Learning Matters 2023
Our Learning Matters programme
As part of our commitment to improving education for all, we at McGraw Hill are proud to announce the return of our Learning Matters grant.
Like last time, we will be offering £100,000 worth of technology licenses and services to higher education institutions in the European Region. Learning Matters will increase availability of our digital solutions to more learners, bringing affordable access to quality learning platforms to a wider audience. The doors are now open for Institutions to apply for the chance to receive a grant to bring cutting-edge McGraw Hill technology into their classrooms.
Read on to find out how your organisation can apply!
Our vision for the future
Learning Matters is a focus for the whole team at McGraw Hill. It ties in with the UN’s fourth sustainable development goal (SDG), which aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all,” by 2030.
Students are heading into a dynamic world of work. They need to be ready to adapt to rapid - and unexpected - technological, social and global changes. Our mission is to accelerate learning and to support educators in using technology to unlock each student’s full potential.
But like any worthwhile endeavour, we cannot do it alone. We can only achieve our goals through global partnerships with universities and institutions. Working together with expert teams on the ground will enable us to create and deliver engaging, efficient, and effective learning experiences right where it counts - in the classroom.
Partnering to enhance online and hybrid learning
As many institutions transition into a hybrid of face-to-face and online teaching, McGraw Hill is keen to keep providing support. Robyn McKenna, Regional Business Director, reflects on the Learning Matters programme and its continuing importance.
“Over the past year, we have partnered with a number of innovative universities to build new and enhanced online/hybrid programmes globally. With the long-anticipated return to campus for most universities, we are continuing to support this transition back to ensure they are meeting the expectations of their students,” says Robyn.
"Universities choose to partner with us for many reasons. Our commitment to support and training, deep analytics and sharing of best practices from across the region enable us to create a real impact on teaching and learning. Initial funding to test new approaches and enhance students' experience for online, in classroom and hybrid teaching is still a challenge that universities are facing."
This is where our grant can continue to aid universities; providing the funding to fully enhance online learning experiences and get those tests off the ground.
"After a successful launch in 2021, we are happy to announce the continuation of our Learning Matters programme," contunues Robyn. "This year we will be offering another £100,000 grant for our educational technology solutions, pilots and hosting a range of events share our learnings with the wider educational community."
The impact of the grant - Connect
We spoke to James Mshelia, Senior Lecturer in International Business at the University of Northampton and previous grant recipient. He explains how using the grant for Connect has positively impacted his students and teaching.
“Connect makes life easier for me. It enhances my delivery and, by making my delivery better, it enhances my students’ learning experience”, he says.
He discusses how his students have benefited from Connect as part of their hybrid online and in-person learning:
“Even with returning to face-to-face teaching, online lectures are still a key part of our delivery. Connect helps us prepare our students for the face to face sessions and get the most out of them. Connect is crucial to our blended learning."
The ability to tailor content to students and check their engagement with concepts has made Connect essential to his teaching.
“I insist on using Connect for my modules. It enhances student learning and helps them to understand the topic. There are lots of different questions and exercises inside Connect that help me to target the learning at the right level for students. This helps to build their confidence. I can check the engagement of my students easily. The engagement report colour-codes my students and allows me to identify those who need more support.”
As well as students benefiting from adaptive learning activities, James now saves time preparing his modules.
“I can enhance my teaching with all these resources and save a huge amount of time in preparation. What might have taken me 3 hours plus to prepare a lecture before can be done in under an hour with Connect,” he says.
What’s more, Connect comes with full support at every step. Our Implementation & Support team is on hand to help you whenever you need them:
“The support we’ve had has been awesome. We went step-by-step and always had the ability to talk with my McGraw Hill Consultant team to get help.”
Hear from James Mshelia on academic endorsement below, or click here to explore other topics.
Applying for the grant
Student success depends on good teaching combined with a supportive, well-designed learning environment. Ensuring that your courses remain accessible, scalable and deliverable online is, therefore, a key priority for many higher education professionals.
Learning Matters is an opportunity to apply for up to £100,000 of McGraw Hill technology solutions, so your educators have the support and tools they need to do what they do best. The grant is intended to help you implement the changes you need to ensure the coming academic year is successful for both your students and the academic team.
As part of our services, our teams at McGraw Hill will work closely with the winning Institution(s) to build a sustainable development plan. Partnering with you hand in hand through the building of bespoke courses, and throughout the implementation process, we will also help you with a multi-year plan and ensure strong KPIs are set to help gain funding for the future.
Applications open on the 2nd of May and close on the 30th of May. Successful applicants will be announced in June.