Just because we've been talking about it recently, I wanted to give you a little insight into what our team can tell about peak and non-peak usage. We know that Thursday nights and Sunday nights are popular nights for students to do work in LaunchPad. Friday nights and Saturday mornings--not so much. Because we have this information, we can gauge the time when maintenance to LaunchPad will cause the least disruption. As you know, there is never a time where we can cause no disruption; someone is always working in LaunchPad. But by looking at our data, like the graph below which shows two consecutive Saturdays (in blue and orange), we do our best to find the time that is least annoying to do maintenance, for students and instructors, from four U.S. time zones, working in and teaching with LaunchPad. ... View more

Just a reminder as classes get started and students familiarize themselves with Achieve and Sapling and LaunchPad (and LaunchPad Solo and Writer's Help) that you ARE NOT tech support for your students. Macmillan has a lovely tech support team in Orlando, FL waiting to help your students. The agents are good, nice, and fast--and they have quick answers to lots of the typical problems that students encounter at the beginning of the semester. So encourage your students to use Macmillan Customer Support and they won't use you. (And don't forget that they can help instructors too!) ... View more

Many students will balk at the suggestion of using an online learning system like LaunchPad, even if it has great study tools that will help them to pass their courses. Though LaunchPad is proven to help students in preparing for lectures, reviewing the material, and studying for exams, it can be difficult to imagine the results until you’ve actually had an opportunity to get your hands dirty. A professor’s best friend: the delayed payment option! Giving students 21 days of free access to a course opens up many more opportunities for instructors to demonstrate the efficacy of online materials despite student hesitations. LaunchPad’s temporary access is the solution to many common technology buy-in problems: Activation Code Mistakes. If a student has misplaced their code or is having trouble getting registered for the course, they can activate temporary access and avoid stress at the start of the semester. Waiting On Financial Aid. Students often have to wait to buy books until school funding is processed and distributed. 21 days of free access allows them to keep up with their assignments and use the e-Book in LaunchPad until they can pay for materials. Testing a Digital-Only Approach. LaunchPads that come with an e-Book are a cost-effective way to save money by foregoing a physical textbook for online-only resources. Students can use trial access to see if a digital-only textbook solution works for them or whether they would prefer to buy a textbook and LaunchPad package from the bookstore. Delayed Course Commitment. Trial LaunchPad access is great for students who aren’t sure if they’ll be dropping a class. It allows them to get the full experience of the course by attempting assignments and interacting with the textbook without the financial commitment of acquiring the physical book. Temporary access can make the start of a new semester less stressful for professors and students alike. Students can dive into their new courses without falling behind and professors can enjoy a more prepared and engaged class. ... View more

Welcome to Help Yourself! A new blog by me, Lynette Ledoux, Senior Manager of Self-Help. Please use the comments to dig in! I was recently dismayed to hear from one of our top technical support agents that most of the instructors he speaks to don’t know that we have a large collection of help articles and videos that one can access through the Help menu in one’s LaunchPad title, not to mention through our Macmillan Learning Web site or by direct URL pasted into, say, an email from a sales representative. Hearing my disappointment, the agent assured me that, when he points out the help site to instructors, they respond positively and are excited to have a searchable repository at their fingertips. My question for you, then, is “Did you know?” And if not, why not? Is the Help menu not obvious, or maybe it’s uninspiring? Have you thought of clicking on it? Have you needed to click on it? For those of you who have used the self-help resources we provide, what did you think of them? Did you find what you were looking for? Were the resources adequate? Would you like to see more or different things? I want our Self-Help experience to be as easy and satisfying as reaching for another helping of your favorite dish. It’s right there in front you. All you have to do is spin the lazy Susan and grab a spoon. ... View more

I'm a Macmillan Learning rep and I really enjoy empowering professors and students with our digital tools. Throughout the LaunchPad implementation process at any institution, I listen to what my professors need, pluck out the core questions, and find the answers. One common question is this: "How do I communicate with my students around LaunchPad in order to make it most effective?" In response, I compiled this document: LaunchPad Tips and Syllabus Snips Final Version.docx  The syllabus was originally crafted by two creative individuals, Professor Toni Henderson and her representative, Jennifer Cawsey. It has been helpful for both current and prospective LaunchPad adopters and I hope it will be helpful for you! ... View more

As we begin 2016, we want to make sure you are all ready for classes. So just a reminder of a few things: If we asked you to make a NEW course for January (not copy), then please be sure to do that. If you copied your course from the fall, make sure you update your assignment due dates before you activate your course. If you need a refresher on LaunchPad, check out our training resources. If you need First Day of Class tools (slides or documents), check out the resources on our FDOC page. If you have any questions, just let us know. And Happy New Year! ... View more

