Teaching and Learning blog

Located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) is a vibrant higher learning institution, enrolling a diverse student body that includes more than 16,000 undergraduates.

At IUPUI, Math faculty have long trusted and adopted MyLab Math from Pearson, a dynamic platform that’s driving improved performance and high satisfaction for students and faculty alike. It’s described as an integral part of the math curriculum, purpose-built to effectively adapt to individual students and their unique learning needs.

The adoption and success of MyLab Math at IUPUI goes hand in hand with Pearson’s commitment to going above and beyond as a dedicated partner every step of the way.

Amy Pope is an award-winning senior lecturer in physics and astronomy at Clemson University. A Clemson alumna herself, Amy has her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in physics, and has devoted the last 22 years to teaching physics at her alma mater.

Clemson has “a large focus on teaching and making sure that students have the number one engagement experience in their classes,” Amy explains. Which is part of what makes Clemson stand out, in addition to being a “fun, close-knit community.”

Amy shares Clemson’s commitment to delivering engaging learning experiences, while also making learning affordable. As Amy describes it, “excessive cost is certainly a barrier to student success.” With that in mind, it’s a priority for Amy to use an affordable, effective learning platform, tied to a physics textbook she can trust.

John Cummings is a senior lecturer in the Department of Biological Science at Clemson University. He’s an award-winning educator who has furthered the use of innovative technology at Clemson. He also gets shout-outs from Clemson students on TigerNet message boards. According to one commentor, “John Cummings for Anatomy and Physiology is pretty awesome.”

John currently teaches Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II, and a lot of the nursing students in his classes go on to take the MCAT. Many of those students report back to John that the work they did in his A&P class had a positive impact on their MCAT scores.

“I know from unsolicited note cards and emails that I’m getting from students,” John explains, “that their highest portion on the MCAT was the bio because of what happened in Anatomy and that they’re feeling really positive. And that’s because of the foundation that’s there. What we’re teaching them to do is be independent learners.”

Improving student performance

John was an early adopter of Pearson’s Mastering® A&P digital learning platform and has a vivid memory of the first time his Pearson sales rep did a Mastering demo for him. “I was on board immediately,” he recalls, “because it saved me from having to do a lot of the stuff that I had been doing in putting together my own things, [with the] automatic grading and all of that sort of stuff. It’s one of those things that can really sell itself.”

From that first demo, John says that Mastering appealed to him “because it’s conveniently accessible.” He felt it would add elements to his courses, benefiting him and his students. “If it doesn’t do something for my students,” he adds, “I'm not going to maintain it in my class.”

John kept a critical eye on progress as he implemented Mastering into his courses at Clemson, and the impact was obvious from the first semester. “There was a tremendous improvement in student performance that first year,” he explains.

Instructors are able to see how much time a student spends on a question in Mastering, an insight that John feels gives him a sense of which students are truly answering a question versus letting a quick Google search find the answer for them. “Initially, when I first adopted it,” he recalls, “the people who significantly worked through the Mastering assignments saw about a seven percent increase in performance on examinations.”

“It’s the best textbook I’ve ever read because there is no fluff and it’s easy to read,” says an economics student at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). “You actually want to read it.”  

A textbook college students want to read?   

Unusual though it may seem, many economics students at UNCG express comments like these, ever since their professor began using Revel: Microeconomics Interactive, 1st Edition by Parkin, Bade, and Sarbaum.  

In the computer science department at Houston Community College, instructors Anci Shah and Suma Roa undertook a transformative journey with Revel.

In 2019, Suma initiated a pilot of Revel. Impressed by the platform’s digital narrative, online homework features, and diverse resources, Suma shared her enthusiasm with her colleagues, prompting the department chair Anci to consider Revel's adoption.

Revel promotes active learning

The student learning experience was a key consideration for Anci and her department committee. They saw that, as the number of online courses being created at Houston Community College increased, Revel's interactivity would prove vital to enabling students in those courses to succeed.

"The concepts are kept to a minimum, and the readings aren't too long, and then there are all those little checks in there,” says Anci. “My students have commented on how helpful that has been."

Suma echoes this sentiment, praising the variety of practical features in Revel that help promote active learning, including built-in search, note taking, and flashcard functionalities.

Revel adapts to students’ needs

Another important factor for the committee was finding a courseware solution that could meet each student wherever they are in their learning journey. They appreciated that Revel provided a bridge for students with varying levels of digital literacy to learn the material and stay engaged in their courses.

“I have definitely had a lot of students say that Revel really helped them,” Anci says. "I have received feedback that the animations and videos are what helped them understand the material a lot better.”

Students can test their understanding through quizzes and self-checks in Revel. Suma often advises her students to complete these questions prior to taking assessments because, “they are a good way to gauge their topic mastery and provide ample opportunity for studying."

