McGraw-Hill Education Expands Connect(TM) Teaching and Learning Platform To Include Undergraduate Biology

NEW YORK, April 29 /PRNewswire/ -- In a recently released report, the American Association for Advancing Science (AAAS) recommends that today's college biology instruction emphasize assessment, collaborative and active learning, and communication between teachers and students. McGraw-Hill ConnectPlus™ Biology presents an undergraduate program that fully embodies this direction. As the premiere online teaching and learning tool for higher education, ConnectPlus Biology addresses the AAAS report's conclusion that science educators must adjust undergraduate biology instruction to better prepare students for the 21st century challenges they will face as they enter the workforce.

"By bringing the ConnectPlus platform to our undergraduate biology offerings, we are not only providing students with tools to succeed in biology and science courses, we are also empowering them with the digital and collaborative learning tools they need to succeed in the global economy," said Kurt Strand, president of McGraw-Hill Higher Education's Science, Engineering and Mathematics Group. "In its 2007 release, Brooker: Biology represented a modern approach to biology, and we are continuing that tradition by bringing both our undergraduate biology programs to a digital platform."

ConnectPlus Biology combines McGraw-Hill's undergraduate biology programs, Brooker: Biology and Raven: Biology, recently released in their 2nd and 9th editions, in a comprehensive online platform to improve student collaboration and learning outcomes. The platform includes interactive, collaborative Active Learning activities developed by Dr. Michael Rutledge, biology professor at Middle Tennessee University.

Based on the BEARCaT (Biology Education Activities for Relevance & Critical Thinking) activity model developed by Dr. Rutledge, the Active Learning activities use real-world problems, engaging students in their own learning through critical thinking and relevant content. The Active Learning activities incorporated in the ConnectPlus Biology platform include auto-graded pre- and post-activity questions and in class activities supported by instructor PowerPoints and case studies.

"Providing teachers with readily available, content-specific educational materials that encourage student participation helps them overcome time restraints which are often a barrier to implementing these teaching and learning strategies," said Dr. Rutledge. "The BEARCaT activity model is designed to improve the quality of undergraduate biology education through activities that promote relevance and critical thinking, and these goals are only enhanced by the accessibility for teachers and students offered through McGraw-Hill's Connect platform."

Both Brooker: Biology and Raven: Biology are available with the ConnectPlus platform, integrating homework and self-study tools with applicable readings. ConnectPlus Biology also incorporates a wealth of interactive content with powerful instructional support features, such as the new BioTutorial 3D Animations that allow instructors to interact with and assign high-quality animations of complex topics in their classroom, reinforcing topics with students through self-assessment and practice. These animations combined with the additional features of ConnectPlus – including an interactive eBook, Tegrity's lecture capture technology, and built-in study guides – provide students with a rich, customizable learning experience.  

The January 2011 release of ConnectPlus Biology will integrate LearnSmart™ adaptive assessment tools, building personalized learning plans to better engage professors with their students, and students with the information and customized resources they need to master a subject.

Additional information on Brooker: Biology and Raven: Biology and the digital components can be found at http://www.mhhe.com/majorsbiology/.

About McGraw-Hill Higher Education

McGraw-Hill Higher Education, a unit of McGraw-Hill Education, is a leading innovator in the development of 21st century teaching and learning solutions for postsecondary and higher education markets worldwide. Through a comprehensive range of traditional and digital education content and tools focused on improving student learning outcomes, McGraw-Hill Higher Education empowers and prepares professionals and students to connect, learn and succeed in the global economy. McGraw-Hill Education, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), has offices in 33 countries and publishes in more than 65 languages. Additional information is available at http://www.mheducation.com.

SOURCE McGraw-Hill Higher Education