Learning about LaunchPad Ever since we started using an online component with our textbook, I have had the dilemma of how do I show my students all the study options (opportunities) that are available to help them through my course (Biology 1010 – Introductory Biology for Non-majors). It would take an entire class to demonstrate all of the different materials available for them to use. Sadly, that’s time we really didn’t have.  Out of concern for presenting a solid foundation for using LaunchPad, an assignment called “Learning About LaunchPad” was born. The assignment is somewhat like a scavenger hunt, asking the students to travel through all of the different components of LaunchPad and answer questions along the way. They are exposed to the calendar, announcements, the ebook, the animations, Learning Curve, flashcards, the homepage lay-out and more. By the time they finish the assignment, they know where and how to use all the various components LaunchPad has to offer. My colleague and I asked the students to enroll in LaunchPad before the first class and we offer extra credit if they come to class with the “Learning About LaunchPad” assignment completed. This past semester over 90% of my students handed me a completed assignment on the first day! We have even used the assignment to help a new colleague become familiar with all LP has to offer. Did the assignment assist students feeling comfortable with LP, in locating their assignments throughout the semester and using study tools they might otherwise not have tried?  I thinkthey would all give you a resounding yes! The assignment goes with the LaunchPad for Biology for a Changing World (Schuster,2e). I’ve posted the “Spring version” of our assignment.  Feel free to modify it for your own courses. I hope you get the same positive results, we have experienced! ... View more

So your classes are coming to an end and it’s time to make sure everything is in order for finals. Here are some tips to help you wrap up your semester with Launchpad. 1. Add zeros for all unsubmitted Launchpad assignments You may notice in the gradebook, the grades don’t look entirely right. If you have not selected to add zeros for unsubmitted assignments when you created your course, l this is a good time to do so. All work that was not completed, will now have a zero in the gradebook and the grade totals will now be accurate. Here is how you do it: Step 1. Click on the Instructor Console from the menu on the left Step 2. Click on the Gradebook Preferences link. Step 3. Select the Zero Score preference. 2. Export your grades from Launchpad to your campus learning management system (Blackboard, Canvas, D2L etc.) If you are keeping other grades in your campus learning management system, Blackboard, Canvas, or D2L for example, you will want to export your Launchpad grades and then import them. Here are the steps: Step 1. From your gradebook, click “Export Scores” at the top of the page. Step 2. Select the information you want to export and which assignments you want grades for. When you're done, click Export. 3. Verify Students work For students who challenge their scores in Launchpad – there are a few tings you can do to verify their work. Step 1. Click on the Gradebook to open it Step 2. Click on the student's name whose activity you wish to track Step 3. From here you can do one of two things. First, you can view the student’s submission for a specific assignment by clicking on it. Second, you can see their overall activity by selecting the icon on the right side that looks like a sheet of paper with a clock on it. 4. Changing settings and due dates for a student Special cases arise where you need to extend a due date or change setting for a particular student. Here is what you need to know. Step 1. Hover your cursor over the "More Options" menu for the assignment and select "edit" Step 2. From the Basic Info screen, select Assignment. Step 3. In the drop down menu for Setting for: click “Add individual" Step 4. Enter the student's name then click add Step 5.  Select the student from the drop-down list Step 6a. Change the due date settings for the individual student. Step 6b. Or to change a setting follow the preceding steps and click on settings tab to adjust the time limit, number of attempts, etc. Step 7. Click Save Changes at the bottom of the screen 5. Deactivate your course After all is completed and your grades are finished – there is one last step to finish wrapping up your Launchpad course. You now need to deactivate it. Your data will all be saved and you still have the ability to view and change anything you like. The main benefit for deactivating your course is that now students can’t register for the course. So this makes it easier for next semester so students register for the right course. Here is how you do it: Step 1. From the LaunchPad home page, select Switch/Create New Courses from the drop-down menu in the upper-right corner of the screen. Step 2. Click on the “Deactivate” button under the course you have completed As always – if you need any extra help with your end of semester wrap up – you can sign up for a training session here.​ ... View more

