(Courtesy photo)
Morgan State University has a new partnership with a New York-based company, panOpen, that’s designed to support access to freely accessible education resources for faculty and students at the Baltimore institution. Open education resources, or OER, are free and openly licensed educational materials. In the case of Morgan State, they will be peer-reviewed, and designed to be used in the same manner as a textbook. The company’s platform also adds interactive elements. At Morgan State, the platform will allow for faculty to collaborate with peers at other institutions. In turn, the faculty’s academic contributions will be made available with a Creative Commons license. For students, the platform provides a way to read and build study guides, as well as communicate with faculty and other students. “By drawing on the disciplinary expertise here at Morgan and elsewhere, and powerful learning technologies specifically designed to support OER collaboration, we seek to lower costs, improve outcomes for our students, and better prepare them for their post-graduate professional lives,” Dr. Solomon Alao, Morgan State’s assistant VP of assessment and operations, said in a statement. “We are therefore excited to work with panOpen to help achieve these goals and engage our entire academic community in its innovative OER-based learning platform.”
Along with signing the partnership, there are also efforts to work directly with faculty to bring the technology to campus. Morgan State faculty have begun training on the platform. Grants are also being made available to continue through the summer.

With partnership, Morgan State is bringing open content platform to campus

Zen Group Invests in panOpen
1/27/16
panOpen has announced the official launch of its learning platform exclusively based on Open Educational Resources (OER), with nearly 100 pilot programs in place at colleges and universities nationwide. panOpen’s comprehensive application allows faculty and students to quickly and easily use trusted, high-quality materials that enhance their course curriculum and overall learning experience. With additional tools for faculty such as content customization, LMS integration, self-grading quizzes, note-taking, real-time chat and data analytics, panOpen offers a forward-thinking and unique user-experience unlike any other OER platform. January also marks the close of the second investment round led by Zen Group, LLC, bringing panOpen’s total initial financing to $4.5 million. panOpen plans to use the proceeds to support platform development and institutional outreach. panOpen was founded by Brian Jacobs and is rooted in his longstanding efforts to improve equity and access in higher education, particularly as they concern learning materials. Prior to panOpen, Brian taught at Cornell University, where he also received a Ph.D., and founded Akademos, a leading virtual bookstore and marketplace provider. panOpen is also a graduate of the Kaplan EdTech Accelerator powered by Techstars. “Accessibility and affordability are central issues in the national discussion concerning higher education,” said Brian Jacobs, CEO and Founder of panOpen. “Supported with the right digital tools, OER is now emerging as a compelling alternative to traditional textbooks, greatly reducing costs and improving student access and outcomes.”
Following the U.S. Department of Education’s 2015 launch of #GoOpen, a campaign to encourage states, school districts, and educators to use openly licensed educational materials, we can expect to see colleges and universities increasingly adopting OER to help reduce textbook costs. Beyond cost savings, OER improves content flexibility in the classroom, giving faculty the ability to keep curricula current and to keep pace with industry advancements to ensure students are career-ready when they graduate. “Most students cannot afford to spend thousands of dollars on textbooks every year. Instead, they opt to purchase cheaper, out of date textbooks, or no books at all,” said Jeremy Nicholson, Instructor in Biology at one of the piloting institutions, South Plains College in Levelland, Texas. “Using high-quality open educational resources, we can ensure that every student has access to a current text that is integrated into the curriculum, while saving them a significant amount of money.”
panOpen can be used for any subject. The company has also developed enhanced and interactive “pillar” resources in the areas of history, chemistry, economics, physics, biology, psychology, business and finance. Additional pillar courses are in development. Faculty can access, edit and contribute content at no cost. Students are charged a small flat subscription fee per course for perpetual access; typically this reduces costs by 75% or more over their previous conventional textbooks. The content is also freely downloadable, printable and shareable to all. panOpen is designed to make OER affordable and offers faculty and schools various financing options. In addition to providing open access to peer-reviewed OER, platform features include:
Easy LMS integration and gradebook syncing
Actionable data and reporting analytics
Innovative tools: self-grading quizzes, note-taking, highlighting capabilities, flashcards and real-time chat
Revenue sharing model that incentivizes authors, faculty adapters and editors and technology partners. To learn more about panOpen, please visit http://panopen.com
To request a free demo, please call 844-200-1511
About panOpen
Designed by educators for educators, panOpen is an easy-to-use platform that solves textbook affordability challenges. panOpen’s comprehensive platform provides open access to trusted learning materials founded on openly-licensed educational resources (OER), allowing faculty to curate and customize high-quality, peer-reviewed content that enhances their curriculum. Supported by a robust set of digital tools and actionable data, panOpen’s open higher ed publishing model dramatically reduces textbook costs for students while improving learning outcomes, all within a sustainable platform designed to help students and faculty realize their potential. Stories you Need to Know
Stories you Need to Know
It's on us. Share your news here.