Revel's accessibility – specifically via the Revel mobile app – impressed students and instructors alike. Suma notes, "They no longer have any excuses that they don't have their textbook because they always have their phones.”

Revel makes course administration easier

The committee also assessed Revel based on LMS integration and publisher support.

"The grades in Revel are incorporated into our LMS very easily,” says Suma. “We can incorporate them with the click of a button, so that's been very, very helpful." Indeed, she and her colleagues found that integrating Revel into Houston Community College’s existing learning management system helped streamline various administrative processes.

Overall, Revel surpassed the computer science department’s expectations, leading to its adoption for the courses Program Fundamentals 1, 2, and 3.

When asked whether she would recommend Revel to other instructors, Anci says definitely and references the overarching goal of Revel: student success.

“If you are looking at one book versus another, Revel is the one that has all the animations and embedded assessments to help students. Why would you not choose it?” she says. “We just want our students to be successful, and Revel can help.”

Revel is the clear choice for students and instructors

Revel was purposely built for students and instructors. The platform has emerged as a catalyst for transformative education, enriching the experiences of computer programming students at Houston Community College and setting a standard for comprehensive, engaging learning.

Read more about Dr. Anci Shah and Dr. Suma Roa’s experience with Revel in the full instructor spotlight.

What can Revel do for you and your students? Learn more about Revel.

Think about your first teaching experience in higher education.

What was it like? Did you feel prepared to address your students’ learning needs?

“In higher education, we aren’t necessarily taught how to be teachers,” says Anakira Gabriela, a tenured instructor and Pearson representative. “Most of us were thrown out there with, ‘Okay, you know your discipline. Now go teach that.’”

But managing learning objectives, assessment design, lesson planning, and individual student intervention is difficult for experienced instructors, let alone new ones.

That’s where the right courseware can help. In a recent webinar, Anakira explains how Revel gives instructors the content and information they need to help their students thrive. She describes how she uses Revel to help students understand who they are as learners and to provide them with more targeted feedback and assistance.

Content that facilitates learning

No two brains learn alike.

A student’s genetics, environment, and current emotional state all play a role in how they process information, meaning that instructors must consider the impact of neurodiversity when designing and delivering their courses.

As Anakira points out, “If a student doesn't feel safe in their environment, if they don't feel like their needs are being listened to or accommodated, then they tend to start to shut down to the learning process itself.”

That’s why she begins her courses by helping students understand how they learn best, and showing them how the content in Revel can support their learning style.

She uses the example of reading a book on how to work out versus actually going for a workout to demonstrate the difference between passive learning (e.g. just reading a textbook) and active learning (e.g. interacting with multimedia content within courseware).

“Stagnant reading from print is one of the least effective ways to learn,” says Anakira. “Many students need the auditory stimulation of embedded videos or the audio version. And they need that kinesthetic experience of interacting with the content.”

Throughout the webinar, Anakira also discusses how instructors can use Revel to facilitate spaced practice, combat the fluency illusion, and more.

Actionable information and feedback

Giving regular formative assessments and providing meaningful feedback is one of the most effective methods for helping students understand whether they are on track. But building and grading these types of assessments takes a tremendous amount of time that many instructors don’t have.

Anakira has been able to save a lot of time by using Revel to create, assign, and grade formative assessments.

“One of the things Revel does is it allows you to be the guide on the side instead of the sage on the stage,” says Anakira. “You are there to construct a well-designed course where you are coaching your students through the learning process.”

That coaching is made even more effective because instructors who use Revel have access to in-depth analytics about their students’ progress and performance, allowing them to intervene in a timely and personalized manner.

In the webinar, Anakira offers specific tips for using the feedback and analytics in Revel to enhance students’ learning experiences.

Designed for success

Higher education instructors have an unparalleled depth of knowledge about their fields. The correct courseware can give them the time and energy to design courses that effectively instill that knowledge and a passion for lifelong learning in their students.

“How do teachers want to teach? How do students want to learn?” says Anakira, “That’s how Revel was designed from the get-go.”

Check out Anakira’s on-demand webinar for more in-depth information about transforming teaching and learning with Revel.

Carlos de la Lama has integrated Pearson’s MyLab platform into approximately 80% of the courses he teaches.

How did Pearson earn pride of place in the curricula of an esteemed higher ed math instructor with decades of experience?

Carlos attributes his long partnership with Pearson to the strong relationships he has cultivated with Pearson representatives. These connections keep him at the forefront of technological advancements and enable him to utilize MyLab’s many resources to help his students succeed.

Emphasizing accessible learning materials

Pearson’s commitment to supporting every learner with accessible content and platforms is a primary reason why MyLab is Carlos’s go-to resource.

