New York, March 14, 2022 -- Macmillan Learning, a division of the family-owned global media company Holtzbrinck Publishing Group, announced that Susan Winslow has been promoted to the role of Chief Executive Officer. In this new role, she will oversee the company’s short and long-term global growth, and continue leading the company’s digital transformation in support of all students, no matter their background or abilities.  Winslow, who has served as the company’s President for the past 14 months, has been with Macmillan Learning since 2007. She previously acted as General Manager and has been a part of the company’s senior leadership team since 2015. A long champion of digital learning and equity in education, under her leadership, Macmillan Learning has grown market share for the past five years, developed, tested, and launched the company’s innovative digital platform, Achieve, and doubled the size of its AP High School business. “There are few things more powerful than an education. Susan deeply understands this and has made it her mission to lead Macmillan Learning to enable this opportunity for all students,” said Stefan von Holtzbrinck, Chief Executive Officer of Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. “Susan is an authentic leader who has the respect and admiration of the company’s employees, authors, and customers,” said Holtzbrinck Publishing Group’s Chief Operating Officer, Filmon Zerai. “As President, she successfully navigated the company through a rapidly-changing market at one of the most pivotal moments within the education industry, all while also launching a new digital learning platform and expanding internationally. Even with all this change, her focus remained steadfastly on supporting students and their learning.” Winslow has more than 30 years experience working in educational publishing across all areas of the business, and is one of only a few women leading educational services and publishing companies. Under her leadership as General Manager and President, Macmillan Learning gained market share consistently, enabled a smooth transition to digital native course materials and expanded the company’s roster of award-winning authors. She also led the effort to extend Macmillan Learning’s footprint beyond North America in 2021. Winslow has long been a champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion and is a passionate supporter of STEM education.   “We have the opportunity to do something meaningful. To change lives by helping students feel like they belong, and that they deserve to be in the classroom; to help them achieve their goals. My north star for Macmillan Learning is to continue producing technology and course materials that fully engage students, providing them a doorway to what’s possible,” said Susan Winslow, CEO, Macmillan Learning. About Macmillan Learning Macmillan Learning is a privately-held, family-owned company that improves lives through learning. By linking research to learning practice, we develop pioneering products and learning materials for students that are highly effective and drive improved outcomes. Our engaging content is developed in partnership with the world's best researchers, educators, administrators, and developers. To learn more, please visit macmillanlearning.com or join our Macmillan Community.  ### ... View more

Company’s perfect score earned it designation as a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality”  New York, January 27, 2022 – Macmillan Learning, a privately-held, family-owned education publishing and services company, announced today that it received a score of 100 for the third consecutive year on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). The Index is the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. Macmillan Learning is one of only two education companies to earn top marks this year.  “It’s important to Macmillan Learning that we create a diverse workplace where everyone feels valued and appreciated and that encourages belonging and acceptance. Although our work is far from finished, we are proud to be recognized by the Human Rights Campaign for our advocacy and support of LGBTQ+ employees,” said Coltrane Stansbury, Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Macmillan Learning.  By creating a workforce reflective of diverse learners, Macmillan Learning is able to better create its course materials and educational technology with inclusive design. The company’s approach to diversity, equity and inclusion is centered around three core values, which are evident in its products, people and culture:  Products: Macmillan Learning takes bold steps to ensure its products and services consider the backgrounds, needs and challenges of all learners.  People: Macmillan Learning is intentional in its efforts to attract and retain top, diverse talent who bring unique perspectives, varied skills, and diversity of thought. Culture: Macmillan Learning cultivates a culture where everyone is respected and valued for their experiences and contributions. The CEI rates companies on detailed criteria falling under four central pillars: non-discriminatory policies across business entities, equitable benefits for LGBTQ+ workers and their families, supporting an inclusive culture, and corporate social responsibility.  Macmillan Learning’s efforts in satisfying all of the CEI’s criteria earned a 100 percent ranking and the designation as one of the Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality. The company was one of only two education companies to earn top marks this year. The results of the 2022 CEI showcase how 1,271 U.S.-based companies are promoting LGBTQ+-friendly workplace policies in the U.S. and helping advance the cause of LGBTQ+ inclusion in workplaces abroad.  Read more about Macmillan Learning’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion here. For more information about work opportunities at Macmillan Learning, visit the company’s careers page.  About Macmillan Learning Macmillan Learning is a privately-held, family owned company that improves lives through learning. By linking research to learning practice, we develop pioneering products and learning materials for students that are highly effective and drive improved outcomes. Our engaging content is developed in partnership with the world's best researchers, educators, administrators, and developers. To learn more, please visit macmillanlearning.com or see us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or join our Macmillan Community.  ... View more

