both of them would be on television later that day. “I’ve got to watch Serena play,” Grandma would declare softly, and authoritatively, a reminder to all of us that whatever we were watching would come to a swift and necessary end.  Her enthusiasm wasn’t just limited to women, either. I was shocked by how much Grandma seemed to love golf as soon as she was introduced to Tiger Woods. Out of nowhere she began to follow the PGA Tour, and cereal boxes with his face found themselves in our kitchen cabinets. Not a single one of us had ever before eaten Wheaties.  She fell ill in the fall of 2007, suffering from a stroke that left her mostly paralyzed and unable to speak. But in the months before, she’d known about Barack Obama. She’d heard about him before I did, having started following him almost the exact moment he’d announced that he was running for president. I don’t think my grandmother knew anything about his politics, his platform, or his plans. I kept reminding her that he had to clinch the party’s nomination first. Yet she was so certain that he really could win - or, perhaps, she just wished for it so strongly that every other option fell away from sight.  Olivia passed away in August of 2008, before Obama’s historic victory. I thought of her when I heard the news, saddened by the fact that I wouldn’t get to see her dance or shed tears of joy for a man who had achieved what she, and many others, believed to be the greatest demonstration of Black excellence of all time. I cut clips from newspapers, just as she would have done, and tucked them into the photo album that she’d gifted me as part of my freshman starter package.  As a woman born in 1924, seeing Black people succeed in areas where very few people of color had been allowed access was everything to Olivia. She’d been raised in North Carolina, where her father’s hold on our family land was never secure, the system bent on taking the meager prosperity that belonged to him the moment that justification became available. She married my grandfather, and together they moved up north to Queens, NYC, hoping to create a better life for their family. Their children had a lighter complexion than Olivia, and she was harassed by strangers who accused her of kidnapping the children from white families. My mother remembers hands grabbing her chin, closely examining her features to confirm that she really was a colored child. They would demand Olivia prove that her babies belonged to her, that she had the right to have them in her care.  After growing accustomed to the treatment, my grandmother buried her dissatisfaction when my grandfather’s job forced them to leave the neighborhood and relocate to New Jersey, where they’d yet again be outsiders, to be scrutinized by a new set of unfamiliar people.   I knew enough about my grandmother’s challenges to know why it was so important to her to root for everybody Black. My grandmother, and many in her generation, believed that the success of any of us was a triumph for all of us. Anything positive that I accomplished, anything positive that any Black person accomplished, moved the needle towards equality and understanding, made us more human in the eyes of others, helped society to realize that we deserved rights and respect. My success, and my excellence, was never just for me - it was for the culture. I carried this pressure well into my adult life, and have come to recognize how it showed up in my career. Some of you have heard me share the story that publishing as an industry had been almost invisible to me, as a young Black woman in college. No one I knew worked in publishing, and only one person ever suggested that I consider it as an option. I was the only Black person in my internship group at a small not-for-profit publisher, and the only Black person in my office at my first full-time job publishing scientific journals. When I left there almost sixteen years ago, I started working at Macmillan Learning, and became one of few Black people in the 41 Madison office in New York City. We were all in different departments, and rarely interacted for work purposes, which meant I was often the only Black person in meetings and on conference calls. Back then I never explicitly acknowledged the weight that I assumed in response. But deep down I wanted - needed - to work hard, to succeed, to prove that I belonged, not just for myself and my love for the work that we do, but for the culture. For all Black people everywhere.  In recent years we have come closer to accepting that it is not the responsibility of Black people to prove their humanity to others. Those who do not see us as equals, as people, will not be convinced due to our athleticism, or scientific achievements, or artistic talents. Black Americans have managed to rise to astounding levels of success in diverse fields of interest, achieving firsts and setting records throughout, striving to make the dream come true. We also continue to endure traumas and indignities due to racial prejudices and harmful stereotypes. As I finish editing this essay, my heart is broken over the murder of Tyre Nichols, an act of police brutality that reminds us of the history of slave patrols and the horrific treatment of enslaved Africans in this country. No number of gold medals will stop racism in its tracks.  