Sapling Learning

Sapling Learning was established in 2004 by Dr. James W. Caras, who served as its CEO. The company focuses on providing interactive online homework and learning software tailored for the higher education and high school markets, particularly within STEM disciplines like chemistry, physics, biology, and economics. Its core offering is an online homework system designed to help students grasp key concepts through various question formats, including multiple-choice and free-response, which are supplemented with hints and targeted feedback. This feedback mechanism, crafted by experienced educators, mimics in-person instruction to guide students through problem-solving and address common misconceptions.

The business operates as a provider of educational technology, serving students and educators in over 800 schools and universities as of late 2012. The platform's business model is based on selling access to its online homework and instructional solutions. This is often bundled with textbooks from publishing partners, such as a collaboration with Oxford University Press for a biochemistry textbook. A key feature of Sapling Learning's approach was being textbook-agnostic, allowing it to work with various publishers. For instructors, the platform offers tools for course management, including auto-graded assignments that sync with a gradebook and analytics to identify areas where students are struggling. Instructors also receive support from Ph.D.-level subject matter experts, known as Technology TAs, who assist with course setup and provide ongoing support.

A significant milestone occurred in November 2012, when Macmillan New Ventures, a technology division of Macmillan Publishers, acquired Sapling Learning. The acquisition was part of Macmillan's broader strategy to invest in and accelerate proven educational technology companies. Following the acquisition, Sapling Learning's founder, James W. Caras, became the general manager within the newly formed Macmillan Learning division in 2015. In a strategic shift, Macmillan announced that as of Fall 2024, all Sapling Learning courses would transition to their newer platform, Achieve, effectively phasing out the Sapling brand for college courses.

Keywords: online homework, STEM education, higher education, edtech, instructional software, student assessment, textbook agnostic, course management, educational analytics, Macmillan Learning