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McGraw-Hill Quiz Tool Helps Student Focus on Core Concepts

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 08/27/12

McGraw-Hill Higher Education is making a digital study application previously marketed only to institutions and classes available directly to students. LearnSmart is an adaptive learning utility that asks students course questions in order to help them remember core concepts. Before answering a question, the student tells the program how confident he or she is about the answer. When a student misses a question, the program suggests specific sections of McGraw-Hill textbooks to study. The user can revisit missed questions or create practice quizzes.

LearnSmart asks students how confident they are in their answer to each question.

The program also provides a "standing" to show the student how well he or she compares to others using that particular program at the moment.

According to the company, students using LearnSmart have been proven to move up a full letter grade by studying questions related to what they're learning in their course. The program is accessible online and via mobile apps.

Currently, a LearnSmart program is available for 100 of the company's best-selling textbooks in 40 subject areas. The price for a LearnSmart product varies by textbook. A quick check of five different textbooks showed pricing for LearnSmart running from $25 to $40 for five months of access.

"I have had so much success using LearnSmart," said Tracy Chupp, a student studying anatomy and physiology at Indiana's Ivy Tech Community College. "By using LearnSmart to study, I know exactly what I need to practice and how much I know about each topic."

"We have technology with the power to personalize the learning experience and give students an academic edge," added Brian Kibby, president of McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

LearnSmart is available for purchase directly online from McGraw-Hill or through Follett's campus bookstores.