Danah Boyd – one of the most incisive thinkers about how new technology is reshaping our lives (and more importantly to readers of this blog the lives of teenagers) – was recently hired by Microsoft Research. She gave a talk that summarized at a high level the history of social…
Business Development work requires a certain suspension of disbelief to function smoothly. In the initial stages of any conversation both parties have to be open to undiscovered possibility. Often the most profitable opportunities only become clear after a false start or two. I’m naturally optimistic and I allow myself to…
It has been amusing for the past 10 years to smirk and say “Well, this internet thing – it’s just a fad…” when discussing educational policy with print advocates. The reality is far more sobering and frankly more uplifting than the arch cynicism of the joke. Below is a chart…
This article is based on notes from a panel at the Ed Tech Industry Forum in New York that took place in December. The insights the panelists shared are no less relevant now that we are into the new administration and sorting out the economic stimulus. The panel consisted of:…
PCI Education got a new President & CEO last week. This is a big change across many aspects of my life but I believe it is the right move for the company and for me. The official announcement is here. About PCI Education PCI is focused on the Special Education…
A few months ago we started a LinkedIn group for consultants who serve education and the companies in the education market. We’ve been slowly building and have 96 members as of this morning. If you serve the market come over and join – we want to crack 100 members. We…
What impact will the economic stimulus have on educational materials and technology? A front page New York Times article yesterday left no doubt that education will be a significant part of the legislation. The Times reports that the total education allocation could be as much as $75-$95* billion a year…
A new free white paper that tackles the practical challenges teachers face when they use video games was released this week by the Software Information Industry Association (SIIA). I was the author of the paper and the co-chair of the working group that produced the paper. Barrels of ink and…
Education is high on the list for the economic stimulus package being proposed by the Obama Administration. Congress also supports turbo charging education so the likelihood of significant aid to schools is very high. But where oh where will the money actually go? Construction? Maintenance? Teachers? Instructional Materials? As a…
The Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) is punishing the children’s publishing industry. Go over to Publishers Weekly to read their summary of the disruption caused by the mandate that all products targeted at children under 12 be tested for lead and phthalates. The law was passed in response to…