Our first employee resource group, BLACC (Black Leaders Actively Changing Culture), has given me a space to support Black colleagues and find community among them in a way that I was lacking, and desperately needed. BLACC came together to sponsor an externship program for young BIPOC students, offering three weeks of engagement where they would be exposed to various departments and positions throughout the organization, and would complete a project that highlighted their chosen interest. Being a member of the committee that brought this to life felt like a dream come true and is one of the most incredible things that I’ve ever been a part of. The BLACC Voices series is yet another way that we get to impact how colleagues think about the world, by bringing in guest lecturers to discuss topics of social importance, which in turn impacts the contributions that we make through our work. We must continue to have these conversations, as difficult as it might sometimes be, to ensure that Macmillan Learning is truly inclusive and equitable, to be both appreciative of the value of our team members as they bring unique perspectives and identities to their work, and intentionally acknowledge the vast diversity reflected in the students and instructors who interact with our products.  Today, I can’t help but to think of Olivia, cheering as loudly for me as she once did for Serena, and I’m motivated by the possibility that she would see my contributions as beneficial for the culture. I choose to keep doing that work, keeping the bigger picture in mind, doing what I can to move the needle forward in any way possible. I’m also relieved to know that my personal development and our social evolution allow me to be a fallible, honest, dedicated human being. That I can put down that pressure and just be myself. That even when I make mistakes, I am still succeeding, and somebody, somewhere, is rooting for me. ... View more

Photo provided by Derek Wiebke.The woman in the center of the back row is Lena. She is my great-grandmother’s great grandmother. In the 1890s, she and her family fled Prussia and immigrated to the United States. They settled in Wisconsin, not far from Green Bay. They were Jewish.  I didn’t learn of my family’s Jewish heritage until my senior year of undergrad. I was taking a comparative literature class, whose syllabus included a myriad of Jewish writers from the Americas, Germany, and Austria. As a German major, I hadn’t yet enrolled in a course that focused exclusively on Jewish writers. Of course, I had been exposed to a number of Jewish-German writers in my literature courses, but they had been sprinkled into syllabi that sought to feature and provide students a sampling of the German literary canon. The purpose of these courses was not to discuss these writers' Jewish identity, but rather their contribution to German-language literature.  It was in these previous courses that I began to develop my affinity to Jewish-German writers. Some of my favorites included names that many people may recognize, even if they have never read them: Franz Kafka, after whom the adjective Kafkaesque was named, and Stefan Zweig, who was one of the most widely-read authors in the world in the early twentieth century.  During my studies, I also discovered Ingeborg Bachmann, another of my favorite writers. She is not Jewish, but much like anyone studying the German language or German history, she could never escape the Second World War or the Holocaust. She was obsessed with it; consumed by it. Though the cause for her obsession is well-known: her father was an early member of the Austrian National Socialist Party.  The German term used to describe what Ingeborg Bachmann does in her writing–and what many post-1945 German-language writers attempt to do–is called Vergangenheitsbewältigung. The word roughly translates to the “struggle of overcoming or coping with the past.” It’s not a word to necessarily describe one’s private independent reckoning of the past, but a collective or public struggle and debate.  Nevertheless, the term encouraged me to think more critically about the past. It also led me on a journey to unveil more about my own family and heritage. What I discovered was that my family was Jewish, something neither my mother nor father had the slightest clue. My newfound discovery opened up an entirely new research interest of mine, one that was both scholarly and personal.  Fortunately, I was able to continue my journey as a graduate student at Yale University, home of the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies. The Fortunoff Archive’s mission is “to record and project the stories of those who were,” and it contains more than 4,400 testimonies, comprising 12,000 hours of recorded videotape of individuals providing their first-hand experience of Nazi persecutions. As part of my graduate coursework, I spent hours viewing many of these testimonies.  What it both taught and reinforced in me was the importance of remembrance and storytelling. My education was one that encouraged sharing; it encouraged many points of view. There was no fear of asking questions, and everyone was free to voice an opinion. My education was also one that discouraged censorship.  It was a brave act for the more than 4,400 individuals to share their stories. Their stories deserve to be told; they deserve to be remembered. On this International Day of Commemoration in Memory of Victims of the Holocaust, I’m taking time to listen. This year’s theme is “Home and Belonging,” and it’s intended to provide reflection for those persecuted to think about those words and what they meant to them both during the Holocaust and in its aftermath.  My great-grandmother’s great-grandmother was not persecuted by the Nazis during the Holocaust. But, her story is also one of persecution. She and her family fled from central- and eastern European anti-Semitism half a century before the Second World War. For that, I will always be grateful. Yet the discovery of my familial connection to Lena has instilled in me a greater appreciation of history and its teachings, one that offers–to me at least–a sense of home and belonging.  If you’re interested in learning more about the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of Victims of the Holocaust, you can visit the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s website. There you can learn more about its history and how to mark the day. ... View more