New York, April 23 2021 --  Macmillan Learning, a privately-held, family-owned education publishing and services company, today announced that the Macmillan International Higher Education team that supported global sales of Macmillan Learning products is now a part of the company. The move provides even more students and instructors around the world with access to the company’s learning materials and educational technology, including Achieve, the company’s new digital learning platform. The team is being transferred from Springer Nature. Macmillan Learning is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Holtzbrinck Publishing Group (HPG), which holds a majority share of Springer Nature. Macmillan Learning has been selling to international markets for more than 25 years, with a dedicated North American sales team and also via the Macmillan International Higher Education  team. The team will sell the company’s full portfolio of course materials for the higher education market and educational technologies outside of North America. “We are delighted to welcome our colleagues from Macmillan International Higher Education into an even more united partnership, and to strengthen our ability to serve and support our global customers. This move supports our long-term global strategy and creates new opportunities for Macmillan Learning,” said Susan Winslow, President of Macmillan Learning.  The move brings 17 sales and marketing employees to the company. The team had previously sold Macmillan Learning and other course materials throughout Europe and Australia but will now focus specifically on Macmillan Learning products and technologies.  “Macmillan Learning has a stellar reputation in Europe and is known to partner with some of the best minds in their fields and academia to develop course materials and technologies. I’m excited to join this team and support their mission to inspire learning and see all students succeed,” said Katie Thorn, Sales and Marketing Director, Macmillan International Higher Education.  About Macmillan Learning Macmillan Learning is a privately-held, family-owned company that improves lives through learning. By linking research to learning practice, we develop pioneering products and learning materials for students that are highly effective and drive improved outcomes. To learn more, please visit macmillanlearning.com or join our Macmillan Community. ... View more

Top publisher for learning materials for Advanced Placement courses offers titles for 15 subjects to support student learning New York, February 9, 2021 -- Bedford, Freeman & Worth High School Publishers announced the publication of two new Advanced Placement (AP) textbooks: American Literature and Rhetoric and Human Geography for the AP® Course. The two new titles reflect the company’s commitment to continually invest in new and compelling learning materials to help foster high school students’ college readiness. They are available in both digital and print versions. Through the College Board’s AP program, students take college-level courses in high school and, depending on their AP exam scores and the college they attend, may receive college credit. According to the College Board, more than 535k students took AP courses for English Language and Composition, nearly 350k took Literature, and more than 218k took Human Geography. "While classes may look different because of COVID, the need for learning materials has not changed,” said Charles Linsmeier, Senior Vice President, BFW Publishers. “We will continue investing in the creation of compelling learning materials that meet the needs of diverse populations of students taking AP courses. And that begins by partnering with teachers in the AP community to ensure that our teaching materials support the newest and the most experienced AP teachers alike.” The first edition of American Literature and Rhetoric (ALR) can be used in high school American literature and language courses for AP or College Board’s College-Level Examination Program (CLEP). The title combines reading and writing instruction to build essential skills and help students develop an appreciation and understanding of American literature. The text can be taught chronologically, thematically, or by genre and was written by AP experts Robin Aufses; Renee Shea; Katherine E. Cordes; and Lawrence Scanlon.  The first edition of Human Geography for the AP® Course is aligned with the 2019 AP curriculum framework and includes exam practice questions at the end of every module and unit and a complete practice exam at the end of the book. More than just aligning to the test, it also helps students sharpen their critical thinking and study skills and broaden their global perspective. The book offers numerous opportunities to examine current controversies in human geography, discussion-based explorations of geographical patterns and trends, and new ways for students to practice newly developed skills.  It was written by AP experts Barbara Hildebrant; Max Lu; Kenneth Keller; and Roderick P. Neumann. “Diversity and inclusion are intentionally and thoughtfully woven in the materials as they are being created, ensuring students of various backgrounds and levels of preparation can see themselves in their course materials, while at the same time learn about other cultures and perspectives,” added Linsmeier. For example, about half of the readings in ALR are written by women; the featured writers are also racially diverse, almost half are from underrepresented groups in literature. The new AP Human Geography title prominently highlights women’s accomplishments, contributions and perspectives; recurring features like Seeing Geography and Subject to Debate take a global approach beyond Western thinking; and a Diversity Connection feature in the Teachers Edition connects content with cultures around the world to expose students to the different ways human geography is experienced, and more. BFW currently offers books that support AP learning for more than 15 AP courses, including Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies. The titles are currently available on the BFW High School Publishers catalog from Macmillan Learning. About BFW High School Publishers  BFW Publishing Group is a part of Macmillan Learning, a privately-held, family-owned company that improves lives through learning. BFW is the leading publisher of AP® and Pre-AP® resources, whose authors are recognized leaders in the AP® communities, and leading authorities on AP® courses.   ... View more

