Social media is everywhere, but is that a problem for literacy? Is all the blogging, tweeting, texting, and Facebooking we’re doing leading to a new age of illiteracy—a time when nobody can write more than 140 characters at a stretch and all communication is punctuated with emojis? This much is certain: literacy is evolving. Nowhere is this more evident than in student writing, and noted composition scholar author Andrea A. Lunsford has been doing research on that subject for a long time. In 1986 and 2006, she led two nationwide studies of the problems college instructors are most likely to point out in student work. The data she collected has significantly advanced understanding of what students were and are writing in their first-year composition courses, and she published much-cited articles about these studies with her co-researchers, Bob Connors in 1988 and Karen Lunsford in 2008. She has also spearheaded a longitudinal study, the Stanford Study of Writing. For five years, she and her team followed a group of 189 college writers, asking the students to submit all the writing they did—in class and out—to the study’s archive. The sheer amount of material astonished the researchers, who collected more than 15,000 pieces of writing ranging from coursework to blog posts to vast quantities of poetry. Observing that college-aged writers in the 21st century were writing more than any previous generation ever had, Andrea began to argue that the world was experiencing the greatest “literacy revolution” since the development of writing in ancient Greece.                        New technologies, she has noted, are behind much of this revolution. Writers today can publish with a keystroke, can reach potential audiences all over the world quickly, and can add sound, visuals, and movement to their work. But even more importantly, technology now makes it easy for writing to be collaborative and participatory. The explosion in social media has made young writers ever more aware that they are writing to real audiences who can, and often do, respond. As Clive Thompson has pointed out in Wired, “Lunsford's team [in the Stanford Study of Writing] found that the students were remarkably adept at what rhetoricians call kairos—assessing their audience and adapting their tone and technique to best get their point across.” Social and interactive communication can take advantage of actual contexts and engage actual readers to become “writing that makes something happen in the world,” in the words of the Stanford Study participants. It won’t surprise anyone who is familiar with Andrea Lunsford’s work that she remains excited and optimistic about student writing and student writers. Imagine! If social media has had an impact on literacy, it seems to have been a beneficial one. All this, and emojis too.... ... View more

Macmillan Learning announced the appointment of Dr. James Caras as Chief Product Officer. Dr. Caras will leverage his extensive experience as an educator, technologist, and entrepreneur to lead the Macmillan Learning team in the development of engaging and efficient technological solutions for instructors and students in higher education institutions and high schools. Commenting on his appointment, CEO Ken Michaels said, “Jamie’s unique perspective on digital learning resources will elevate our product strategy and will synthesize the efforts of our editorial and technology teams to create more tools designed to meet all instructional needs of courses---from homework solutions to adaptive quizzing and graded essay writing.” To see the full press release, click here. Share the news in your social networks or 'like' the posts on the Macmillan Learning social channels: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN. Congratulations to Jamie! ... View more

