Digital educational publishing in North America was a $3 billion market in 2019, even before the global pandemic forced an almost overnight shift from in-person to virtual learning. Today, an ever-expanding ecosystem of content and curricula publishers, learning management systems (LMSs), and integrators are creating new and innovative features at a dizzying pace to keep up with the changing needs of school districts, educators, and students.

Activate Learning has been a national leader in publishing K-12 curriculum since 2009. They provide standards-based classroom resources in both digital and print formats all across the US. Activate Learning began working with Sourcetoad in 2012 to digitize its textbooks in response to the growing demand for e-learning resources to complement print content.

As Activate Learning’s user base grew over the years, new feature requirements emerged on a regular basis as an opportunity to solve new problems for the students, teachers, schools and districts. This included more interactivity, focus on security, and more customization. Activate Learning focuses strongly on the Voice of the Customer–customer product feedback is instrumental in prioritizing the Activate Learning product roadmap.

COVID-19 and virtual learning quickly forced a digital transformation for Activate Learning, specifically for their customers. This meant Activate Learning’s software had to be technically compatible with new technology, requiring integrations between a number of new APIs and platforms. To remain competitive, the company needed software adaptable enough to meet future market needs while maintaining performance and stability for current users.