When Carlos was teaching at Southwestern College in 2017, the school updated their accessibility standards and requested that any publisher they work with comply with the new changes.

Many publishers refused, but Pearson saw SC’s change as an opportunity for growth and collaboration. By partnering with SC, Pearson ensured its platforms were accessible and became one of the few publishers that could provide services to the institution.

Recently, the commitment to accessibility begun at SC earned Pearson the prestigious Global Certified Accessibly Certification (GCA) from Benetech.

Balancing structure and customization in math instruction

As an instructor, Carlos finds MyLab’s wealth of diverse and difficulty-tiered questions unparalleled. This flexibility allows him to tailor assessments and homework to meet the unique needs of his students.

For example, Carlos strategically deploys MyLab in courses with historically low student success rates, such as Intermediate Algebra. By incorporating MyLab content into assessments and finals, spacing them strategically over weeks, and introducing pre-assessments as non-credit prerequisites, Carlos has been able to significantly improve math test scores, indicating heightened student engagement and mastery.

For face-to-face courses, Carlos recommends starting small and carefully structuring individualized homework. Emphasizing the development of prerequisites, he believes, has been instrumental in his success.

In hybrid or online courses, he says the same principles apply, with added considerations for assessment administration and leveraging MyLab resources to foster engagement.

Helping students find success

For Carlos, Pearson’s MyLab is an indispensable ally, shaping not only his teaching methodologies but also contributing significantly to increased student success. In the ever-evolving landscape of education, Carlos’s story stands as a beacon for instructors seeking to elevate the learning experience.

Want to know more? Discover how to transform your teaching with MyLab Math.

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (North Carolina A&T) is the leading public historically black college and university (HBCU). This renowned institution demonstrates its commitment to diversity and inclusivity with a student body of 13,300, where 89% are underrepresented minorities. Offering an impressive array of 54 undergraduate and 41 graduate degrees, the university provides first-class education to all.

The key figure in this educator spotlight is Dr. Antoinette Maldonado-Devincci, an instructor at North Carolina A&T since 2016. She has made a remarkable impact on her students by incorporating Revel into her Biological Psychology (PSYC 361) course. Her choice to adopt Revel was driven by its contemporary, student-friendly content, which explores emerging areas like epigenetics.

Keeping Students Engaged

However, it's not just the content that makes Revel stand out for Dr. Maldonado-Devincci. She found Revel's interactive features and diverse resources to be highly effective in catering to different learning styles, resulting in increased student engagement. She compares Revel to "MindTap on steroids," highlighting the wealth of resources the platform offers to get students involved in the learning process, such as the shared writing assignments, which replace traditional discussion boards. They foster peer interaction and significantly reduce her grading workload.

Diversity in Assignment Options

One of the core strengths of Revel, according to Dr. Maldonado-Devincci, is the ability to provide multiple avenues for students to earn grades outside of traditional testing methods that are less intimidating than standard exams. The platform's iterative approach to learning, alongside bite-sized chunks of content and in-chapter quizzes, fosters a less punitive assessment process than a single high-stakes exam. This approach not only eases the pressure on students but also creates a more supportive and constructive learning environment.

Diminishing the Grading Burden

Revel's efficiency simplifies content management and diminishes the burden of grading for Dr. Maldonado-Devincci, allowing her to assign content and quizzes without being overwhelmed by grading responsibilities. The platform's intuitive course creation and management features are user-friendly, benefiting experienced users and adjunct instructors. Dr. Maldonado-Devincci appreciates the convenience Revel offers, making her teaching experience seamless.

In Dr. Maldonado-Devincci's words, "I appreciate being able to assign all the content and quizzes, so they get more interaction with the material without overloading me when it comes to the grading aspect of it."

Support for Educators

Pearson's dedicated support has been pivotal in Dr. Maldonado-Devincci's success with Revel. A Pearson representative provided essential support during course creation and the first semester.

Dr. Antoinette Maldonado-Devincci's Revel success story at North Carolina A&T underscores the transformative impact of digital learning platforms. A combinations of Revel's engaging content, diverse resources, and Pearson's support have empowered her as an educator and enriched the learning experience for her students.

Read more about Dr. Maldonado-Devincci's experience with Revel in the full instructor spotlight.

What can Revel do for you and your students?

Learn more about Revel.

At Pearson, we’re always listening to faculty and students and, recently, we kept hearing one refrain over and over — classroom engagement was at an all-time low. Fortunately, we knew just what to do. In fact, we had a solution ready.

For years, Pearson’s Learning Catalytics interactive student response tool has been helping instructors and students connect in meaningful ways. As soon as we knew classroom engagement was lagging, we knew we needed to host a Learning Catalytics Summit to help more instructors learn how to use — and make the most of — this incredible tool.