Launchpad has given me the tools to create a much richer learning environment outside of class, which in turn has transformed what I do in live class sessions.  In particular, it has allowed me to break down traditional barriers between in-class and outside of class activities, radically transforming how I structure my course.  Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than in the elimination of my live lectures—which is not to say that I no longer speak in class, as you’ll see. Parts of my lectures have become redundant.  No longer do I have to lecture on material covered in the textbook during class. Before LearningCurve helped my students to engage with and master readings, these review lectures made some sense. Many students hadn’t completed the reading assignment for the week, and those that had read it passively and still needed to digest the information. But now with LearningCurve assigned before class, such reviews are largely unnecessary. Through a journal exercise, my students tell me which parts of the chapter they would like to review. Instead of lecturing on the same material covered in the text, I now lead class discussion of student-identified topics from their readings. But there were important elements of my traditional live lectures that were not redundant, particularly those moments where I clarified, challenged or added to the text in important ways. These segments could not be cut without loss, but I increasingly wondered about the timing of these portions of my lectures. While I had something that I wanted to tell my students, was the Wednesday afternoon after the student read the text over the weekend really the right place to add my thoughts? Moreover, was covering all this material in a single one-off 50 minute session the right modality? The answer for me was no to both questions. My solution was to embed these segments of my traditional lectures directly into Launchpad. I see this change as a chance to guide my students as they are reading and to encourage critical engagement with the text. It is remarkably easy to do in Launchpad.  I simply record voice over lecture slides and then embed them using the ‘Link’ option in the ‘Add to this Unit’ button. I can place these mini-lectures before or after any a- or b-heading in the e-book. I’ve experimented with a variety of formats, but I have settled on 1 to 4 minute segments as the ideal. This length is perfect for a mini-lecture focused on a specific question, puzzle, or event. The format has several advantages over the classroom.  First, its length makes it easier for a student to focus on and the mini-lectures break up the text which in turn makes it more digestible. Second, it can be viewed multiple times and a student views it when he or she is ready or it becomes relevant. Third, my lectures align more closely with the book than ever before.  Even when I offer new material I do so in the context of the book. Finally, my videos are closed captioned and I post a transcript with each podcast. These features address universal design and accessibility issues more fully than I could in my traditional classroom. I know that this probably sounds like a big undertaking, but there are two things to keep in mind when you think about inserting elements of your lectures into Launchpad.  First, these mini-lectures are the best segments of your current live lectures, so they are easy to create.  Also, once you create them, they are ready for future semesters.  No longer will you have to give the same lecture three times on the same day and the links copy over each semester in Launchpad. You have options as to how these mini-lectures will look and feel.  I have found voice over lecture slides most effective. It allows me to bring visual evidence and structure to my mini-lectures.  But there are other options.  It is even possible to record a live lecture in front of a real class and edit it into shorter segments for Launchpad. Flipping my classroom has led me to think a great deal about timing and teaching. New on-line resources are breaking down traditional barriers between inside and outside of class activities, making for a more seamless and dynamic experience for my students. The elimination of traditional live lectures in my courses is just one part of this transformation, one that freed up considerable class time for discussion and active learning, which both my students and I are finding more enjoyable and useful. ... View more

A question we seem to get more and more these days is how can LaunchPad help me flip my class? One tool people have used to help flip is to assign LearningCurve before class. But we have a new tool to share. The Video Assignment Tools available in every LaunchPad as of this fall are a perfect way to turn any video into a discussion board based assignment. The embedded rubric can also let you structure more formal assignments around any video. This include lessons you may have taped, or screen casts you may have done explaining concepts. As well as YouTube videos. We held a Webinar on this on October 7th and we had over 200 people attend. You can view the recording here. https://macmillanhigheredtraining.webex.com/macmillanhigheredtraining/ldr.php?RCID=58bf4412a94d5b9b6bb8c73dd1063a2b  You can also learn more about Video Assignment Tools in our in product walk through - http://cmg.screenstepslive.com/s/MacmillanMedia/m/LaunchPadIM/l/342039-how-do-i-load-a-video-into-a-video-assignment Lastly for those who are looking for something different on the flipping front in Principles of Economics and in Algebra and Calc based Physics we offer a new product called FlipIt.  FlipIt is based on extensive published peer reviewed research and you can learn more about it at http://www.macmillanhighered.com/Catalog/elearningbrowsebymediatype/FlipIt http://www.macmillanhighered.com/Catalog/elearningbrowsebymediatype/FlipIt ... View more