I have an admission to make. I was an English major in college, and minored in an obscure field of history. I became an editor working in the humanities because I love them. That’s not the admission, just the facts of my life. The admission is that I love science. I don’t always understand it, but little gets me more excited than the latest theories on vertical farming or Lockheed Martin’s new design for a compact fusion reactor that could turn a Cold War pipe-dream into a world-changing reality. Which is why, when I stumbled upon a site describing all the exciting ways that 3-D printing can be used in the classroom, I was intrigued.  Energized.  Disappointed.  Not one possible usage for the composition classroom. And that’s fair enough. Words have long been the provenance of regular printing, no 3-D component necessary. Still, why should our STEM brethren have all the multi-dimensional fun? What literature professor wouldn’t want to print out a miniature model of an Elizabethan playhouse to help bring Shakespeare to life, for instance? A fun application to be sure, but I was disappointed that nothing I came up with was more than a novelty, a feature of passing interest, but hardly a use critical enough to justify the purchase of one of these fancy devices. So, as they say, to the Internets! What I found was only slightly more encouraging. I wasn’t, of course, the only person thinking about these applications and some were far cooler and more helpful than anything I considered. My personal favorite was this paper by instructors at the University of Colorado, Boulder describing how 3D printing can be used to increase accessibility for middle school students with visual impairments, allowing them to read picture-book versions of the texts with which the rest of the class was engaging. An amazing, powerful application, but one that would seem to break down when it comes time to debate the stylistic differences between Hemingway and Fitzgerald. The other piece that got me thinking was a proposal by instructors at Syracuse University called “Mapping the Material Effects of 21 st Century Authorship.”  While only a tantalizing hint at the fascinating panel discussion that will ensue, it highlighted a place where I see the most useful crossover between this new technology and teaching composition: the question of authorship. Most of our textbooks, and most academic honor codes, come with sections on plagiarism and how it can best be avoided.  In practice, we know this to be a more complicated issue. Quotations, summations, samples, fair use, open source. There are many and varied methods of incorporating another’s work into our own. The same is true of 3D printing. Does the designer own the item, simply because they crated the shape? Do 3D printers open up a whole new world of knockoff merchandise?  Who owns a text – or an object?  The author?  The printer? The consumer? The Internet? For composition instructors, 3D printing creates not just objects, but in fact an object lesson on the intricacies of the ethics of authorship.  It is a question that the literary world has been facing for a long time, and one which students who have grown up Internet age of infinite content might not immediately relate to.  Everyone, however, knows that to take a physical object without permission is theft, so the 3D printer provides a unique bridge for solidifying the concept of ownership and authorship – even if you can’t actually have one in your classroom. For far more practical ideas on utilizing technology in composition, I highly suggest checking out Andrea A. Lunsford's​ Multimodal Mondays posts on the Bedford Bits blog. She's got all the ideas you need to satisfy your science and technology interests while staying true to the goals of the composition classroom! ... View more

Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Pricilla Chan, recently announced their plan to donate the majority of their Facebook shares to charity. As part of this plan, drafted in a letter to their newborn daughter, the couple vowed to focus on personalized learning—an approach that uses technology and tools that adjust to a student’s learning needs. This method molds the learning experience to the unique needs of each individual student, giving all students a greater chance of success in the classroom. Not only does this help teachers identify students’ strengths and weaknesses, it also monitors the pace at which each student learns. Zuckerberg and Chan are excited to move forward with this technology, as noted in their letter. They wrote, “We’re starting to build this technology now, and the results are already promising. Not only do students perform better on tests, but they gain the skills and confidence to learn anything they want. And this journey is just beginning. The technology and teaching will rapidly improve every year you’re in school.” Other groups have already done research on this technology, including the Gates Foundation. In one of their studies, they found that students who used personalized learning tools in the classroom made more progress over the course of two years than a control group. World-renowned Harvard Professor Howard Gardner, whose 1983 book Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences revolutionized the fields of psychology and education, wrote an open letter to Zuckerberg and his wife about how they might best approach personalized learning for maximum effect. In his letter, he envisions several possibilities for how the individualization of the learning process may take place. The most popular version—developed in the mid-twentieth century—is a single learning path, in which the pace of advancement is adjusted to the learner. This approach assumes that there is just one way to learn, but allows each student to learn at his or her own pace. Macmillan Learning offers an array of personalized learning solutions that engage students and save educators time. Our Sapling Learning online homework solution allows educators to tailor their course to administer homework, track grades, and monitor student progress. And our LaunchPad resource allows students to read, study, and practice skills virtually to help them achieve comprehension without putting extra pressure on the instructor. These tools can help students feel less overwhelmed by courses at all levels, giving them a greater chance of success. Since no two students learn in the exact same way or at the same pace, personalized learning technology is truly a game changer. These tools can help educators identify which areas a student needs to spend more time on, and allow them to advance in areas they have mastered. In allowing students to progress at the pace they are comfortable with, the learning experience will become more rewarding for them. The technology is also beneficial for instructors, allowing them to focus less on delivering content to the class as a whole and giving them the opportunity to support individual students as needed. They can also use real-time date in order to maximize class performance, bypassing easier topics and spending more time on new or complicated materials. Instructors will play a vital role in the success of personalized learning technology as they interpret the findings and use this new information to tailor their courses to meet the needs of their students. These tools are here to empower instructors, not to replace them, and it’s imperative that these tools are easy to use—for both students and educators. I'll be posting additional thoughts about technology and education on the Macmillan News blog. Check back for my next post! Reference Strauss, Valerie. (2015, December 2). A primer for Mark Zuckerberg on personalized learning — by Harvard’s Howard Gardner. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2015/12/02/a-primer-for-mark-zuckerberg-on-personalized-learning-by-harvards-howard-gardner/ ... View more