New York, December 9, 2020 -- Macmillan Learning, a privately-held, family-owned education publishing and technology company, announced the acquisition of three biology titles it previously had co-published with Oxford University Press (OUP): Life: The Science of Biology, Principles of Life, and A Student Handbook for Writing in Biology. The move affirms the company’s ongoing commitment to investing in educational content. Going forward, Macmillan Learning will handle all aspects of publication, including content development, marketing, sales, and customer service.  The three titles have previously been co-published by Macmillan Learning imprint W. H. Freeman along with Sinauer Associates, which became an OUP imprint in 2017. They round out the company’s portfolio of introductory biology titles, including the best-selling Biology: How Life Works. The acquisition offers customers a more unified experience as all of these franchises grow and change with new discoveries in the life sciences.                  “Macmillan Learning has long been investing in scientific education titles that were written to pique students' curiosity. The Life franchise is among the best-selling biology titles we published, reaching well over a million students, and we’re excited to continue investing in it,” said Daryl Fox, Senior Vice President, STEM. David Clark, Managing Director of OUP’s Academic Division, said: “At OUP we have been honored to partner with the highly respected authors of Life: The Science of Biology, Principles of Life and A Student Handbook for Writing in Biology to create course materials that have left an indelible impression on thousands of biology students. I feel confident that, with this agreement, they are positioned for sustained impact and success in the future.” The 12th edition of Life: The Science of Biology was published in 2020 and authored by a team of distinguished authors from prominent institutions including, among others, Stanford, University of Texas, and Oberlin. They include: David M. Hillis; Craig H. Heller; Sally D. Hacker; David W. Hall; Marta J. Laskowski; and David E. Sadava. The third edition of Principles of Life was published in 2019 and authored by David M. Hillis; Mary V. Price; Richard W. Hill; David W. Hall; Marta J. Laskowski.  A new edition of A Student Handbook for Writing in Biology written by Karen Knisely of Bucknell University will be published in 2021, reflecting the company’s ongoing investment in developing students’ communication skills across disciplines.  The titles are currently available on the Macmillan Learning student store. About Macmillan Learning Macmillan Learning is a privately-held, family-owned company that improves lives through learning. By linking research to learning practice, we develop pioneering products and learning materials for students that are highly effective and drive improved outcomes. Our engaging content is developed in partnership with the world's best researchers, educators, administrators, and developers. To learn more, please visit macmillanlearning.com or join our Macmillan Community. ### ... View more

New York, September  24, 2020 -- After four years of rigorous testing by educators and students, Macmillan Learning’s new digital learning platform Achieve launched in college classes throughout the U.S. this fall semester. Research from Inside Higher Ed and The Boedeker Group shows that student engagement was a top challenge as instructors transitioned to virtual classes this spring, and remains a concern this fall. During the spring 2020 semester, instructors using Achieve reported their students were more engaged both in and outside of class when they compared to other classes they were teaching without Achieve. “Engagement is critical to a student's success, and a sense of support and collaboration can be challenging to create by just watching videos or clicking through information. Achieve makes learning more active, which is more important than ever with virtual and hybrid classes. It’s making a difference for students, with data demonstrating better understanding, grades and exam scores when students use Achieve,” said Susan Winslow, President, Macmillan Learning.  Active learning is embedded in Achieve’s design, and can be used in traditional, online, hybrid, blended, or a fully “flipped” classroom, with options for both synchronous and asynchronous learning to support engagement -- no matter where students are. This flexibility was especially critical this past spring semester when many instructors had to transition from face-to-face to virtual classes quickly. When asked, 71% of instructors teaching during the spring semester reported that it was easier to transition to a virtual environment with Achieve compared to other curricula they were using.   Achieve includes an interactive eBook as well as expansive learning materials that include pre-class, in-class and post-class activities. Several digital-first titles were developed for the new digital learning platform, including Achieve for Readers and Writers and Achieve for Interactive General Chemistry.  