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Rose Heaney posted an update in the group Scientists 11 years ago
A quick question for the scientists – or biologists even (Moira?). Do you have any experience of McGraw Hill online resources? I am just taking a look at their Connect/Learnsmart offerings which seem to enable you to build a mini VLE around a text book. I have been asked to check out what’s available for Mader’s Human Biology and am confronted by a bewildering set of options as I try to assemble a basic quiz assignment. I suspect the average academic would prefer something a bit more off the shelf – but maybe that’s just me.
Hi Rose, Sorry I don’t have any positive experiences to share about using publishers’ online resources. I don’t recall if I looked at anything from McGraw Hill in particular, but in general I’ve found them too inflexible for our purposes. The academics I deal with want everything bespoke!
Thanks Moira
Mine are under pressure to assemble a new curriculum very quickly and are considering all options at the moment – this one gives quite a lot of customisation (mix & match of own & supplied stuff etc) but by the time they get their heads round it I suspect it would be easier to do their own thing. There are also the cost implications to factor in – it is not FoC.
It sounds like a good option in that situation, apart from the learning curve of the publisher’s software environment.
No personal experience though I vaguely recall having looked at it. Generic first thoughts would be to explore VLE integration and access management for both students and staff asap in case there are any major issues there. I guess there may be concerns regarding creeping vendor lock-in as well. Finally, I believe LearnSmart is one of these adaptive learning systems that are popular at the moment. While I think that’s great for learning, I guess you need to ensure that the summative assessment takes account of the diverse routes the students may have taken.
Thanks Peter
Agree re: VLE integration & lock in. The adaptive aspect of Learnsmart is something staff have expressed an interest in as it’s not something on offer automatically via VLE quiz mechanisms.However until we see it in action and work through the implications we can’t be sure about its value. Lots of provisos as ever.