It is no surprise that online homework and digital resources are becoming more and more utilized in the higher ed classroom.  In my role with Macmillan Learning, I work with instructors around the country to support implementation of our digital learning tools.  I assist with online training, demonstrations, and provide basic pedagogical support. With the rise of these digital features, e-books, and the abundance of online learning systems, people are often concerned about the effectiveness of these resources, and question the benefits. Having worked with a variety of instructors around the country, I have gleaned some insight about the benefits for both the students and the instructors. First and foremost, we live in a digital world. Today’s students live online and spend a good chunk of their day on the web. One study out of Baylor University found that the average female college student spends an average of 10 hours a day on their smartphones, while the typical male college students spend nearly eight hours a day on his smartphone. Another study polled graduate and undergraduate students at a mid-sized Indiana University and found that nearly 90% used a laptop for mobile learning. Students are living in a digital world, and it makes sense to bring the modern classroom to them. The reality is that more and more tasks take place online. Students have to apply for college online, they pay their bills online, and much of their social interactions take place online. Using technology in the classroom is preparing students for a future that is increasingly more rooted in technology. Utilizing technology in the classroom also creates an opportunity to implement and experiment with new and exciting resources, for both the instructor and the student. Whether it is video resources, adaptive learning activities, or digital tools that support a flipped classroom, instructors have more resources than ever to bring to their students, both in and out of the classroom. Furthermore, students find these activities to be engaging and supportive to their learning process. When Macmillan Learning polled students about our adaptive quizzing system, Learning Curve, we found that over 90% of students found Learning Curve to be deeply engaging (over half of the students used Learning Curve even when it wasn’t assigned), and over 90% of students said that it helped them manage their study time and get better grades. Implementing resources that meet students’ needs, and utilize the platforms that they are already using is a great way to build credibility in the classroom and engage more effectively with students. Technology in the classroom also gives students a new opportunity to access information instantly, at any place, at any time of day, and gives them the ability to communicate with their instructor on a more personal level. Students now can view activities and resources anywhere and immediately communicate with their instructor about their thoughts or questions. This is not something to take lightly. ESL students, shy students, and students who may feel uncomfortable asking questions in a lecture now have an opportunity to get the personalized help that they require in a lower stakes way. They have access to an abundance of activities to meet their needs, and they have the ability to access their instructor via email and mobile messaging. Instructors now have more tools than ever to assess student performance and understanding. In one Macmillan Learning online platform, Flipit, instructors now have more data and statistics about their class performance to bring into the classroom. Prior to lecture, instructors can see information about their students answers to questions, the % of students who answered any given answer, and even see the students’ explained rationale for selecting their answer. All of this information gives professors a new and exciting way to inform their lectures and perform just in time teaching to better suit their students’ needs. Finally, technology is a great way to automate many of the tedious and time consuming tasks associated with teaching. This is not something that should be taken lightly. Whether grading assignments, developing and creating quizzes, or simply finding teaching tools, implementing online homework systems can take on many of those tasks and save instructors countless hours. Saving instructors’ time on these tedious tasks gives them more time for one on one instruction with struggling students, or to better curate the content that they want to bring to the classroom. If you are interested in learning how other instructors are implementing Macmillan Learning technologies, check out our LaunchPad community or schedule some time to speak 1-1 with a digital solutions consultant. ... View more

