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Cengage launches MindTap ACE, an OER-based solution for higher ed

Cengage, an education and technology company, launched MindTap ACE, a digital solution that blends curated Open Educational Resources (OER) with Cengage content.  Designed to help faculty seamlessly integrate OER into their courses, MindTap ACE expands Cengage’s portfolio of learning solutions that use open resources, including MindTap, WebAssign and Learning Objects.

“Today’s education landscape demands new and innovative approaches that deliver better learning outcomes at more affordable price points. Yet far too often, the debate is an either/or of achievement versus price, when the reality is that OER can complement proprietary content,” said Michael Hansen, CEO, Cengage. “MindTap ACE addresses this challenge by including OER alongside Cengage’s best-in-class content. The result is an affordable option that ensures students still benefit from a meaningful learning experience.”

“Having access to an affordable college education continues to be top of mind for so many working families. I feel very strongly that all players in higher education must do their part to address these concerns for the future of our country. That’s why I am so excited about the innovative work underway at Cengage to bring down costs using the proven MindTap platform that has been shown to improve learning,” said George Miller, former Congressman and Senior Advisor, Cengage.

MindTap ACE is now available as a pilot program for Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Computing, World History I, Public Speaking and Non-Majors Biology. The product’s pricing starts at $40.

“MindTap ACE allows faculty to confidently bring OER into their courses because the content has been curated by subject matter experts. This alleviates the burden for faculty of vetting content and creating an entire course from scratch,” said Cheryl Costantini, Vice President of Content Strategy, Cengage.

With MindTap ACE, instructors receive support and resources including instructor’s manuals, slides, test banks, tech support and digital course support services. For students, MindTap ACE provides engaging content in a platform designed with tools to build confidence.

A recent Cengage study [1] based on interviews with industry experts and a survey of over 500 participants showed that four percent of higher ed instructors use OER as primary materials. Further, the data projects that the number of OER users may grow to as much as 12 percent over the next five years.

Material from a press release was used in this report.