Deep integration is a way for you to add LaunchPad or Writer’s Help 2.0 content such as quizzes, activities, readings from the e-book, and videos to your Blackboard, Canvas, or Desire2Learn course. After you add the content, you and your students will be required to connect your campus LMS accounts with your Macmillan accounts so that the two systems can talk to each other. What are the primary benefits? Establishing single sign-on so that you and your students can open LaunchPad or Writer’s Help 2.0 content inside your campus LMS without having to log in every time. Enabling gradebook sync, which automatically transfers your students’ grades on LaunchPad or Writer’s Help 2.0 assignments into your campus LMS gradebook. How long does it take to implement deep integration? If your campus isn’t already set up with Macmillan deep integration, it can take months for your campus IT and the Macmillan integration team to implement the integration. So if you were interested in having deep integration by the fall semester, say, it’d be best to talk to your sales representative in the early spring. While you’re waiting, you should get a jump start on the second part of the setup, which consists of familiarizing yourself with your LaunchPad or Writer’s Help 2.0 content, deciding what you’ll want to incorporate into your course, and assigning these resources with due dates, point values, and gradebook categories, if applicable. When you’re done, you’ll also need to activate your LaunchPad or Writer’s Help 2.0 course, which opens it for student registration. When the integration is complete, you can set up single sign-on for yourself, decide where you want to place LaunchPad or Writer’s Help 2.0 content in your campus LMS course, and then bring the content in. You can bring in some or all of it at once. If this seems like a long time, that’s because it is, at first. The good news is that when you set everything up once, it’s easy after that. If you teach the same course in a subsequent semester, all you’ll have to do is copy your LaunchPad or Writer’s Help 2.0 course, update the due dates for the new semester, and refresh your content in your campus LMS. If you teach a different course, you won’t have to work with your campus IT to implement integration again, but you will have to set up assignments in LaunchPad or Writer’s Help 2.0 and bring them in to your campus LMS course. What support does Macmillan offer to help me with this process? We have comprehensive knowledge bases for instructors and students. Below are direct links to the key manuals you and your students can reference. Once you’re inside a manual, you can either search for a word or phrase about which you have a question, or click through the table of contents. Blackboard Canvas Desire2Learn Instructor LaunchPad instructor’s manual LaunchPad instructor’s manual LaunchPad instructor’s manual Blackboard deep integration with LaunchPad instructor’s manual Canvas deep integration with LaunchPad instructor’s manual Desire2Learn deep integration with LaunchPad instructor’s manual Writer’s Help 2.0 instructor’s manual Writer’s Help 2.0 instructor’s manual Writer’s Help 2.0 instructor’s manual Blackboard deep integration with Writer’s Help 2.0 instructor’s manual Canvas deep integration with Writer’s Help 2.0 instructor’s manual Desire2Learn deep integration with Writer’s Help 2.0 instructor’s manual Student LaunchPad student’s manual LaunchPad student’s manual LaunchPad student’s manual Blackboard deep integration with LaunchPad student’s manual Canvas deep integration with LaunchPad student’s manual Desire2Learn deep integration with LaunchPad student’s manual Writer’s Help 2.0 student’s manual Writer’s Help 2.0 student’s manual Writer’s Help 2.0 student’s manual Blackboard deep integration with Writer’s Help 2.0 student’s manual Canvas deep integration with Writer’s Help 2.0 student’s manual Desire2Learn deep integration with Writer’s Help 2.0 student’s manual In addition to our help articles, we offer instructor training sessions, 24/7 chat and email technical support, and phone technical support Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. ET and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. ET. If you have questions or want to get the ball rolling, contact your Macmillan sales representative. Thank you for taking the time to learn about deep integration with LaunchPad and Writer’s Help 2.0! ... View more

This spring, we had a contest where we asked students to submit videos via Instagram about LaunchPad. The results were very creative and might make a nice introduction to LaunchPad during the first week of class. Plus, the videos are short! Check out the LaunchPad Instagram Content Winners here. ... View more

After a rigorous analysis of customer support tickets, conversations with our field sales personnel and digital support specialists, and extensive interviews and testing with students and instructors (users and non-users), we decided to focus on the following areas for LaunchPad improvements for Fall 2015: onboarding, assignment journey, and video assignment tools. Onboarding: Improvements to the eCommerce flow, so that students can more quickly buy direct access to LaunchPad Due to student feedback, changing references to temp access to "free trial access" Adding student messaging that clarifies when a user's free trial access will expire, so if I'm a student and I have free trial access, each day that I log in to the product, I'll see a counter at the top of LaunchPad saying 20 days, 19 days, 18 days, etc. Moving the system check from the login screen to the eCommerce screen - this system check on the LaunchPad sign in page was distracting users from logging into our product and was a frequent tech support complaint Assignment Journey: Expanding the clickable area in the assignment list to make loading an assignment easier Allowing instructors to set the student view of letter/point/percent grade or any combination thereof Removing the marketing banner from interior pages of the product (welcome page, dashboard, home page) Video Assignment Tool Instructors can create video assignments requiring that students have to upload or embed their own videos Instructors can create video assignments requiring that students add time-based comments on videos For disciplines with a video library, instructors can create video assignments requiring that students add time-based comments on publisher-supplied videos Instructors can use rubrics to grade video assignments You can learn more here: What is a Video Assignment? | LaunchPad Instructor's Manual | Macmillan Media for Instructors  Let us know what you think of these changes! ... View more