Having recently submitted applications, or with deadlines looming, college is top-of-mind for many potential students. And the decision is a big one. Heading to college -- whether it be to earn a two- or four-year degree -- is a major investment, one that nearly 16 million students decide to make each year. For them, a college degree is not just a path to a better career; it's a path to a better life. That’s because for many students, college is more than just a place where learning is confined to a classroom. For today’s students, learning is everywhere. The college experience can be an important transition to adulthood; one where students will learn and grow. That's because the campus itself is a classroom where students get to know themselves and see the world from a new perspective. College is a shared space for knowledge and growth-seekers. And, importantly, college is a place where students often learn from each other just as much as they do from their courses.  Given the many surprising benefits to college, we have assembled 11 ways college can benefit students beyond the classroom. Exploring new interests: From rowing to reading, colleges have countless numbers of activities, groups, organizations, athletics and clubs. Students are encouraged to explore their interests, discover new passions, and gain a sense of self-awareness. Many colleges also have a student union where students can gather, socialize and get involved. More critical thinking skills: Through problem-based learning, collaborative projects, and writing and research assignments, college courses help students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Their ability to successfully analyze, synthesize and evaluate information will benefit their personal lives while also teaching them a valuable skill for just about any career. Exposure to different cultures and ideas: College campuses are diverse communities that expose students to diverse perspectives and cultures. From courses and guest lectures that invite students to explore new ideas and ways of thinking, to a wide range of backgrounds, ethnicities and life experiences in the student and academic population, to opportunities to study abroad -- colleges can open a doorway in each student's mind to a world they hadn’t before imagined. More job opportunities: College graduates have a much wider range of job options available to them, including many jobs that are not open to those without a degree. In addition, those opportunities are easier to find. College graduates will see nearly 60% more job opportunities than non-graduates; one reason for this is job openings for workers with a bachelor’s degree or higher are advertised online more frequently than those requiring a high school diploma, making it harder for workers without a higher degree to connect with prospective employers. Students can also learn about many of these job opportunities at their college career service or resource centers, which host career fairs and provide students with valuable tips on interviewing and resume writing. Greater employability. According to the Education Pays report, the unemployment rate for those over 25 with at least a bachelor’s degree has consistently been about half of the unemployment rate for high school graduates; the most recently available data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2020 cites a 2.2% unemployment rate for college graduates and a 5.4% rate for high school graduates. Additionally, according to a 2019 report by Georgetown University, college graduates are more likely to have jobs that are insulated from automation, which helps to increase students’ long-term employability. Increased earning potential: According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, college graduates earn on average $1 million more over their lifetime than those without a college degree. Someone with a high school diploma can expect to earn $1.3 million in their lifetime, whereas a worker with a bachelor’s degree can expect to earn $2.3 million. This number goes up even more with an advanced degree. Higher job satisfaction: A study by the Pew Research Center found that college graduates are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs and report higher levels of happiness. Forty-two percent of high school graduates say their job is “just to get them by,” compared to 14% of bachelor’s degree holders.  Better benefits: In addition to the $1 million to their total lifetime earnings, college graduates are more likely to have access to benefits such as healthcare, retirement plans, and paid time off. Further, employers will often cover a greater amount of healthcare costs or offer more vacation time as well as retirement investment options. A sense of accomplishment: Earning a college degree is a significant accomplishment that can boost self-confidence and self-esteem. In fact, bachelor’s degree holders report higher levels of self-esteem than high school graduates. Networking opportunities: College is a great place to meet new people and make connections that can be valuable later in life. The connections that students create in college with faculty, classmates and members of clubs or student organizations will not only help them to start building a professional network, but can also lead to new interests, friends and other possibilities. Importantly, they will become part of an institutional support network that students can later call upon for work advancements, mentoring programs, and additional skill-building. Personal growth and development: College can be a time of great personal growth, as students learn to live independently, manage their time, take responsibility for their own education, and improve decision-making skills. College is an investment in students’ future that can pay off in many ways. It can open doors to better job opportunities, increase earning potential, and provide personal growth and development, and more. Not only that, within families, it has shown to help in ensuring the next generation will also attend college. Pursuing higher education can be a big decision in terms of resources, time and energy, but there are many reasons why that investment is worth it for many students.  ... View more

