Learning Forward: A Peek into Macmillan Learning’s 2025 Research Plans

[MarisaBluestone]

At Macmillan Learning we believe that it's important to never stop learning. But how do we know what’s most effective in helping learners on their journey? And how do we empower instructors to support them in the best possible way? The answer comes down to one thing: research.

But we’re not just asking whether our products “work.” We want to understand how instructors and students experience them, whether they improve success in meaningful ways, and how we can help students and instructors get the most out of them. Are students persisting when assignments get tough? Are their grades improving? Are they staying engaged with course materials—and their courses overall? Research helps us answer these questions and more.

Research fuels our ability to develop products based on a deeper understanding of our users' needs, to iterate, adapt, and continually improve.

For many years our Learning Science and Research (LSR) teams have led the way in asking these (and more) questions. Take, for instance, Achieve, our flagship digital platform. The technology was co-designed with instructors and students from its earliest alpha and beta stages. Since launching in 2020, we’ve refined it through rigorous, IRB-approved studies to ensure it evolves with the needs of learners and educators. We’ll continue researching and iterating year after year -- but that’s just one piece of our bigger plans.

In 2025, we’re diving deeper into personalized learning. We’re especially curious about how AI-driven tools can provide educators with point of use data-driven insights and customizable course management, while providing students with personalized learning experiences that are relevant to their life and goals, provide support when needed most, and offer a flexible path to mastery. We’re also paying special attention to learning outcomes for neurodivergent students, historically underserved students, and the impact of Achieve in specific disciplines like biology, chemistry, statistics, and economics.

Research isn’t just about asking questions—it’s about taking action. If you're curious about what we hope to learn this year, read on over the coming weeks to learn more about our research planned for 2025 and why it matters. 

“Research helps us empathize with student and instructor needs, to identify problems they need solved, and to create tools that  support them in achieving their goals,” said Marcy Baughman. “At Macmillan Learning, we don’t just ask whether something works—we ask how it can work better.”

So let’s get started. One of the biggest areas we’re focusing on this year? AI-powered learning.

Our AI Tutor has already helped students build stronger study habits, improve problem-solving skills, and stay engaged. But what is it about the tutor that helps students struggling with their coursework? Can we replicate those initial results at scale? Next week, we’ll take a closer look at what we‘ve learned so far and what we’re hoping to discover about AI-powered tools in education.