Pearson Intros New Digital Texts for General Studies Courses
Pearson has launched a new digital text and learning tool, called REVEL, as a replacement to its current print textbooks and online learning tools for general studies courses in subjects like Psychology and Sociology. The new tool focuses on informal assessments, video, and other digital resources.
According to Pearson, the new materials were fashioned after taking into account feedback from more than 20,000 educators and students. The tool’s interactive bent is supposed to appeal to today’s college student, who don’t always connect with current print textbooks and may not find them "reflective of how they interact with content," as Pearson put it.
As a result, REVEL materials feature interactive exercises, infographics, social features, and video segments to help boost engagement and, in turn, critical thinking skills (text passages are still woven throughout lessons, however). The digital texts are also compatible with mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets.
Around 12,000 students at 50 schools have already started using the materials, which are being showcased at the 2014 Educause conference Sept. 30-Oct. 1 in Orlando at booth #701.
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Stephen Noonoo is an education technology journalist based in Los Angeles. He is on Twitter @stephenoonoo.