Pearson and Knewton Charge Ahead with Adaptive Courses

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 01/12/12

Pearson and Knewton will soon introduce versions of digital courses that will adapt to each student's needs as the course progresses. Pearson will be making its MyLab/Mastering courses in developmental mathematics, developmental English, and developmental writing available on Knewton's Adaptive Learning Platform, which personalizes courses for each student. Pearson said the MyLab/Mastering products had 9 million student registrations in 2011.

"Personalized learning is a linchpin for the overall future of education," said Greg Tobin of Pearson. "Incorporating Knewton's technology into our MyLab/Mastering programs is leading the industry's charge toward this new era of customized and personalized education."

"Students generate a tremendous amount of high-stakes data that Knewton can analyze to ensure they learn in the most effective and efficient way for each. It is a new frontier in education," added Jose Ferreira, founder and CEO of Knewton.

Knewton's technology uses proprietary algorithms to deliver a personalized learning path for each student each day. The algorithms can categorize each student's strengths, weaknesses, learning preferences, and learning style to tailor course content. The company has published at least one course offering that competes with Pearson's--Math Readiness for College, a Web-based developmental math course.

The announcement came during the Consumer Electronics Show Higher Ed Tech Summit in Las Vegas this week, where executives from both companies participated in a panel on the future of higher education. The partnership was initially announced in November 2011 and will expand in coming months to encompass development of adaptive courses for collegiate mathematics, statistics, freshman composition, economics, and science, among other areas.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Abstract AI circuit board pattern

    Nonprofit LawZero to Work Toward Safer, Truthful AI

    Turing Award-winning AI researcher Yoshua Bengio has launched LawZero, a nonprofit aimed at developing AI systems that prioritize safety and truthfulness over autonomy.

  • stylized illustration of a desktop, laptop, tablet, and smartphone all displaying an orange AI icon

    Survey: AI Shifting from Cloud to PCs

    A recent Intel-commissioned report identifies a significant shift in AI adoption, moving away from the cloud and closer to the user. Businesses are increasingly turning to the specialized hardware of AI PCs, the survey found, recognizing their potential not just for productivity gains, but for revolutionizing IT efficiency, fortifying data security, and delivering a compelling return on investment by bringing AI capabilities directly to the edge.

  • magnifying glass with AI icon in the center

    Google Releases Learning-Themed AI Mode Features for Search

    Ahead of back-to-school season, Google has introduced new AI Mode features in Search, including image and PDF queries on desktop, a Canvas tool for planning, real-time help with Search Live, and Lens integration in Chrome.

  • sunlit classroom with laptops on every desk, each displaying a glowing AI speech bubble icon above the screen

    Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot to Become Available for Teen Students

    This summer, Microsoft is expanding availability of its Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot products for students aged 13 and older. Administrators will be able to grant access for students based on their institution's plans and preferences, the company announced in a blog post.