We live in a time of rapid change. New ideas, technological advances, and scientific discoveries are constantly being presented into our lives, making it difficult for some—especially those who are set in their ways—to keep up. In order to thrive in today’s world, it’s imperative that workers stay relevant in their field. But how can one stay fresh and keep up-to-date with advancements when our world is continually evolving? According to a recent article, developing learning agility is the key to sustaining success in the marketplace. Agile learners are open to developing new skills and adapting to new concepts in order to reach their goals. They can move beyond their comfort zone to try something new and have the capacity for rapid learning from their experiences, quickly letting go of methods that are no longer useful to them. While many shy away from taking such risks—especially in the workplace—being open to new information and experiences can help workers get ahead in a time when change is so constant. For those who aren’t already in the mindset of the agile learner, there are steps you can take to help you develop these traits. For starters, asking for feedback and constructive criticism can help you learn from your mistakes while discovering your strengths. However, in order to truly learn and move forward, it is vital that you resist the urge to get defensive when faced with negative feedback. Rather than getting upset or arguing, take the advice and use it to help you grow. Another thing to consider is experimenting with new approaches when faced with a challenge. If your usual approach isn’t achieving your desired results, take a step back and consider one thing you could do to change the outcome. You can also look for connections in areas that may seem unrelated, which can lead to mastery in a field you are already comfortable with. Don’t just stick with the same old approach simply because it’s working for the time being—with new ideas and approaches, you could discover better ways of reaching your goals.  Finally, it’s important that you make time to reflect upon your experiences. To ensure that you can progress forward, think about what you have learned, figure out what went wrong with any results that didn’t meet your expectations, and consider what you could have done differently. These simple steps can help you change the way you learn to help you face future challenges. With just a few small changes in your routine, you can train yourself to be a better learner and keep yourself moving forward. Reference: Valcour, Monique. (2015, December 31). 4 Ways to Become a Better Learner. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2015/12/4-ways-to-become-a-better-learner​.  ... View more

Congratulations to our author, Dr. Albert Bandura, who was awarded the National Medal of Science —our Nation’s highest honors for achievement and leadership in advancing the field of science. The award ceremony will take place 1/22. “Science and technology are fundamental to solving some of our Nation’s biggest challenges,” President Obama said. “The knowledge produced by these Americans today will carry our country’s legacy of innovation forward and continue to help countless others around the world. Their work is a testament to American ingenuity.” Dr. Bandura is one of the most eminent psychologists of modern times.  He is a renowned scholar whose pioneering research in social cognitive theory has served as a rich resource for academics, practitioners, and policy makers. His first publication with us was a landmark in the field. Self-Efficacy came out in 1997 and was a highly anticipated examination of over 20 years of his research and his vast work in the field. Self-Efficacy articulated Bandura's theory that, "...believing one can achieve what one sets out to do results in a healthier, more effective, and generally more successful life." Dr. Bandura's just published his new title,  Moral Disengagement, how Good People Can Do Harm and Feel Good About Themselves. ow.ly/WY11q. According to the White House press release, "the National Medal of Science was created by statute in 1959 and is administered for the White House by the National Science Foundation. Awarded annually, the Medal recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to science and engineering. The President receives nominations from a committee of Presidential appointees based on their extraordinary knowledge in and contributions to chemistry, engineering, computing, mathematics, and the biological, behavioral/social, and physical sciences." More on Dr. Bandura: His illustrative career includes groundbreaking work across a broad range of areas. His seminal research on social modeling expanded our view of human learning and the growing primacy of this mode of learning in this electronic era. His later research on self-regulatory mechanisms laid the theoretical foundation for his theory of human agency. These diverse programs of research blend his theoretical interests with an abiding concern for the use of psychological knowledge for human enlightenment and betterment. He is the recipient of countless awards and numerous honorary degrees for his distinguished lifetime contributions to psychological science and innovative social applications. ... 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

