Taking the iPad and "Serious Games" to school
PRESS RELEASE
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Launches HMH Fuse™ with First Interactive Full-Curriculum Algebra App for iPad
Year-long pilot in Long Beach, Fresno, Riverside and San Francisco Unified School Districts to compare iPad-delivered content to textbook for eighth-grade algebra
LONG BEACH, Calif. — Sept. 8, 2010 — Global education leader Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) today announced a year-long pilot of the first-ever full-curriculum Algebra app for the Apple iPad.
Conducted by a third-party research firm, the pilot study for HMH Fuse: Algebra 1 application will run throughout the 2010-2011 school year to measure students' academic results as well as their attitudes about learning algebra using two different educational mediums: the handheld touchscreen device versus the traditional textbook.
The pilot also represents the launch of HMH Fuse™, a new mode of curriculum delivery where interactive platforms and mobile devices bring learning to life for students by moving beyond the one-way experience of a print or digital textbook. The HMH Fuse: Holt McDougal Algebra 1 app will be the most sophisticated use of the iPad's interactive technology in K–12 learning to date.
Through the revolutionary iPad environment, students will receive feedback on practice questions, write and save notes, receive guided instruction, access video lessons and more with the touch of a finger. The app's multi-dimensional functionality combines instruction, ongoing support and intervention, allowing teachers and students to customize learning and meet individual needs.
California Secretary of Education Bonnie Reiss, Long Beach Unified School District Superintendent Christopher Steinhauser, HMH Executive Vice President of Content Development and Publishing Operations Bethlam Forsa and Holt McDougal Algebra 1 author and Williams College Mathematics Professor Edward Burger, Ph.D. joined together today at Washington Middle School in Long Beach to launch the pilot and provide students with a demonstration of HMH Fuse's interactive technology.
"As the digital age reaches our classrooms it will transform education, allowing for teaching our students in ways not before imagined, and California is poised to lead the way," said Secretary of Education Bonnie Reiss. "This pilot project represents an important step toward embracing a more interactive learning environment that will help our fantastic teachers and school leaders meet the changing needs of California's students in the 21st-century economy."
"The launch of HMH Fuse and this app signal the beginning of a new era in curriculum development, where the goal is not just providing world-class content, but also delivering it in a variety of ways so that students and teachers can individualize the learning experience," said Barry O'Callaghan, CEO of HMH. "We believe this pilot will provide the nation with a glimpse into the future of education."
In total, HMH is piloting 400 iPads across Washington Middle School and Hudson K–8 in Long Beach Unified; Kings Canyon Middle School and Sequoia Middle School in Fresno Unified; Amelia Earhart Middle School in Riverside Unified and Presidio Middle School in San Francisco Unified School District.
In total, HMH is piloting 400 iPads across Washington Middle School and Hudson K–8 in Long Beach Unified; Kings Canyon Middle School and Sequoia Middle School in Fresno Unified; Amelia Earhart Middle School in Riverside Unified and Presidio Middle School in San Francisco Unified School District.
"This is an incredible opportunity to be on the cutting edge of teaching and learning, and our students and teachers are really excited," said Long Beach Superintendent Steinhauser.
The app provides the year-long Holt McDougal Algebra 1 course plus ancillary materials and resources. The app's highly developed comprehension tracking tools provide students with customized support and teachers with real-time student-specific performance feedback.
"The app allows students to engage in the learning process and move from being passive receivers of information to active learners who determine how to display concepts, progress through equations and interpret information," said HMH Executive Vice President Forsa. "The app's interactive format will resonate with teachers, students and parents because it mirrors the multi-dimensional digital environment they interact with on a daily basis."
Empirical Education Inc., a Silicon Valley-based research organization, will use high-quality, scientifically valid research methods to compare students using the new iPad-delivered content to those using the conventional textbook. A report of the research findings is expected in fall 2011.
To learn more, visit: https://www.hmhco.com/classroom
About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is a global education and learning company that is leading the way with innovative solutions and approaches to the challenges facing education today. The world's largest provider of educational products and solutions for pre-K–12 learning, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt develops and delivers interactive, results-driven learning solutions that advance teacher effectiveness and student achievement. Through curricula excellence and technology innovation, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt collaborates with school districts, administrators, teachers, parents and students. With origins dating back to 1832, the Company also publishes an extensive line of reference works and award-winning literature for adults and young readers.
For more information, visit http://www.hmhco.com/
