Company History

Mission statement

Helping People Teach and Learn With Technology

Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Course Technology was founded in 1989 based on the vision that technology would transform the way people teach and learn. Course Technology's founders, John Connolly and Steve Bayle, leveraged their collective backgrounds in publishing, technology, and education to formulate the initial business plan. A high-profile mix of investors provided the capital to turn this vision into a reality.

Course Technology was the first publisher to successfully integrate software with textbooks and continues to focus on business and technology courses that help students solve real-world problems using the software tools most commonly embraced by corporations.

What started out as a revolutionary concept – offering student software – versions soon evolved into a wildly successful new publishing model. With more than 2,000 print and technology-based products for business and technology courses, Course Technology's teaching and learning solutions are available for almost every popular software application from operating systems, word processing, spreadsheets, database, and presentation programs, to a variety of Internet/Intranet, mainframe, MIS, networking, multimedia, and programming topics.

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Milestones

1989

• Course Technology is founded based on a vision that technology would transform the way people teach and learn.

1990

• Course Technology publishes its first books – Lotus 1-2-3 for Accounting, WingZ, and ProWrite.

1992

• After a year under the code name of "Stealth," Course Technology's Microcomputer Applications for Business changes the way introductory computer applications courses are taught for close to 100,000 students.

• Course Technology is acquired by The Thomson Corporation, a global information company with revenues of $6 billion and a commitment to technology and education.

1994

• The first Illustrated Series book is published – Lotus 1-2-3 for Windows, Illustrated.

• The first New Perspectives Series book is published - New Perspectives on Computer Concepts, Brief.

1995

• Course Technology merges with another Thomson Corporation compamy, boyd & fraser publishing company, in a synergistic move that transformed the two long-time rivals and industry leaders into an undeniable force.

1996

• The Educational Technology Consultant (ETC) Program is created. Dedicated Course Technology personnel begin traveling to schools to ensure every customer has a successful experience with our technology products.

1998

• Skills Assessment Manager (SAM) – live-in-the-application testing software is released.

1999

• As part of the California MOUS Initiative, Course Technology launches a partnership with the state of California to provide content for their Microsoft Office 2000 curriculum.

• The A+ Total Solution ToolKit is introduced, providing a complete solution for both the instructor and student, including a comprehensive text, lab manual, pocket guide, CBT, study guide, and a 20-piece tool kit.

• The cutting-edge Web Warrior Series, which focuses on Web development and Internet programming, is launched with the publication of JavaScript, Introductory.

• Course Technology assumes the publishing of the South-Western Education Publishing line of computing textbooks.

2000

• The Shelly/Cashman Series launches the Learn By Series – computer and web-based training that provides personalized learning of Microsoft Office applications through a variety of methods.

• The New Perspectives Series introduces Explore! – a new learning system using Guided Discovery Learning to bring computer applications to life.

• MyCourse.com is introduced, providing professors with an online syllabus builder and course enhancement tool.

• The 30th annual Shelly/Cashman Summer Institute has a record enrollment of 200 participants.

• Course Technology announces a partnership with Prometric, resulting in a more complete and convenient IT certification solution to academic institutions.

• Course Technology launches Course ILT – an Instructor-Led IT Training product line.

2001

• Course Technology launches the Internet version of SAM 2000, the popular skills-based assessment software for Microsoft Office 2000. SAM 2000 is one of the only performance-based testing packages that runs live-in-the-application while students take exams.

• Course Technology partners with InfoSource to launch The Total Solution to A+ Certification, training software designed to help PC technicians prepare for CompTIA's new A+ Certification exam.

• The highly successful Course Technology National Conference, co-sponsored by Microsoft, brings together more than 400 professors, administrators, and teachers from universities, community and career colleges, and high schools and offers them more than 40 different educational/training sessions as well as an opportunity to take popular certification exams.

• Course Technology launches the first annual Help Desk Scholarship Essay Contest, which awards $1,000 towards tuition and textbooks to a student who is pursuing a career in the help desk and computer user support industry.

• Course Technology assumes the publishing of Harcourt College Publishing's CIS/MIS textbooks.

2002

• Course Technology acquires Muska & Lipman and Premier Press, two successful publishers in the retail market, rounding out our technology product solutions in all markets.

• Course Technology and NETg join forces to become a leading provider of flexible, blended learning solutions for the corporate marketplace under the NETg brand name; Course Technology continues to serve the academic marketplace as the leader in IT products and services.

• Course Technology launches a new Computer Science series of textbooks authored by Dr. D.S. Malik and created exclusively with the student in mind.

• Course Technology introduces the Design Professional series, created for the graphic design and multimedia student who wants both step-by-step instructions for quick reference and in-depth explanations of how to apply the skills.

• Course Technology enters into a partnership with Macromedia becoming the sole publisher of education titles for their software.

• Course Technology launches i.t.link, a publication combining a product catalog with articles on industry trends, software releases, and innovations in technology education. The publication, the first of its kind by an academic publisher, reinforces Course Technology's position as an industry leader.

• Course Technology commits to become the premiere provider of information security courseware specifically designed for the classroom with a new line of materials based on a model curriculum.

2003

• Course Technology administers its one millionth SAM XP exam, proving the strength and popularity of this powerful performance-based technology assessment solution.

• Course Technology acquires Cool Breeze Systems and its digital-media education products. Cool Breeze Systems, a technology company based in Columbus, Ohio, produces interactive audio CD-ROMS, tutorials, and online classes.

• Course Technology combines Muska & Lipman Publishing, Premier Press, and Cool Breeze Systems into one dedicated organization, Course Technology PTR. The unification of these businesses and their products is a reflection of Course Technology's ongoing effort to ensure a positive experience for its customers and the various markets those customers represent. The new combined Web site, www.courseptr.com, enables customers to purchase and view products from all three imprints on one collective site.

• Course Technology launches Growing with Technology – an innovative book series and interactive Web site that teaches children from kindergarten through fifth grade the computing and technology fundamentals they will need for years to come.

• Course Technology launches the first annual Web Warrior Scholarship Essay Contest, which awards $1,000 towards tuition and textbooks to a student who is pursuing a career in the Web development industry.

• Course Technology is selected by CompTIA, an association that develops vendor-neutral standards in e-commerce, customer service, workforce development, and training certification, as a cornerstone partner in CompTIA's new Server+ certification.

2004

• Course Technology solidifies its position in the Computer Science market with the addition of the Brooks/Cole Computer Science titles. Learn More >>

• Course Technology acquires Education to Go, a unique continuing education provider that maintains an exclusive line of proven Web-based courses. Read our recent press release to learn more.

• Course Technology expands its Office 2003 Instructor Resources offerings with the addition of:

  • Grading Rubrics and Annotated Solution files, designed to be used either paper-based or electronically, help instructors grade their students' work quickly and efficiently.
  • CourseCoach, an online, series-specific Flash video, walks instructors through the text step-by-step.

• Course Technology's award-winning SAM software expands its training solutions to include Computer Concepts, Networking, and MIS.

• Course Technology stays committed to the quickly changing market with a focused new vision Helping people teach and learn with technology.

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