Joel Wilson, a Professor of General Studies at Keiser University and an Adjunct Instructor at the Community College of Allegheny County, who has been using Achieve Writer’s Help for Hacker for four semesters, said: “When the coronavirus shut down institutions across the country, many instructors were scrambling to transition their class and locate materials that work well in a virtual classroom, but thanks to Achieve’s built-in active learning, my classes maintained their continuity, and my students' learning continued. The students remained very engaged with the Achieve materials and the course. They were able to both finish the semester and strengthen their composition skills." Earlier this year Achieve became the first product exclusively designed for higher education to earn the “Research-Based Design” product certification by Digital Promise. The certification ensures instructors that the products they select were designed using research-based learning science principles and developed using best practices before using them with their students.  The Data on Student Success: Macmillan Learning developed Achieve using research-based learning science principles, and took the unusual approach of investigating the effectiveness and efficacy of Achieve in its infancy by conducting rapid-cycle evaluations of tool features. Following that, the company implemented increasingly rigorous validity and efficacy studies as the platform matured throughout beta testing to release. Thousands of students and hundreds of instructors have participated in efficacy studies at four-year, two-year, public and private colleges. Additional studies are underway this semester. Key findings to-date include: There’s a statistically significant positive relationship between use of Achieve and improved performance in class. Students who completed at least 80% of their assigned activities in Achieve, earned nearly a letter grade higher, on average, than students who completed less than 80%. Read more in the “Achieving Student Success” research report.   Achieve closed the achievement gap between the less and more academically prepared students by about half. Details are available in the “Achieving Student Success” report. Students who used pre-class assignments in Achieve did better on exams and in class. They earned, on average, 8.7 percentage points higher on assessments and 6.8 percentage points higher on exams. Further, the more pre-class activities that a student engaged in, the higher their assessment scores and final exam scores were. Read more in “The Flipped Effect” research report. All Macmillan Learning studies are compiled with the American Psychological Association ethical standards for research. They are approved by a third-party Institutional Review Board (IRB) and at individual institutions where required. IRB approval enables researchers to compare course results with detailed information about each student, including their academic background and student records, including final exam scores and course grades. All research has been reviewed by Macmillan Learning’s Impact Research Advisory Council (IRAC), which is composed of experts in educational technology, methodology, and psychometrics. “Achieve was built with active learning at its core, with interactive learning experiences that engage students before, during and after class. Our research over the past four years shows that with Achieve, students are more engaged and are learning the material better. While Achieve wasn't created in anticipation of a pandemic, we've seen firsthand how instructors and students have benefited from the new platform during this incredible time of change,” said Tim Flem, Vice President of Product at Macmillan Learning. About Macmillan Learning Macmillan Learning is a privately-held, family-owned company that improves lives through learning. By linking research to learning practice, we develop pioneering products and learning materials for students that are highly effective and drive improved outcomes. Our engaging content is developed in partnership with the world's best researchers, educators, administrators, and developers. To learn more, please visit macmillanlearning.com or join our Macmillan Community.   ... View more

Minneapolis & New York, November 13, 2019 -- Macmillan Learning, a privately-held, family-owned education publishing company, announced today during the American Evaluation Association (AEA) Annual Conference that student final exam scores were more than half-letter grade higher when instructors assigned pre-class activities in Achieve, the company’s new digital learning platform. The company partnered with instructors at 38 two- and four-year institutions to research the efficacy of Achieve, evaluating 2,251 students during the spring 2019 semester. The results revealed today represent one finding from a multi-year efficacy study; other efficacy results are expected to be published later this year. The Achieve platform launches in January 2020 and will be widely available in Fall. “Macmillan Learning is deeply committed to using evidence-based research to build products that help more students to succeed. To best accomplish this, the company took the unusual step of embedding efficacy research for Achieve into the process of designing, developing and improving the new platform,” said Adam Black, PhD, Macmillan Learning’s Chief Learning Officer. Key Findings Use of pre-class activities in Achieve positively influenced summative assessment scores in Achieve and also final exam scores—even when controlling for students’ prior academic performance, baseline level of motivation to succeed in the course, and instructor characteristics. Among the findings: Students who completed  pre-class activities earned, on average, 8.7 percentage points higher on assessments. There were statistically significant differences (p<0.001) in the average assessment scores for students using pre-class assignments in Achieve compared to those who did not.  Students who completed pre-class activities had final exam scores that were 6.8 percentage points higher than students who didn’t. These values were also statistically significant (p<0.001) The more pre-class activities that a student engaged in, the higher their assessment scores and final exam scores were. These values were also statistically significant (correlation = 0.71, p<0.001) The study found that instructors also had strong perceptions of how pre-class activities in Achieve supported their students. They reported that pre-class activities helped their students to stay on track with assigned reading, understand the concepts that would be covered in class, and gain a basic understanding of concepts. Students reported high perceptions of pre-class activities in Achieve as well.  