Learning Apps & Tools | News

Cengage Launches Online Learning Platform

• By David Nagel
• 03/23/11

Ed tech developer Cengage Learning has launched a new online learning platform for higher ed.

Called MindTap, the platform is designed to work across devices--traditional computers, smart phones, and tablets--to deliver coursework, learning management, and a range of educational materials. Some of those educational materials are delivered via "MindApps," a collection of apps from Cengage and third-party sources that provide syllabus-aligned instructional activities, along with broader functionality like lecture capture, remediation tools, social networking, tutoring, and plagiarism prevention, among others. MindTap also provides a dashboard for students to access their own work and tools for teachers and administrators to assess and track student learning.

In addition to MindApps, the platform also provides MindTap Reader, a tool that's designed to enhance the electronic textbook experience with "significant reading learning activity functionality embedded within the context of text and other elements including video/audio, annotations, activities, applications and instructor source materials, while also preparing existing products to take advantage of future MindTap services," according to Cengage.

Other features of MindTap include:

• Access to Cengage's Gale library databases and other content;
• Support for third-party learning management systems;
• Support for teachers creating homework assignments and quizzes;
• A wide selection of interactive learning activities;
• An integrated gradebook;
• Multimedia support;
• Social networking tools;
• Text-to-speech; and
• Note-taking and highlighting capabilities;

MindTap is available now. Further information, including a demo request form, can be found here.