Pearson Efficacy Report Highlights Educators and Institutions Taking Bold Steps to Improve College and Career Readiness

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Boston, MA (PRWEB) May 28, 2014

Pearson is committed to working with higher education institutions to provide effective, personalized learning solutions that improve learning outcomes and achieve measurable results for academic achievement and workforce readiness. The company released a report today, “2014 College & Career Readiness Efficacy Results,” that highlights the results of educators and institutions working together to build stronger pathways from high school to college and from post-secondary education to careers.

Fifteen institutions partnered with Pearson to share their results in data-driven case studies that highlight applications of Pearson’s MyLab online personalized learning tools, Smarthinking online tutoring, and CourseConnect online courses. Each case study offers a unique blueprint to address widely experienced academic challenges, including the need to report on and improve learner outcomes; the need to maintain course quality in an era of scarce resources; and the imperative to help learners achieve mastery in academic, life and career skills.

Pearson’s Senior Vice President of Efficacy and Quality, John Tweeddale, said, “We are embarking on a global education initiative and dedicating ourselves to the pursuit of efficacy and improved learner outcomes. As part of this ongoing effort, we’re proud to be working side-by-side with these educators and institutions to help them take the bold steps needed to boost and promote student success.”

Tallahassee Community College received a grant in 2002 from the Pew Program in Course Redesign to use technology to reduce course cost and enhance quality. The College adopted Smarthinking’s Online Writing Lab for its College Composition course to help address the gap between the demand for tutoring services, and its capacity to deliver those services in both online and on-ground courses. Students’ average passing rate increased from 61 percent (with zero Smarthinking sessions) to 83 percent for two or more Smarthinking sessions. In addition, the College reduced course costs while increasing writing fluency and pass rates.

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Tallahassee Community College, Barbara Sloan, said, “Smarthinking offers students first quality online feedback and support. It complements our campus resources and extends our ability to support student learning from developmental studies through college-level courses, so students get help at the moment they need it.”

Hero’s Academy in Benton, Illinois, helps meet the growing need for qualified emergency medical technicians. The institution prepares students to pass the Illinois State EMT licensing exam the first time, pass the National Registry EMT exam, respond capably to real life situations encountered as an EMT, and succeed in an emergency medicine career. When the traditional classroom lecture method of teaching wasn’t helping students succeed, Hero’s Academy adopted CourseConnect: EMT to help students work at their own pace and empower students to achieve mastery. Since then, 100 percent of students using CourseConnect: EMT passed the Illinois EMT exam on the first attempt, compared to the nationwide average pass rate of 68 percent.

Paramedic and Instructor, Tom Stoudt, who created Hero’s Academy, said, “CourseConnect enables students to work at their own pace and to fit their studies around a full-time job and family responsibilities. As a leader in the emergency medicine field, I’m proud to deliver highly competent, trained EMTs to meet the growing need for such professionals.”

The full report, which details additional institutional success stories, can be found here.

About Pearson
Pearson is the world's leading learning company, with 40,000 employees in more than 80 countries working to help people of all ages to make measurable progress in their lives through learning. For more information about Pearson, visit http://www.pearson.com.

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