Like their instructors, students agreed that the pre-class work helped them keep up with their reading, come to class prepared to participate, and support their comprehension.   “We’re particularly excited to provide instructors with deeper insights into how particular student subgroups benefit from using it – for example, those less motivated or academically prepared to succeed. These kinds of insights are only possible because of our partnerships with instructors and students and the rigorous research practices we employ, which include two levels of Institutional Review Board approval for every study of Achieve,” said Kara McWilliams PhD., Macmillan Learning’s VP of Impact Research and the study’s Primary Investigator.  About The Research Because the study was conducted with students, Macmillan Learning's processes, data handling, and researcher credentials were reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Boards (IRB) at each institution and a third party. IRB review ensures that the study is rigorous and ethical. Forty instructors elected to participate in the study and their students were offered the opportunity to opt-in, and 74% of students chose to participate.  Groups were compared on three dependent variables: scores on assessments in Achieve, scores on final exams given in the course where Achieve was used, and student’s likelihood to recommend a course using Achieve to a friend. The effect of using pre-class activities in Achieve on the dependent variables was also evaluated. Analyses indicated that students’ high school grade point average and that their baseline levels of motivation were related to the dependent variables, so they were controlled for as covariates.  And, students were grouped within instructors so hierarchical linear regression was used to investigate the within and between group differences, where required.  This research has been reviewed by Macmillan Learning’s Impact Research Advisory Council (IRAC), which is comprised of experts in educational technology, methodology, and psychometrics.  “Having had the privilege of participating in Macmillan’s peer review process for The Flipped Effect, I have had a chance to see first-hand how seriously they are taking this critical part of their process. This company is collaborating with serious academics to make sure that the claims they make about their product are true. Their commitment is a model for the sector," said Michael Feldstein, IRAC member and Executive Director, Empirical Educator Project. The research presented today is part of a larger body of research conducted by Macmillan Learning’s Learning Science team that began in 2017 and helped guide development of the Achieve platform.  The team has been studying its efficacy overall, and among subgroups of students to evaluate whether the tool supports all students - like those more and less academically prepared to succeed, more and less motivated to succeed, first generation students, and those with competing demands like jobs and families, among other important cohorts.  Macmillan Learning also presented during the conference “The formative evaluation of Achieve: a novel approach to rapid-cycle evaluation of digital learning tools early in development.” They shared an entirely new research process to test and improve learning products outside of live courses during early development. These methods can be used by other organizations to improve products, to begin to understand chosen implementation patterns, and to glean exploratory evidence of learner effectiveness. About Achieve Achieve is an evolutionary digital learning platform that includes learning materials with a comprehensive set of interconnected teaching and assessment tools. It offers the best features of each of Macmillan Learning’s digital solutions in one platform that is intuitive to use, accessible for students of all abilities, and is flexible for students and instructors. Achieve was developed in partnership with students and instructors with the goal of supporting students of all levels motivation and preparedness and helping to engage students in and out of class so that they have better outcomes. To that end, instructors facilitate can learn in the way that best suits their class, whether it’s traditional, online, blended, or fully “flipped” classrooms.   About Macmillan Learning Macmillan Learning is a privately-held, family owned company that improves lives through learning. By linking research to learning practice, we develop pioneering products and learning materials for students that are highly effective and drive improved outcomes. Our engaging content is developed in partnership with the world's best researchers, educators, administrators, and developers. To learn more, please visit macmillanlearning.com or see us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or join our Macmillan Community. ... View more

New York, October 17, 2019 -- Macmillan Learning, a privately-held, family-owned educational publisher, announced textbooks written by acclaimed economists Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers will be available for the Fall 2020 semester. The Principles of Microeconomics and Principles of Macroeconomics titles treat every decision a person makes as an economic decision, replacing hypothetical “widgets” in economics textbooks with true-to-life examples of decisions students make so that every student can recognize situations they themselves have been in (like why they can’t find parking or how to negotiate for a better raise) and situations they will encounter (like how economic forces impact their wages and rent.)  “Economics doesn’t have to be as complicated as many textbooks make it out to be, and many of us are making economic decisions every day whether we know it or not. In writing Principles of Economics, we focused on honing students intuition so that they see themselves as economic actors, and can apply the lessons they’re learning throughout their lives,” said Betsey Setevson. “Our goal is to reach every student.” “If you’ve ever had the pleasure of reading one of those popular economics books that takes readers on a joyous romp through our field, you quickly understand why millions of people spend their weekends reading them. Podcast rankings and best-seller lists reveal a latent demand for an approach that supplies some of the same magic. We aim to bring that sense of delight and discovery to your introductory economics class,” said Justin Wolfers. Beginning with the first chapter, students will use four economic principles (cost-benefit, opportunity cost, marginal and interdependence principles) to frame how they make decisions. The tangible, practical examples span from household dynamics to local or national policy to demonstrate how economic concepts play out in real life. Some examples of economic decisions they will explore are: Should you stream one more episode? How can a nonprofit use market forces to better feed America’s hungry? What city should you move to after graduation? How can the Federal Reserve Board’s decision to raise interest rates lead a mother in China to feed her children chicken instead of pork?   “This is one of the most important titles that Macmillan Learning has published. The fundamentals and practical examples that Stevenson & Wolfers deliver make economics more accessible to a wider range of students, whether or not they’re majoring in Economics. We’re also very proud to support Betsey Stevenson’s voice in what’s historically been a male-dominated field,” said Susan Winslow, General Manager of Macmillan Learning.   Economists in recent years have transformed the field so that it has greater relevance and a closer relationship to actual human behavior, with a focus on practical problems. The new Principles of Economics titles by Stevenson & Wolfers reflect that changing landscape and were created to highlight for students how economics can be useful in the ordinary business of life.   The books also offer a deeper and more intuitive treatment of traditional topics (demand, supply, and equilibrium) that provide a solid foundation for economic thinking that students can apply right away as they learn to analyze markets, examine policies, strategize about pricing and other decisions, and interpret economic indicators. Students will also learn how businesses, workers, and ideas compete across a range of market structures, how microfoundations underpin macroeconomic theory, how modern economists use models to understand the business cycle, and the implications for macroeconomic policy decisions. About the Authors  Betsey Stevenson advised President Obama on social policy, labor market, and trade issues as a member of the Council of Economic Advisers from 2013 to 2015. She is currently a professor of economics and public policy at the University of Michigan and she serves on the Executive Committee of the American Economic Association and other boards. She is an expert on the impact of the economy on happiness, on public policies impact on the labor market, and the economic forces shaping the modern family, among other topics.   Justin Wolfers is a professor of economics and public policy at the University of Michigan. He is an expert in unemployment and inflation, the power of prediction markets, the economic forces shaping the modern family, discrimination, and happiness. He has been an editor of the Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, a board member on the Committee on the Status of Women in Economics, a member of the Panel of Advisors of the U.S. Congressional Budget Office, among many other board and advisory positions.  About Macmillan Learning Macmillan Learning is a privately-held, family-owned company that improves lives through learning. By linking research to learning practice, we develop pioneering products and learning materials for students that are highly effective and drive improved outcomes. Our engaging content is developed in partnership with the world's best authors researchers, educators, administrators, and developers. Visit macmillanlearning.com, see us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or join our Macmillan Community. ... View more

Macmillan Learning announced today, April 15, that we became the first education solutions company to become Global Certified Accessible™, providing “born accessible” digital learning (ebook) options for students with disabilities. Books that are born accessible are developed to ensure that all students, no matter their ability, have the same access to information. This is increasingly important for students and instructors as more than one out of every ten students who attends college has a disability. Benetech, a nonprofit that empowers communities with software for social good, established the Global Certified Accessible program to become the publishing industry’s first-ever program focusing on accessibility certification. The program evaluates whether ebooks are designed to be accessible for learners with reading barriers such as blindness, low vision, dyslexia, or a physical disability. “In this digital age there’s no reason that students with disabilities shouldn’t have the same access to learning materials as their peers,” said Susan Winslow, General Manager of Macmillan Learning. “Through working with Benetech, we saw how our internal processes could be improved to make materials even more accessible and made all the necessary changes. While we’re very proud of being the first to have the designation - we’re more proud that we now better serve all learners.” Over the past few years digital experiences have become richer - with dynamic content and features that make learning more interactive. While Macmillan Learning has had processes in place to support learners with disabilities for some time, the company worked alongside Benetech to ensure that the best possible support for access to these digital features were built in. To become Global Certified Accessible Benetech evaluated Macmillan Learning’s workflow for creating accessible books, as well as many samples of content across the disciplines they publish in, and certified conformance to the accessible EPUB creation guidelines, which are based on WCAG 2.0 AA+ standards put in place by the international standards organizations and the publishing community. Using a collaborative