Pearson, the world’s learning company, has acquired industry-leading digital learning technology from Smart Sparrow, an edtech innovator based in Sydney, Australia, for $25 million to bolster its future higher-education offerings.
The company said the move will enhance its current capabilities in adaptive learning significantly, and will help accelerate the rollout of its Global Learning Platform (GLP), an engine that enables Pearson and its partners to launch breakthrough personalized learning experiences for students more quickly and with better outcomes.
Founded in 2011 by Dror Ben-Naim, Smart Sparrow is an award-winning learn-tech company inspiring the next wave in digital learning and assessment. Believing in the power of technology and learner-centred design to empower great teaching and a lifelong pursuit of knowledge, the company provides course-authoring tools for faculty and instructional designers to build adaptive courseware. Till the acquisition by Pearson, Smart Sparrow has more than 700 institutional customers globally across the K-12, higher education, and corporate learning space.
Smart Sparrow is said to have raised about $23.5 million in venture capital. As part of the acquisition deal, most of Smart Sparrow’s employees will join Pearson. However, it is said that its founder and CEO Dror Ben-Naim and a small team will remain with the company, which is not technically being acquired by Pearson.
Pearson in its press release said, with Smart Sparrow technology, its Global Learning Platform will gain better functionality and provide enhanced user experiences. It will give authors the ability to co-design content that can be created and updated for students and instructors more expediently.
Issuing a statement on the development, Tim Bozik, President of Global Product & North America Courseware, Pearson, said,
“This acquisition aligns with our strategy and affirms Pearson’s commitment to accelerating our digital transformation for the benefit of students, educators and authors. The Smart Sparrow technology will help build more personalized and effective learning experiences that engage students whenever and wherever they need it. We believe this has the potential to drive better learning outcomes that in turn will lead to improved employability prospects.”
Smart Sparrow technology allows for the creation and delivery of next-generation, rich, interactive, and adaptive learning experiences that drive engagement and create opportunities for better learner outcomes. With this technology, Pearson also aims to expand and enhance its e-book offering, developing next-generation e-books that are more immersive, interactive and engaging.
Commenting on the acquisition, Dror Ben-Naim, Smart Sparrow Founder and CEO, said,
“Our mission has always been to inspire the next wave in digital learning through pioneering educational technology and awesome learning design. We are proud and excited that our technology will help Pearson advance their mission on behalf of students and teachers across the globe.”
Meanwhile, Pearson continues to acquire companies and expand its business portfolio with the mission to help people make progress in their lives through learning. It is only recently that the company had acquired Lumerit Education, an edtech company that provides services on college degree completion and affordability in the consumer and corporate markets.
