Case Study: University of Central Florida achieves improved retention and higher exam averages with McGraw Hill Connect Microbiology (SmartBook & LearnSmart Prep)

University of Central Florida - Customer Case Study

The University of Central Florida faced declining exam scores and poor long‑term retention in its required General Microbiology course, where students frequently skipped or rushed homework. Instructor Dr. Camilla Ambivero partnered with McGraw Hill to adopt Connect Microbiology with LearnSmart Prep and SmartBook (integrated with Canvas) to give structured, graded homework and preparatory assignments aligned with course exams.

Using McGraw Hill’s Connect platform, Ambivero required completion‑graded LearnSmart and SmartBook assignments (including an early LearnSmart Prep baseline and two SmartBook tasks per week before exams), and used Connect reports to spot at‑risk students and refocus classroom time. The result was steady improvement: final exam scores rose across semesters, the class average increased from 75.6 to 77.9 (a 2.3% gain), and students demonstrated better retention and preparedness for cumulative exams.

University of Central Florida

Camilla Ambivero

University of Central Florida