process, Benetech evaluated and provided feedback on more than a hundred accessibility features. The certification applies to all books created using Macmillan Learning’s updated process, which includes all ebooks with a 2019 copyright. “As teachers, school districts and post-secondary institutions select course materials, they need to know that the ebooks they choose will be accessible for all students,” said Brad Turner, VP and GM, Global Education and Literacy at Benetech. “Now that Macmillan Learning is a Global Certified Accessible publisher, schools can select Macmillan’s certified materials, knowing that every student will be able to read and learn from the textbook in a way that works for them, laying the foundation for a classroom that is inclusive of all learners.” Macmillan Learning’s certified materials will be available through our regular channel partners as well as a new retail store hosted by VitalSourceⓇ. This also includes a catalog of more than 200 titles from our backlist which, while not “born accessible,” include detailed accessibility information on the VitalSource platform through their accessibility badging initiative. “We are excited about the leadership Macmillan Learning is providing around accessibility support and transparency in their content,” said Rick Johnson, VP of Product Strategy at VitalSource. “Our industry leading efforts with transparency showcases the accessibility features they have included in their content and will help all learners understand how that content can best support their individual needs.” For many years, Macmillan Learning has offered accessible materials such as instructor and student resources (e.g., lecture slides, quizzes, PDFs, etc.), and ebooks at no additional cost to Disability Services for qualified instructors and students with disabilities and for instructors supporting students with disabilities. About Macmillan Learning  Macmillan Learning improves lives through learning. By linking research to learning practice, we develop pioneering products and learning materials for students that is empathetic, highly effective, and drive improved outcomes. Our engaging content is developed in partnership with the world's best researchers, educators, administrators, and developers. To learn more, please visit macmillanlearning.com or see us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or join our Macmillan Community. ... View more

New York, NY, July 17, 2017   It goes without saying that affordability is a significant concern for students. As such, at Macmillan Learning, we are evaluating everything we do to ensure we can provide students with the most affordable options for course materials. We are pleased to announce a number of new initiatives geared towards offering more affordable and flexible learning solutions for students.   Lower eBook Prices   Beginning in fall 2017, we are reducing the cost of most of our eBook titles. By opting to use an eBook, students will gain immediate access to course materials, which studies have shown enhance outcomes. eBooks represent the most affordable way to access course content. On average, the cost of a Macmillan Learning eBook will now be less than $50, making one of our most affordable options even more affordable.   “Central to Macmillan’s mission of improving lives through learning is to ensure that students can access the materials that they need to thrive,” said CEO, Ken Michaels. “Rather than offer lip-service to calls for more affordable learning materials, we’re proud to take action to provide students with the resources necessary to maximize learning.”   New Student Store   This summer, we are launching a new way to purchase course materials via the Macmillan Learning Student Store. The Student Store will be the 1-stop-shop for all materials, including print and digital purchases, as well as print rentals. Unlike other online retailers, the Macmillan Learning Student Store will offer ALL formats and varieties of content, as well as a robust mix of content combinations. By bundling printed texts, loose-leaf materials, as well as digital learning tools, students will have maximum flexibility to make the choices that make most sense for their learning needs. The Student Store is set to launch in time for the back-to-school season. Visit macmillanlearning.com for more information.   Rental Options   Increasingly students are opting to rent their course materials rather than buy. In fact, many studies indicate that rental is the preferred method of purchase for today’s students. While the rental of learning materials is not a new phenomenon, we are pleased to offer rental directly on the Macmillan Learning Student Store beginning this fall. We will offer rental of standalone course materials, as well as attractively-priced rental packages with our many digital learning solutions.   Students who rent from the Student Store are always guaranteed a new copy of the book with each rental and an unused digital access code.  As such, students can always be certain that the digital supplements and study tools are included with each rental. To learn more about the Macmillan Learning Rental Program, visit macmillanlearning.com. Partnerships   A critical component of offering the highest-quality learning materials at the most attractive prices is partnering with key players in the education industry. We recently announced our partnership with market-leading eBook provider, Vital Source, in which we will offer mobile, responsive, and accessible digital tools for all learners. On Wednesday, July 19th, we announced a partnership with Follett Corporation to offer affordable learning materials at Follett's 1200 campus bookstores. Read more here.   Stay tuned for more partnership announcements! You can follow news about Macmillan Learning here.   About Macmillan Learning:   Macmillan Learning improves lives through learning. Our legacy of excellence in education continues to inform our approach to developing world-class content with pioneering, interactive tools. Through deep partnership with the world’s best researchers, educators, administrators, and developers, we facilitate teaching and learning opportunities that spark student engagement and improve outcomes. We provide educators with tailored solutions designed to inspire curiosity and measure progress. Our commitment to teaching and discovery upholds our mission to improve lives through learning. To learn more, please visit http://www.macmillanlearning.com or see us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN or join our Macmillan Community. ... View more

