Curriculum | News
McGraw-Hill Acquiring Key Curriculum Technologies
McGraw-Hill Education is purchasing the technology assets of publisher Key Curriculum, a maker of K-12 educational tools, including the Geometer's Sketchpad, Fathom Dynamic Data, and TinkerPlots Exploration.
According to MH Education, the acquisition is designed to strengthen the company's digital offerings, in particular in the areas of Common Core State Standards and mathematics education.
Key Curriculum's flagship offering, the Geometer's Sketchpad, is a suite of Common Core-aligned math instruction software and curriculum modules ranging from elementary math to calculus. It allows students to explore mathematics by providing tools for them to create diagrams and figures. Educators can also use the software to generate teaching aids. It includes more than 500 classroom activities through Sketchpad LessonLink; an online community called Sketch Exchange, where users can share activities and ask questions; learning guides and reference materials; and professional development resources, ranging from online tutorials and webinars to online and in-person teacher training.
"With the advent of the Common Core State Standards and an increased national focus on the teaching of math, the acquisition of Key Curriculum allows us to better meet the evolving needs of digitally minded students, instructors, and schools," said Lloyd G. "Buzz" Waterhouse, CEO of MH Education, in a prepared statement released today. "Key Curriculum brings to McGraw-Hill Education a range of products with the capability to bring math to life for a new generation of learners as well as one of the most trusted and respected brands in math education technology."
According to McGraw-Hill, Key Curriculum products will continue to be sold as standalone products, "regardless of the curriculum adopted by the institution."
McGraw-Hill also reported that Key Curriculum will contribute to the development of MH Education's math technologies.
According to information released by Key Curriculum today, "The Key Curriculum team, reporting to Christine Willig, senior vice president of STEM for McGraw-Hill School Education, will focus on developing standalone and integrated products for McGraw-Hill Education."
"Customers using McGraw-Hill Education's math programs can expect deeper integration between these products and Key Curriculum solutions in the future," said Willig.
"We're very excited to become part of McGraw-Hill Education," said Key Curriculum President and CEO Karen Coe, also in a prepared statement. "As a company, our mission has always been to help institutions improve student success, and having the resources of McGraw-Hill Education behind our products will only strengthen our ability to fulfill this mission."
The acquisition is expected to be completed by the end of the year.