How Life Works author James Morris explains why climate change should be included in introductory biology textbooks, resources, and curricula.   Climate change is one of the most pressing and urgent issues in our world today, and it's one that students should learn about.  It poses significant risks to human health and well-being, as well as to the natural systems that sustain life on Earth. It’s a topic we should not shy away from in classrooms and course materials.  Therefore, I read with interest Aliya Uteuova’s article in The Guardian “US college biology textbooks failing to address climate change, study says.” In the article, Uteuova reports on a study by Rabiya Arif Ansari and Jennifer Landin at North Carolina State University. They examined climate change coverage in college-level introductory biology textbooks and found that it is inadequate, decreasing, and often relegated to the end of the textbook. I couldn’t agree more with their findings and the need for increased coverage of this critical area. This is why Biology: How Life Works is an exception to this trend. In writing HLW, my co-authors and I highlighted climate change ever since the first edition, with even more coverage of this topic in our most recent 4 th edition. Notably, HLW was not included among the textbooks examined in the study. For example, in Chapter 1, we outline six grand themes that help students see the big picture, not unlike the core concepts outlined in Vision and Change. One of our grand themes is human impacts, which is emerging as a key concept in biology. Human impacts range from climate change to habitat destruction, invasive species, pollution, and overharvesting, to name just a few. By introducing them upfront, from the very start, we draw students’ attention to the collective and often destructive impact we are having on the planet. And, in contrast to many other textbooks and frameworks in biology, HLW is one of the few that highlights human impacts as a 21 st century core concept in biology. Throughout the ecology section, we return to the subject of climate change. It is discussed at length in the chapter on biogeochemical cycles. We examine it again when discussing populations, species interactions, and ecosystems. We have an entire chapter on the human hand in environment and biodiversity, showing not only the latest data on how and to what degree climate has changed, but why it has changed, what its actual and projected consequences will be, and what we can do as citizens. Possible solutions and reasons for hope are also recommended by the authors of the study. In HLW, we have eight cases that highlight current research and issues, such as cancer, the human microbiome, and the challenges of feeding a growing human population. In the fourth edition, we included a new case – climate change. The cases highlight important issues, while also tying together a set of chapters. In this way, the cases motivate students and help them make connections among different topics. They end with a set of questions that challenge students to find solutions. The case on climate change also includes a podcast, where an author interviews a scientist doing research in this area. Finally, a photograph of a family of polar bears graces the cover of our most recent edition. The photograph was captured by award-winning photographer Paul Nicklen in Spitsbergen, Norway. As summers grow longer, polar bears, like the ones on the cover, are increasingly threatened. So the cover itself is a call to action on climate change. In bringing students’ attention to climate change, we are not just highlighting a current issue. We are also emphasizing the central importance of the carbon cycle to life on Earth. Of all the topics in introductory biology, the carbon cycle is one of the organizing principles that we want students to learn and understand. Climate change then provides a lens through which students critically examine the short-term (biological) and long-term (geologic) carbon cycle, as well as the many places they intersect and our participation in it. Introductory biology should provide a foundation for students, while also helping them to understand the world around them. As one of the most critical issues of our time, climate change should certainly find a home in introductory biology textbooks, resources, and curricula. James Morris Brandeis University Discover more about Dr. James Morris and his passion for teaching biology and sparking wonder in students.  ... View more

