About Thinkwell
Thinkwell was founded in 1997 in Austin, Texas. Our products facilitate engaging, transformative online learning experiences for students both inside and outside the classroom.
The time for change
We believed that the classroom experience could be improved upon and wanted to develop a product that let teachers get back to their passion: teaching. This led us to pursue developing a better textbook.
What we've learned
- • College students almost always had a favorite instructor that inspired them to learn, but it seemed few had a favorite textbook.
- • Textbooks were (and still are) nearly uniformly rejected by students for their expense and lack of appeal. As a result, textbooks were severely underutilized.
- • Professors were not much more enthusiastic about textbooks; we were told "they all look the same."
- • Everyone disliked the tricks from the publishing industry: change a few words and print a new edition.
- • Most of all, the rate of student success was unacceptable.
How we solved it
New technologies enabled Thinkwell to address some core issues:
- • Present content to students in a friendlier, more accessible way.
- • Address various learning styles of students.
- • Relieve the substantial grading burden for professors, while increasing effectiveness through immediate feedback.
- • Give students access to world-class instructors.
- • Provide measurable success.
Having accomplished these things, the stage is set for revolutionary progress. By providing high quality instruction available anytime, anywhere, that students embrace, have allowed for a new generation of teaching methodologies.
From a business perspective, Thinkwell is different from other educational publishers. We're small and friendly, eager to help, and void of bureaucracy.