In conjunction with the launch of the Macmillan Learning brand, we are pleased to introduce our new website! We wanted the site to better express our passion for teaching and learning, and also sought to make it easier for instructors and students to find information. We hope you'll love the new Macmillan Learning website as much as we do! New Homepage: We are over the moon with excitement about our new brand, Macmillan Learning. We’ve joined the forces of Macmillan Higher Education with Macmillan New Ventures as a unified team to help educators and learners succeed. Many of you may land on this homepage because you googled Bedford/St. Martin's or Sapling Learning. Rest assured that you can learn about all of our solutions from our new website. Search: Speaking of search, we've updated the site with responsive search functionality. Simply type in your desired search item (i.e., an author's name or title of a book), and the site will serve up results specific to your entry. This feature is designed to connect you to the resources you need in an efficient manner. Filtering: You'll be delighted to learn that, we've also enhanced our catalog pages with new filtering options. This convenient addition to our site allows you to narrow your results to include only the information you're interested in. Mobile: And last, but certainly not least, we've upgraded our mobile functionality. You can now easily navigate the Macmillan Learning website and catalog from your mobile device. What's more, all of the content has been carefully designed to fit on your mobile screen. We hope you like the updates to our site. If you have any comments or feedback, feel free to reply to this post, or drop us a line on our Facebook or Twitter pages. Happy web browsing! ... View more

Back when I was in graduate school (more years ago now than I’d like to admit), I once ended up teaching an 8 AM composition class in which 16 of my 21 students were engineering majors. It was a difficult group, to say the least. After weeks of listening to them moan about how the class was a waste of time because, as engineers, they would clearly never need to write, I finally got desperate and turned to my dad for advice. As a career software engineer with IBM, how, I asked, would he respond to my oh-so-frustrating and frustrated students? “I’d tell them they’re right,” he said matter-of-factly. “You don’t need to be able to write to be an engineer.  They can get jobs and work for their whole lives without knowing how to write.” (That was when my heart sank to my toes.)  “But,” he went on, “If you can’t write, you can’t be a project leader, or a team leader, and you probably won’t get too far. If you can’t communicate about your work with managers and everyone else, sure, you can have a job, but you probably won’t have much of a career. So if you want to advance, you’d better learn to write.” It turns out that Dad’s advice is still good.  Every year The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) surveys employers who hire new college graduates, and in addition to listing the top majors employers are looking for (mostly business and technical degrees these days), they also ask what "attributes" respondents are seeking in a candidate.  The 2015 survey reveals the top five: Leadership Ability to work in a team Communication skills (written) Problem-solving skills Communication skills (verbal) (To see highlights from the report, visit the NACE website.) While that number three spot already looks like a pretty persuasive reason for learning to write (note that related verbal communication skills appear at number five on the list), the ranking only tells part of the story.  After all, the top two attributes employers say they’re looking for are “leadership” and the “ability to work in a team.” It’s almost impossible to imagine how anyone could demonstrate either capability without being able to communicate effectively in writing--whether that writing takes the form of a report, a memo, an email, or a Powerpoint presentation. Not for the first time in the U.S., we find ourselves increasingly preoccupied with STEM education—and justifiably so, I believe. Still, it behooves us to also remember that the ability to write and communicate remains the foundation of success in any academic discipline or career.  It’s important whether you’re an accountant, an electrical engineer, or a marketer.  My dad knew that.  And so do employers. ... View more

When you haven’t done something in several months, do you still remember how to quickly do it the first time around? You understand how to ride your bike after a snowy winter. You’ll likely remember how to tie your shoelaces after a summer of wearing sandals, but could you still solve complex math equations or recall scientific processes after a break from school? While it is widely acknowledged that students learn in different ways and at varying paces, learning loss has been shown to be a major challenge for students that is often overlooked. As students start a new semester or return from a prolonged break, instructors are primed and ready to present new material in order to keep their students moving forward. But without a review of the material covered during the previous semester or academic year, it may be unfair to expect all students—fresh from a break—to immediately pick up where they left off several weeks or months earlier. While some students may have previously mastered the concepts, others may have simply crammed in order to pass their exams, but failed to retain the material. One of the ways to tackle this issue is by implementing data-driven learning environments within classes. By using course-specific technology or learning tools in the classroom, teachers can assess each student separately to see where they stand with the material. We see many examples of interactive learning that promotes student engagement as with Learning Curve, an adaptive quizzing engine or i>clicker, a student response system that allows instructors to measure student’s progress in class. This level of engagement and active learning enables students who have achieved mastery to move forward, while giving extra help and time to those who need a refresher. However, not all schools and classrooms have the time or money to implement this technology—so how can educators face this issue head-on without these tools? Assigning reading during the break to ensure that students are maintaining skills is one widely accepted method, as is building refreshers into the curriculum at the start of each semester. Regardless of how schools choose to handle the matter, it’s important that learning loss be acknowledged as a problem in the education system and dealt with head-on in order to help the next generation of students succeed. What methods have you used? Which methods will you employ as your students prepare for winter break? ... View more