One of my most profound memories of growing up was having Sunday dinner at my grandmother’s house. My grandparents migrated north to New Jersey from the rural coast of North Carolina in the mid-fifties. They paved the way for my grandmother’s siblings to all eventually migrate north and settle with their families near my them at the Jersey shore.   My grandparents were proud people who sacrificed everything they had to provide passage for our family out of the  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivering his I Have a Dream Speech at the Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C. 08/28/1963 ARC Identifier 542069segregated south into the freedoms and opportunities promised in northern communities.  My sister and I were always excited to make the hour or so drive to the shore to visit my grandmother, the surviving matriarch of the family, on those Sunday afternoons after church.  Although our grandfather passed away when we were very young, we felt a strong sense of pride and love that we knew had been created by both of their hard work and steady hearts and was there, waiting to touch everyone who entered into that home.   By the time we arrived at my grandmother’s house, relatives had already begun to filter into the living room, laughing and sharing stories from the past. There was a familiar sense of safety and peace that we each felt knowing that we had created something special that we would always share -- a common heritage and history that transcended blood-ties and family trees. We were the survivors of Jim Crow and the promise now of an opportunity to be who we were always meant to be, a people born with freedoms and dreams.   The smell of great soul food and the sounds of warm laughter would bring us together in anticipation of a meal at the dining room table -- the most intimate space to share. When dinner was ready to be served, we would all stand around the dining room table and hold hands and pray. All the food would be perfectly assembled on the table, as we waited quietly for one of my uncles or my father to bless the meal.  In those moments, I noticed that on the wall in my grandmother’s dining room, was a picture of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. My grandmother had done what so many Black families had done who were survivors of the Jim Crow south and who had witnessed the call for America to step into the light of equality and racial justice.  She joined the ranks of countless Black southerners living in the north, who felt pride and even a duty to prominently display a picture of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in their home.  My young mind couldn’t appreciate the true meaning behind his presence at every Sunday dinner, watching over our every word and peering into our hearts with a stoic moral reminder of how far we’d come. There were plenty of framed pictures of family members freckled throughout my grandmother’s house on mantles, dressers, tables, and in photo albums that we enjoyed thumbing through after we had our fill of fellowship at the dining room table.  However, that picture hanging in my grandmother’s dining room was different from the other pictures set throughout her house. The picture of Dr. King wasn’t really a picture as much as it was an image of ourselves, reminding us of how fragile freedom really is and how the sacrifices of the civil rights movement can easily be undone when we forget the faces of those who dared to embolden our self-worth and our right to dream the impossible dreams that push America to be better to its people.  Dr. King was there with us- while we sat laughing together in the living room, while praying words of thankfulness before eating, and while we gathered ourselves to leave and return to our own homes.  He was there to remind us that freedom is a long march, not a fleeing spring, and that the best of him was in all of us as we marched forward into the promises that awaited us in the future. His eyes, faithful and focused, pushed us to never forget that just a generation prior to that moment, we were limited by the confines of segregation and a generation before that, we were oppressed by the yoke of slavery.  His presence, there in the middle of our family gathering each Sunday, was meant to motivate us to continue the march forward and uncover new opportunities, for ourselves and those around us. The march toward equality and the freedom to realize our greatest potential is not reserved for the privileged, but rather a blessing that we share with each other.  We reject the barriers of injustice and hatred that can so easily divide us as people. As I look toward remembering Dr. King during this national day of remembrance, I am honored to have had Dr. King’s presence alive in our family gatherings, reminding me to continue the march towards freedom and justice for all.  ... View more

Macmillan really walks the walk. There are few truly mission-driven companies out there, and Macmillan Learning is one of those companies: Chris Paddock, Senior Director of User Experience This month, Macmillan Learning launched a new company mission and vision, supported by our core values. The words are new; the actions they embody are not. They codify a mission that we already live, a vision that we believe is within reach, and a set of values that inspire how and why we work the way we do each day.  Our mission and vision provide us with a critical focus. Each of us has made choices that led us to work at Macmillan Learning and these statements help us recommit to the work we do. It's the choices we make that lead us to embrace a vision for the future that is both astonishing to contemplate and yet within our collective grasp: We envision a world in which every student succeeds.  Success is often defined first by what’s possible; however, what is possible is no simple measurement, and not conferred by others upon us; rather, it rests with each individual, as part of a family or group, as part of what citizenship means in a world that is so reliant on educational opportunity to shape it. It is why living our mission meaningfully affects our individual and collective futures, and we live our mission by inspiring what’s possible for every learner.  