MacRumors reports today on the findings of publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH), which are the result of a year-long pilot program using an iPad version of its Algebra 1 textbook for middle school students. The program took place at Amelia Earhart Middle School in Riverside, California. Of the students that were taking the course, 78% of the students who used the iPad textbook ranked as “Proficient” or “Advanced” in Algebra 1, whereas only 58% of the students who were using traditional textbooks were ranked “Proficient” or “Advanced”. According to the report, teachers noticed that the students using the iPad app had increased motivation and an increased level of personal interactivity, both of which they said were factors in the students’ success. Apparently the students also found that using the iPad was more natural and enabled them to be in control of their own learning experience, which in turn made them more interested and engaged in the subject.

"By engineering a comprehensive platform that combines the best learning material with technology that embraces students' strengths and addresses their weaknesses, we’ve gone far beyond the capabilities of an e-book to turn a one-way math lesson into an engaging, interactive, supportive learning experience," said Bethlam Forsa, Executive Vice President, Global Content and Product Development, HMH. "With HMH Fuse, teachers can assess student progress in real time and tailor instruction as needed.”

Source: Publisher Touts 20-Point Boost in Student Performance with Textbooks for iPad - Mac Rumors