Zen Group Invests in panOpen

Zen Group invests in panOpen
January 27, 2016
panOpen closed a second investment round led by Zen Group, LLC. The company, which provides a learning platform for educational resources, has raised $4.5 million to date. PRESS RELEASE
New York, NY (January 26, 2016) — panOpen has announced the official launch of its learning platform exclusively based on Open Educational Resources (OER), with nearly 100 pilot programs in place at colleges and universities nationwide. panOpen’s comprehensive application allows faculty and students to quickly and easily use trusted, high-quality materials that enhance their course curriculum and overall learning experience. With additional tools for faculty such as content customization, LMS integration, self-grading quizzes, note-taking, real-time chat and data analytics, panOpen offers a forward-thinking and unique user-experience unlike any other OER platform. January also marks the close of the second investment round led by Zen Group, LLC, bringing panOpen’s total initial financing to $4.5 million. panOpen plans to use the proceeds to support platform development and institutional outreach. panOpen was founded by Brian Jacobs and is rooted in his longstanding efforts to improve equity and access in higher education, particularly as they concern learning materials. Prior to panOpen, Brian taught at Cornell University, where he also received a Ph.D., and founded Akademos, a leading virtual bookstore and marketplace provider. panOpen is also a graduate of the Kaplan EdTech Accelerator powered by Techstars. “Accessibility and affordability are central issues in the national discussion concerning higher education,” said Brian Jacobs, CEO and Founder of panOpen. “Supported with the right digital tools, OER is now emerging as a compelling alternative to traditional textbooks, greatly reducing costs and improving student access and outcomes.”
Following the U.S. Department of Education’s 2015 launch of #GoOpen, a campaign to encourage states, school districts, and educators to use openly licensed educational materials, we can expect to see colleges and universities increasingly adopting OER to help reduce textbook costs. Beyond cost savings, OER improves content flexibility in the classroom, giving faculty the ability to keep curricula current and to keep pace with industry advancements to ensure students are career-ready when they graduate. “Most students cannot afford to spend thousands of dollars on textbooks every year. Instead, they opt to purchase cheaper, out of date textbooks, or no books at all,” said Jeremy Nicholson, Instructor in Biology at one of the piloting institutions, South Plains College in Levelland, Texas. “Using high-quality open educational resources, we can ensure that every student has access to a current text that is integrated into the curriculum, while saving them a significant amount of money.”
panOpen can be used for any subject. The company has also developed enhanced and interactive “pillar” resources in the areas of history, chemistry, economics, physics, biology, psychology, business and finance. Additional pillar courses are in development. Faculty can access, edit and contribute content at no cost. Students are charged a small flat subscription fee per course for perpetual access; typically this reduces costs by 75% or more over their previous conventional textbooks. The content is also freely downloadable, printable and shareable to all. panOpen is designed to make OER affordable and offers faculty and schools various financing options. In addition to providing open access to peer-reviewed OER, platform features include:
· Easy LMS integration and gradebook syncing
· Actionable data and reporting analytics
· Innovative tools: self-grading quizzes, note-taking, highlighting capabilities, flashcards and real-time chat
· Revenue sharing model that incentivizes authors, faculty adapters and editors and technology partners. To learn more about panOpen, please visit http://panopen.com
To request a free demo, please call 844-200-1511
About panOpen
Designed by educators for educators, panOpen is an easy-to-use platform that solves textbook affordability challenges. panOpen’s comprehensive platform provides open access to trusted learning materials founded on openly-licensed educational resources (OER), allowing faculty to curate and customize high-quality, peer-reviewed content that enhances their curriculum. Supported by a robust set of digital tools and actionable data, panOpen’s open higher ed publishing model dramatically reduces textbook costs for students while improving learning outcomes, all within a sustainable platform designed to help students and faculty realize their potential. © 2015 Buyouts Insider / Argosy Group LLC