It’s learning that makes things possible; I’d argue, it has the potential to make all things possible. At work, in the classroom, remotely or via online engagement, learning is a tool with  endless applications; a catalyst for a new, more meaningful set of possibilities for each learner. It is as true for a student at the beginning of their educational journey as it is for the Macmillan Learning team member invested in a career dedicated to helping others. And for each of us, it is through the values that we live that we join every learner on their journey.  True to ourselves. True to our customers. To be true requires integrity, empathy, and dedication. It requires that we be mindful of each decision we make and understand its effect on learners around the globe and on each other as colleagues. When we do this right, we positively and sustainably impact the educational lives of people everywhere.  Inclusion is a choice we make every day. Diversity is a fact; Inclusion is a choice. It is a choice we consciously choose to make every day; one that enables us to work together honestly and authentically. It is a choice that allows us to broaden our educational reach to increasingly wider and diverse audiences, and it is evidenced through our ability to support the learning of every individual along the way. Learning is a journey we are on together. As individuals. As teams. As a company. In concert with authors, content collaborators, outside partners, administrators, educators and, most importantly, students. Now more than ever we have the ability to help any student learn what is important to their success, when and where they are best suited to learn it, and inspire in them the why that will carry them forward on their educational journey. The paths we walk together not only make knowledge more accessible, they enable the development of practical skills and support each student’s well-being, sense of belonging, and intrinsic motivation to succeed.  Shaping tomorrow with today’s ideas.  It is a great reward to know our content, courseware, and learning platforms can positively impact educational outcomes as well as the very opportunities students encounter throughout their education. Our partnership with authors brings new perspectives and points-of-view to new and established fields of inquiry. Our collaboration with digital innovators within and outside Macmillan Learning fosters work that reaches students the world over in ways that help to democratize education and change the trajectory of individual lives.  We are in the business of doing good, and I’m proud of the direction that we’re headed. I hope you join me and your colleagues as we continue to explore how a collective mission set upon a vision of a better world for every student can continue to motivate our work at Macmillan Learning.    ... View more

Every great company has a culture that makes it special, differentiating it from other companies. Culture is the result of the people working together toward a common goal.  It’s the reason why they come to work each and every day. Everything we do at Macmillan Learning is in service of fulfilling our common goal. It's at the heart of what we stand for and why our employees remain inspired to do such amazing work.  Our daily mission and vision for the future has evolved along with the needs and focus of the community we support. For the past year, we have been reflecting on our business, our teams, and our communities. We interviewed and surveyed customers, leaders, authors, students, and our employees without any preconceived ideas to better understand their beliefs about our company.  Through collecting and measuring the data, some common themes emerged. We thought long and hard about what everyone had to say and the feedback confirmed we’re making the right moves to prepare for the future, and an ever- changing education landscape. It also helped us to articulate the journey that Macmillan Learning has been on for quite some time -- to help inspire a better future for every student. Or, in other words, inspire what’s possible.  Earlier today. Macmillan Learning announced to our employees a revised mission, vision, and stated company values and I am excited to now share it more broadly. Our mission, vision and values are meant to be living statements - ones that symbolize the passion and purpose we all feel for the work we do every day.  You will see these everywhere from our website to our offices; our promotional materials to our social media. You’ll hear our team talking about what it means to live this mission and these values; what it means to work toward this critically important vision.  They are reflections of our team as much as guideposts directing our efforts as we navigate a rapidly changing landscape with ongoing challenges of learning loss, access, AI, and more. While the phrases may be new, these sentiments have been a part of our company’s culture for quite some time. At Macmillan Learning, we believe that through our work, actions, content, and courseware we are making an impact on the educational ecosystem. And through that impact, we are helping to inspire what’s possible for each and every learner.   Our Mission:                                                                                            Our Vision: Our Values       Collectively, Macmillan Learning’s mission, vision, and values serve as the foundation upon which we will continue to work and build toward the future. This is what inspires our work; it is who we are. And it is the foundation of our partnership with educators and students. ... View more