Recently, I was reading Annalise Mabe’s great blog post on connecting through writing, and the impact of social media on our writing situation – both the unintended, usually negative, consequences and the ones glimmering with hope on the horizon, the possible outcomes worth striving for.  The outcomes that inspire composition instructors each new semester to set aside past disasters and keep bringing technology and social media into the writing classroom.   Annalise’s post reminded me that the French word essayer is the verb to try.  So to write an essay is to write an attempt: at understanding, at giving meaning, at making a human connection.   That essay might take a long form, such as those we read in our favorite online publications, or it might take the form of a rambling social media post.  (I won’t quite call a tweet an essay, but feel free to disagree with me in the comments.  It sounds like a fascinating debate!)  Polished or scattershot, print or digital, the essay is not an outmoded form, as some have claimed, it is the linguistic manifestation of the human experience, lived out in 12 point font or scrawled on a napkin.    It is this definition – this striving – that I think gives the essay its best hope of having meaning for future generations, whether or not they study French. Or even English.  The essay as an attempt connects the writing of the classroom with endeavor in the real world.  Students might not feel inspired by “Once More to the Lake,” no matter how much of a paragon E.B. White may be.  But they know who is saying what about the social issues that matter to them.  Whether it is Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hip hop retelling of the history of Alexander Hamilton or Katie Kieffer as an up-and-coming Millennial columnist for Townhall, students are following the words of the people they admire.  By tracking those words, they are tracking social and political currents, keeping an eye on leaders as they try out ideas on a national – and international – stage.  Those words, if you will allow me to set aside strict genre conventions for a moment, are foundationally essays.       One of the great gifts of the Internet is the platform it can create, the readily available audience.  Even as students engage with the language and rhetoric of writers and leaders online, they can also use writing to express their own social justice concerns, their own responses to political upheaval, and their own values as future leaders and citizens.  As they essay these ideas for the audience of the classroom, or the audience of the Internet, they will learn to refine their thinking, to polish their thoughts, so that they leave college with ideas – and words – that can make a difference.    The textbooks I work on every day include sections on “Writing to Convince or Persuade” and “Ethical Arguments.” Even a simple “Cause and Effect” chapter can change the world, in the right hands, if it inspires the right language.  That sounds hyperbolic, but haven’t we all found our lives changed by the right words, read or heard in the right moment?  And this is what students are missing, I think. Both the power they hold and the dark side of the democratization granted us by the Internet.  When everyone’s words are available, when there is no threshold for publication, is it really worth the time to become a strong writer?   The answer to that, like the answers to so many things, is really a question.  In a platform overly saturated with words, how can you be heard?  What will make your thoughts, your ideas stand out, what will bring eager minds to read your work?    It will be the quality, the clarity, the vividness of the words that will bring attention to the message.  Students who want to make a difference – in their own lives and in the lives of others - will need to write well to do so.  Even as they strive in the world, trying to shape it for the better, they will need to strive, to essay, in their writing, as the easiest, fastest way to reach a digital world with a global audience.  The intro-composition class – and the essay – is an important first step. ... View more

Macmillan Learning announces the acquisition of Roberts and Company, a leading independent publisher of higher education textbooks, interactive media, and original monographs in biology, chemistry, engineering and related disciplines. Commenting on the acquisition, Managing Director Susan Winslow said, “Roberts and Co has been a successful publisher since its original founding in 2002, fostering strong ties to highly influential scientists and educational thought leaders which has shaped their direction. Their unflinching focus on quality and student-centric content is a wonderful fit with the legacy of our scientific publishing.” “This acquisition is core to our ability to provide educators and students robust content and cutting edge technology in scientific courses. We are thrilled to partner with their authors to increase our formidable reach” said Ken Michaels, Chief Executive Officer of Macmillan Learning. “Most importantly, their mission to change and improve learning strongly mirrors our own.” “We had a strong desire to partner with Macmillan because of its expertise in and passion for improving STEM education, the strategic emphasis on using scientific teaching to inform learning, and the commitment to be flexible and customer-focused in their approach,” said Ben Roberts, Founder and Publisher of Roberts & Company. “It’s a perfect fit for our authors and publishing team.” Mr. Roberts will join Macmillan Learning as the Vice President of their STEM team, reporting to Managing Director Susan Winslow. The deal is expected to close on Feb 1 st , 2016. Our full press release can be found here. You will see posts on Facebook here and Twitter here. Pass on the good news! ... View more