Zen Group invests in panOpen

OER Platform Dramatically Reduces the Cost of Student Textbooks
NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - Jan 26, 2016) -  panOpen has announced the official launch of its learning platform exclusively based on Open Educational Resources (OER), with nearly 100 pilot programs in place at colleges and universities nationwide. panOpen's comprehensive application allows faculty and students to quickly and easily use trusted, high-quality materials that enhance their course curriculum and overall learning experience. With additional tools for faculty such as content customization, LMS integration, self-grading quizzes, note-taking, real-time chat and data analytics, panOpen offers a forward-thinking and unique user-experience unlike any other OER platform. January also marks the close of the second investment round led by Zen Group, LLC, bringing panOpen's total initial financing to $4.5 million. panOpen plans to use the proceeds to support platform development and institutional outreach. panOpen was founded by Brian Jacobs and is rooted in his longstanding efforts to improve equity and access in higher education, particularly as they concern learning materials. Prior to panOpen, Brian taught at Cornell University, where he also received a Ph.D., and founded Akademos, a leading virtual bookstore and marketplace provider. panOpen is also a graduate of the Kaplan EdTech Accelerator powered by Techstars. "Accessibility and affordability are central issues in the national discussion concerning higher education," said Brian Jacobs, CEO and Founder of panOpen. "Supported with the right digital tools, OER is now emerging as a compelling alternative to traditional textbooks, greatly reducing costs and improving student access and outcomes. "
Following the U.S. Department of Education's 2015 launch of #GoOpen, a campaign to encourage states, school districts, and educators to use openly licensed educational materials, we can expect to see colleges and universities increasingly adopting OER to help reduce textbook costs. Beyond cost savings, OER improves content flexibility in the classroom, giving faculty the ability to keep curricula current and to keep pace with industry advancements to ensure students are career-ready when they graduate. "Most students cannot afford to spend thousands of dollars on textbooks every year. Instead, they opt to purchase cheaper, out of date textbooks, or no books at all," said Jeremy Nicholson, Instructor in Biology at one of the piloting institutions, South Plains College in Levelland, Texas. "Using high-quality open educational resources, we can ensure that every student has access to a current text that is integrated into the curriculum, while saving them a significant amount of money. "
panOpen can be used for any subject. The company has also developed enhanced and interactive "pillar" resources in the areas of history, chemistry, economics, physics, biology, psychology, business and finance. Additional pillar courses are in development. Faculty can access, edit and contribute content at no cost. Students are charged a small flat subscription fee per course for perpetual access; typically this reduces costs by 75% or more over their previous conventional textbooks. The content is also freely downloadable, printable and shareable to all. panOpen is designed to make OER affordable and offers faculty and schools various financing options. In addition to providing open access to peer-reviewed OER, platform features include:
Easy LMS integration and gradebook syncing
Actionable data and reporting analytics
Innovative tools: self-grading quizzes, note-taking, highlighting capabilities, flashcards and real-time chat
Revenue sharing model that incentivizes authors, faculty adapters and editors and technology partners. To learn more about panOpen, please visit http://panopen.com
To request a free demo, please call 844-200-1511. About panOpen
Designed by educators for educators, panOpen is an easy-to-use platform that solves textbook affordability challenges. panOpen's comprehensive platform provides open access to trusted learning materials founded on openly-licensed educational resources (OER), allowing faculty to curate and customize high-quality, peer-reviewed content that enhances their curriculum. Supported by a robust set of digital tools and actionable data, panOpen's open higher ed publishing model dramatically reduces textbook costs for students while improving learning outcomes, all within a sustainable platform designed to help students and faculty realize their potential. Contact Information

