McGraw-Hill Expands its Connect Master Suite of Next Generation, Digital-First Adaptive Learning Materials for College Students

NEW YORK (August 22, 2019) – McGraw-Hill, the leader in learning science and digital learning tools, has announced the expansion of its Connect Master® suite of course materials, with more than 60,000 college students expected to use these innovative, digital-first products this fall. Built with McGraw-Hill’s adaptive technology, Connect Master courses provide affordable active learning experiences to improve students’ engagement, critical thinking skills and ability to apply knowledge to real-world challenges.

Connect Master products are currently available in six course areas – Non-Majors Biology, Economics, Principles of Marketing, Introduction to Business, Computer Concepts and Student Success. Additional courses, including Introduction to Communication and Principles of Management, are expected to be added in 2020, and the company has plans to continue the expansion to cover more than 35 top course areas within the next few years.

For more information about Connect Master, visit: https://www.mheducation.com/highered/connect/master.html

“Our goal is to provide affordable, engaging solutions that help instructors set their students up for success and learn real-world skills,” said Scott Virkler, Chief Product and Operating Officer for higher education at McGraw-Hill. “We know that students don’t always read the textbook and can struggle to apply the concepts they learn, especially in introductory courses. At the same time, instructors have told us they want more control over the structure and sequencing of content, and they want ease-of-use so that they can focus their time on teaching. With Connect Master, we challenged ourselves to leverage technology, content and pedagogy in a whole new way to address these customer challenges and improve learning outcomes.”

Built to align with instructional goals using adaptive, modular technology, Connect Master gives instructors the flexibility to configure and tailor material by topic or key learning objective. Course content is dynamic, highly interactive and continually updated to ensure it is current. Key concepts are enhanced by adaptive questions, individualized study tools, practical assessments and other learning resources for students.

“We recognize the importance of maintaining instructors’ academic freedom. We work hard to preserve ‘choice’ – whether that means choice across various print or digital options, purchase or rental options, or delivery options such as Inclusive Access,” said Virkler. “Having a digital learning solution where print or eBook is an optional supplement is what instructors and students have been asking for, and McGraw-Hill is the only learning company able to do this at scale today. It is imperative that we give instructors the 21st century digital tools they need to take their students beyond basic learning to mastery with real-world application.”

Through this active, application-based learning approach, students are empowered to practice and demonstrate what they know, progressing through the course as they master each topic.

“Connect Master is an exciting new approach to courseware that enables me to focus more of my time on engaging students and teaching,” said David Switzer, Associate Professor of Economics at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota and early adopter of Connect Master for Economics. “Not only are my students now more engaged, but they are ‘learning by doing’ and earning higher grades.”

At Saint Charles Community College in Missouri, instructor Margaret Johnson’s use of Connect Master for Biology has, she says, resulted in significant student engagement improvements by using real-world examples, such as a measles outbreak, to bring the course material to life. “This product fully engages the instructor and students in themes that are relevant in real life. I’ve noticed that my students now ask more questions and are more engaged with the material. They genuinely want to know more and can see the vital connections to their own lives beyond the classroom,” Johnson said.