On August 1, we hosted the first-ever Learning Catalytics Summit to great acclaim. Attendees participated in four different webinar sessions hosted by Learning Catalytics experts. Each session focused on a specific advantage of Learning Catalytics, but they all spoke to the ways the student response tool can help instructors see learning as it happens.

The overall message: Learning Catalytics is a powerful student response and assessment tool. As session-leader Aaron Warnock said, “Learning Catalytics — and I cannot exaggerate — revolutionized my classroom.” Brad Mehrtens concurred in his session, adding, “Learning Catalytics makes a huge difference in student engagement at any scale.”

How Does Learning Catalytics Work?

Designed to work on laptops and all common smart devices, Learning Catalytics gives instructors a way to connect directly to students and know when everyone is following a lesson and when some are falling behind. This real-time assessment allows instructors to adjust their teaching in-the-moment and address student confusion before it becomes a problem.

Learning Catalytics empowers instructors to:

• Engage students with 18 question types that include graphing, drawing, multiple choice selections, open-ended dialogues, and more
• Identify misconceptions and monitor responses to find out where students are struggling
• Facilitate peer-to-peer learning with automatic grouping of students so that every group has a member who understands the material

These features are available whether the class is in-person or online, making Learning Catalytics useful in every teaching environment. As Brad Mehrtens said about his experience using Learning Catalytics with even difficult-to-connect-with classrooms, “[The students] were there, they were engaged. [Learning Catalytics] works… It’s the only thing that works.”

What Did the Learning Catalytics Summit Cover?

The summit’s four unique sessions provided a wealth of information on how Learning Catalytics works and how instructors can use it in all kinds of classroom settings and situations. An hour-long each, the sessions included:

“Unleashing the Power of Learning Catalytics in a Hybrid Environment” with Aaron Warnock

Aaron Warnock’s session focused primarily on the way Learning Catalytics’ question-and-answer function helps instructors connect with students and students learn better in hybrid environments. Aaron showed audiences how students can answer questions by drawing graphs, clicking on different regions of an image, highlighting relevant information, evaluating complex problems, or simply filling in a multiple choice answer.

Aaron noted that the different question types give instructors a lot of flexibility in the ways they monitor student learning. Plus, the questions make it easier to get students to answer without them feeling uncomfortable, because everyone participates and no one feels put on the spot.

“When I saw Learning Catalytics for the first time, and the eighteen different question types that are available, I was instantly sold,” Aaron said. “It creates a fantastic, engaging learning environment for students.”

“Transforming Large-Classroom Activities with Learning Catalytics” with Brad Mehrtens

Being a professor who routinely teaches classes as large as 600 students, Brad Mehrtens understands the challenges of connecting with students. In his session, he spoke to how Learning Catalytics helps him keep students engaged in even the largest lecture halls.

After regularly watching class attendance dwindle — particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic — he started using Learning Catalytics. He immediately had a much better sense of how well his students were learning and, to his delight, attendance evened out.

“I was as deflated by the pandemic as anyone was, and Learning Catalytics has made me excited about teaching again,” Brad says. “And I don’t say that lightly. It has completely recharged my battery and made it fun to be back in the classroom”

“Connecting with Learning Catalytics for Success Throughout Your Course” with Pamela Sandstrom

A number of years ago, Pamela Sandstrom was using other types of student response tools — but that all changed. “Once I switched [to Learning Catalytics], I’ve never even thought about using any other instant response system because of how much [Learning Catalytics] can do,” she said in her summit session.

Centered on the ways Learning Catalytics can positively impact a course at multiple moments and in numerous ways, Pamela’s talk discussed how useful the real-time data on student learning is to her instruction.

“Learning Catalytics provides formative assessment,” she said. “But to me that means that I don’t have to wait till the test, or even till the end of the lecture — [I can see] how they’re doing in the class real time”

“The Tips and Tricks You Need to Know About Learning Catalytics” with Terry Austin

During his session, Terry Austin shared his screen to demonstrate exactly how Learning Catalytics works and all the ways he can customize it for the needs of a specific class. As an instructor who has been using Learning Catalytics for a decade, he had a lot of great tips and tricks, ranging from linking Learning Catalytics to a Pearson Mastering class to using it to improve seat maps to incorporating it into classroom presentations.

“Learning Catalytics is clever,” Terry said, noting how much the tool is capable of doing. As attendees to his session and the summit as a whole learned, he was right. Learning Catalytics can empower instructors to assess student learning in-the-moment, improve student engagement, and make classroom time much more successful.

As Terry noted, there’s a good reason he’s been using Learning Catalytics for a decade.