panOpen Launches OER-Based Learning Platform for Colleges & Universities

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - Jan 26, 2016) -  panOpen has announced the official launch of its learning platform exclusively based on Open Educational Resources (OER), with nearly 100 pilot programs in place at colleges and universities nationwide. panOpen's comprehensive application allows faculty and students to quickly and easily use trusted, high-quality materials that enhance their course curriculum and overall learning experience. With additional tools for faculty such as content customization, LMS integration, self-grading quizzes, note-taking, real-time chat and data analytics, panOpen offers a forward-thinking and unique user-experience unlike any other OER platform. January also marks the close of the second investment round led by Zen Group, LLC, bringing panOpen's total initial financing to $4.5 million. panOpen plans to use the proceeds to support platform development and institutional outreach. panOpen was founded by Brian Jacobs and is rooted in his longstanding efforts to improve equity and access in higher education, particularly as they concern learning materials. Prior to panOpen, Brian taught at Cornell University, where he also received a Ph.D., and founded Akademos, a leading virtual bookstore and marketplace Provider . panOpen is also a graduate of the Kaplan EdTech Accelerator powered by Techstars. "Accessibility and affordability are central issues in the national discussion concerning higher education," said Brian Jacobs, CEO and Founder of panOpen. "Supported with the right digital tools, OER is now emerging as a compelling a LTE rnative to traditional textbooks, greatly reducing costs and improving student access and outcomes. "
Following the U.S. Department of Education's 2015 launch of #GoOpen, a campaign to encourage states, school districts, and educators to use openly licensed educational materials, we can expect to see colleges and universities increasingly adopting OER to help reduce textbook costs. Beyond cost savings, OER improves content flexibility in the classroom, giving faculty the ability to keep curricula current and to keep pace with industry advancements to ensure students are career-ready when they graduate. "Most students cannot afford to spend thousands of dollars on textbooks every year. Instead, they opt to purchase cheaper, out of date textbooks, or no books at all," said Jeremy Nicholson, Instructor in Biology at one of the piloting institutions, South Plains College in Levelland, Texas. "Using high-quality open educational resources, we can ensure that every student has access to a current text that is integrated into the curriculum, while saving them a significant amount of money. "
panOpen can be used for any subject. The company has also developed enhanced and interactive "pillar" resources in the areas of history, chemistry, economics, physics, biology, psychology, business and finance. Additional pillar courses are in development. Faculty can access, edit and contribute content at no cost. Students are charged a small flat subscription fee per course for perpetual access; typically this reduces costs by 75% or more over their previous conventional textbooks. The content is also freely downloadable, printable and shareable to all. panOpen is designed to make OER affordable and offers faculty and schools various financing options. In addition to providing open access to peer-reviewed OER, platform features include:
Easy LMS integration and gradebook syncing
Actionable data and reporting analytics
Innovative tools: self-grading quizzes, note-taking, highlighting capabilities, flashcards and real-time chat
Revenue sharing model that incentivizes authors, faculty adapters and editors and technology partners. To learn more about panOpen, please visit http://panopen.com
To request a free demo, please call 844-200-1511. About panOpen
Designed by educators for educators, panOpen is an easy-to-use platform that solves textbook affordability challenges. panOpen's comprehensive platform provides open access to trusted learning materials founded on openly-licensed educational resources (OER), allowing faculty to curate and customize high-quality, peer-reviewed content that enhances their curriculum. Supported by a robust set of digital tools and actionable data, panOpen's open higher ed publishing model dramatically reduces textbook costs for students while improving learning outcomes, all within a sustainable platform designed to help students and faculty realize their potential. Source: Marketwired - All

RedShelf develops digital learning platforms designed to enhance education by improving the course material distribution process. It works with publishers, institutions, campus bookstores, and strategic partners to accelerate the digitization process and makes learning materials more accessible and affordable. RedShelf was formerly known as Virdocs Software. The company was founded in 2012 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.

RedShelf

Kendall Hunt is a provider of quality educational products and services. Kendall Hunt works on meeting the specific needs of the marketplace in a unique and progressive manner.

Kendall Hunt Publishing

VitalSource builds, enhances and delivers e-learning content. VitalSource offers technology, enterprise level scalability, industry leading analytics, and a broad digital content catalog in higher education. The VitalSource Bookshelf platform is a e-textbook delivery platform in higher education. Content from more than 7500 of the world's top academic publishers is available to Bookshelf platform users, including those living with disabilities, on a variety of operating systems and devices.

VitalSource Technologies

Willo Labs is a technology platform that gives campuses control over their digital learning access and makes it easier to achieve academic, equity, and total privacy goals with digital course materials. It gives students access to digital education content and applications. It was designed to address the proliferation of digital learning platforms in higher education and K-12, which creates challenges and confusion for students, instructors, IT teams, and campus stores. The company was founded in 2016 and is based in Indianapolis, Indiana. In October 2022, Willo Labs was acquired by Follett. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Willo Labs

Morgan State University is a public university. It offers a comprehensive range of academic programs, in business, engineering, education, architecture, social work, and hospitality management. The university was founded in 1867 and is based in Baltimore, Maryland.

Morgan State University

Akademos

Yale University

Cornell University

These companies offer tech-enabled solutions that facilitate education and learning for people of all ages, from pre-K to adult and professional education.

Education Technology (Edtech)

Unattributed - II

Rafael  Mayer

Series A

Corporate Minority

Seed - III

panOpen, formerly Highlighter, operates a platform that provides colleges and universities with universal access to OERs (freely available educational materials that faculty and students can chop up, remix, and share with anyone, in much the same way that open source software is freely distributed) and aligns the economic and operational interests of stakeholders (faculty, administrators, and students).

Name	Work History	Title	Status
Brian Jacobs	Akademos, Yale University, and Cornell University	Chief Executive Officer	Current
Subscribe to see more		Subscribe to see more	Subscribe to see more
Subscribe to see more	Subscribe to see more	Subscribe to see more	Subscribe to see more

Name	Brian Jacobs	Subscribe to see more	Subscribe to see more
Work History	Akademos, Yale University, and Cornell University		Subscribe to see more
Title	Chief Executive Officer	Subscribe to see more	Subscribe to see more
Status	Current	Subscribe to see more	Subscribe to see more

Wells Fargo Success Story

Professional Services

Platform Overview

panOpen

Executives

panOpen Management Team

3 Team Members

Compete with panOpen?

Compare panOpen to Competitors

Discover the right solution for your team