CTE - Using McGraw-Hill Connect

Welcome to the Using McGraw-Hill Connect LibGuide! Currently, McGraw-Hill Connect is being integrated with Central Penn College's business program. This guide is designed to help course instructors learn about this tool and how to modify their instruction to incorporate the features within Connect.

Using this Guide:

• Step 1: Begin with the FAQ at the bottom of this page to get an overview of what Connect is and how the business faculty at Central Penn College are using Connect to enhance their teaching effectiveness.
   
• Step 2: Continue to Connect Resources for step-by-step instructions on how to use Connect and integrate it with Blackboard.
   
• Step 3: Finish up with Connect Teaching Tips to learn tips on how to use Connect to enhance your teaching. This section also includes information on how to support your students.

What is McGraw-Hill Connect?

• McGraw-Hill Connect is a robust toolkit of learning resources that is designed to enhance student outcomes through engagement with the text. Faculty are able to customize these tools to focus on the most important objectives that students need to achieve in a course. Connect also includes assignments and other learning resources that can be incorporated into a course. Additionally, this tool provides faculty with student learning data that allows them to provide interventions as needed. 
   
• The main component of Connect is SmartBook, an adaptive learning tool designed to replace reading quizzes. These should be completed before students engage in other assignments or learning activities as a way to ensure that students have the appropriate foundational knowledge for deeper learning activities.

How are instructors expected to use Connect?

• Instructors are required to have SmartBook modules designed into their course. It is highly recommended that 5-10% of the course grade is associated with SmartBook due to the critical nature of engaging with the textbook. SmartBook modules are designed to be approximately 40 minutes long, but this is an estimate and may vary by student.
• Instructors should consider SmartBook engagement when they are calculating student workload.
• Assignments, quizzes, and tests can be built using McGraw-Hill Connect and linked into Blackboard.
   
• Depending on the course, faculty may be given access to pre-designed Connect courses to pair with their instruction. Check with the program chair to see if your assigned course has a template available. 
   
• The Performance Dashboard contains reports and statistics on assignments, student performance, and SmartBook that can help faculty deliver customized feedback and JITT (Just In Time Teaching). 

How does Connect get incorporated into teaching?

• Connect is not a substitute for instruction or the knowledge and expertise of the faculty member. It is meant to be a complement to your lesson plans.

How often should Connect be used in a course?

• SmartBook should be incorporated weekly and with every chapter that is covered in the course.
• Other assignments, quizzes, and tests are at the discretion of the faculty member; the provided template is a recommended format for instruction.

How do students get access to Connect?

• Students receive access to Connect (along with a separate ebook of the course textbook) automatically through Blackboard by being enrolled in the course.  Students are charged a course materials fee for this access directly to their college tuition bill.