The year is 1995 and you’re exploring a teenager’s bedroom—riot girrrl music playing from a cassette in the tape deck, textbooks scattered, a bright Lisa Frank binder full of notes. The house is empty, almost eerily so. You have to find out why. This is the premise of Gone Home, a narrative video game in which the player must figure out where the family who lived in this house have disappeared to. Unlike the video games I grew up playing with my brother on our Nintendo (Super Mario, Metroid, Rad Racer) in the early 1990s, this new brand of video game presents the player with “normal people’s stories”—stories they are invited to excavate for meaning, peopled by characters who are oddly familiar. In a recent article in the Guardian, Naomi Alderman writes that proponents of “digital literature” are missing a crucial point—video games are the most sophisticated, popular, and profitable form of digital literature we have, and “we’re doing ourselves and the next generation a disservice if we don’t take that seriously.” The reason for this disconnect, Alderman argues, is the sharp divide in education between “people who like science and technology” and “people who like storytelling and the arts,” as though those skill sets and interests are mutually exclusive. By keeping these students apart, potential for new and vibrant explorations of the narrative form are limited. Though video games have long been seen as the domain of pimply-faced teenaged boys looking to shoot virtual guns with wild abandon, this new narrative genre of video games can teach students how to tell stories in ways that books and movies cannot—by inviting them to participate actively in the story. Games like Her Story and Gone Home challenge the player to take notes and make observations in order to solve a particular problem or unlock a mystery—allowing students to practice critical thinking and active reading skills. In recent years, there’s been much talk about game-based learning and how it’s going to revolutionize our education system. Essentially, this trend advocates making learning a game—engaging students by having them “advance” by levels, working toward a goal or a specific finish line. Teaching narrative and storytelling using video games is different, though—rather than being based on levels or point values, these games are driven by characters and details and plot—all core elements of the narrative writing process that aren’t easy to teach. Have you thought about integrating video games into your classroom? ... View more

Science myths drive me, a biochemist, crazy.. and I've heard too many this week. I, along with the chemistry experts at Sapling that support faculty, would like to share myths about Thanksgiving that you can pass on to students and Thanksgiving guests alike: Myth #1: The tryptophan in turkey causes drowsiness. Not true. In fact many other food sources like chicken have the same or more tryptophan in them, carbohydrate snacks do more to convert the normal amount of tryptophan you have in your blood stream to serotonin, and tryptophan has a much harder time crossing the blood-brain barrier than smaller amino acids. The truth about tryptophan. Myth #2: Brining turkey makes it juicier because of osmosis. Not true. If osmosis were the action for this, then putting a turkey in a solution with a high concentration of salt would cause water molecules to come out of the semi-permeable cell-membrane of the cells in the muscle tissue of the turkey meat to dilute the surrounding saltwater… the opposite of making the meat moist! So why is turkey in general more moist when cooked after brining? It is simple diffusion over a long period of time, not osmosis, that allows salt to enter the cells of the turkey tissue. The increase in salt concentration inside the cell denatures the dense proteins inside muscle fibers, opening them up to for water molecules to enter the protein and be retained through the cooking process. Turkey brining basics​ The science behind brining​ Macmillan Learning is a company dedicated to the success of your students. The greatest value of the Sapling platform is through the specific wrong answer feedback your students receive as they struggle with homework. This feedback remediates whatever individual misconceptions that may have led a student to the answer submitted. In other words, the Sapling homework system debunks the myths that get in the way of student success in your courses. We also support faculty with subject-matter experts that can talk with you all day, and who know what it means to teach to struggling students. To learn more about the Sapling system, click here. From the team at Macmillan Learning, we would like to wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving! ... View more

