The Common Core is a new set of national education standards for K-12 grade students in the United States. Recently implemented, they were designed to support equal opportunity in education for all students across all school districts. Pearson, the world’s leading learning company, needed to create a brand new curriculum based on the Common Core, while at the same time continuing to shift its publishing model from print to digital. Pearson decided to develop tablet-based teaching tools that would improve student achievement and make US students more competitive. This idea supported their core values and goals for further business transformation.

To create this application, Pearson brought together a team of content and digital design experts. Master educators were responsible for developing content around the Common Core. Product designers then created an interactive experience that brought the content to life. The user interface needed to support and engage a very diverse age range (K-12). The team collaborated to design all aspects of the system: product sign-in, content delivery, assessment & analytical reporting. The user experience was articulated in application maps, wireframes, designs, and prototypes. Multiple teams of technologists developed the experience for testing & deployment.

The product has been introduced to school districts across America. Los Angeles County, the nation’s second largest school district, is our first major validation of the product. The intended rollout to 650,000+ students has begun with an initial phase of 40,000. Students and teachers are now working with the course materials and providing feedback and input on the system. Interviews and surveys have produced enough positive reviews to continue the rollout into its next phase. This is a major validation of the partnership between Pearson, Apple, and our interface designers.