If you google “students can’t write,” you’ll find a lot of people wringing their hands about the state of college writing. But before you believe that Twitter is making us stupid or wonder what’s the matter with kids today, you might want to take another look at how students are actually writing. Research led by noted compositionist and rhetorician Andrea A. Lunsford of Stanford University analyzed the results of formal studies of error in U.S. college writing going back a century; Lunsford discovered that student academic writers today are making about the same number of mistakes per 100 words as their great-great grandparents did. Of course, student writing then didn’t look much like student writing now. First-year college writers at the beginning of the twentieth century were usually asked to write personal narratives or essays on assigned topics (“On Coal” is one example from the period—try creating an original, engaging response to that), and the average student writing submission was roughly 165 words long. Students of that era were seldom called on to conduct or write about research, but they were often expected to demonstrate an impeccable understanding of the difference between “shall” and “will.” A hundred years later, things have changed. Research is an integral part of many—perhaps most—writing assignments, and the average length of student writers’ responses to assignments has increased dramatically, to more than 1000 words. The rate of error has held steady, but the mistakes are different: “shall”  is on the verge of extinction for American writers who aren’t lawyers, and spelling errors have greatly declined; however, students now have trouble citing their sources, and spell-checkers introduce lots of wrong words. So the golden age of student writing is a myth. Students of the past struggled with college writing assignments, and students of the present struggle with them, too. And they will doubtless continue to struggle; as Andrea Lunsford has noted in her blog, “where English is concerned, there is never one solitary right way to proceed.” But perhaps—hand-wringing aside—student writing is heading in the right direction. After all, doesn’t wrestling with others’ ideas seem more valuable than figuring out what to say about coal? ... View more

There is no end in sight for 3-D printing. If you have a laser, some plastic, and a lot of creativity, you have a mathematical goldmine. This is a "print-in-place" fidget cube Laura printed, which came out in one piece with closed hinges. If I knew the equation here, I would write it out--but I think this is more impressive! Laura Taalman, our co-author of Calculus, prints a lot every day. I can relate as someone who works in publishing, but only to an extent – she’s actually printing things, pieces of plastic that are real mathematical equations or manifestations of theories she studies all day long. She tells me how curious she is “to take a concept, make it into a digital file, and then turn it into a real thing.” Her focus has been in knot theory, the study of knots and how their curves can be observed better than tying ends of rope together. With 3-D printing, she can actually zoom in and out on how the coordinates connect in each piece of plastic. She can also make a pretty convenient hammer. It really depends on the day! Even though this started out as a joke, Laura used some pennies in plastic to play with weight, and see how much heavier she could make an object. She also taught a class in 3-D printing at James Madison University, and it was a huge hit. You know how people believe they are in one column of two types: Good At Math and Bad At Math? (I’ve always shuffled my feet in the latter column). Because of this, Taalman believes a class like this could really shift a student’s perspective. She wants her kids to learn on their own, and to realize mathematics is “a work in progress.” It also taught them how to make a modular ukulele and a fully-functioning Ferris wheel, she cites as two different students’ class projects. She says: “It’s a great way to teach and see how things go, and to have an actual thing in front of you. It’s also a good way to talk about failure – the thing I tried to make didn’t work, so how can I improve or fix it?” If kids can learn mathematics and other uses with 3-D printing, one can guess how popular this technology will grow inside and outside of education. Taalman reminds me that regular printers used to be huge (like prototypical 3-D printers), but now they’re obviously ubiquitous. Which begs the question: what are people going to build and create with 3-D printing when it becomes more accessible? Share below: what would you print if you had the chance? ... View more