What is the future of publishing? I moderated a distinguished panel at the IIR Education Industry Investment Forum in Phoenix last week that tackled this question. The general thrust was that publishers need to adapt to a new environment or they will be left behind. Nader Dareshori CEO of Aptius…
Why don’t textbook publishers use more humor? Humor frequently plays a critical role in revealing truth and puncturing pomposity. Textbooks should be a path to the truth – and they are frequently so pompous they could bore a narcoleptic sloth to death. As an example the “You Suck at Photoshop”…
Does real learning happen in virtual worlds? Cable in the Classroom Magazine published an article I wrote on this topic in their March issue. The premise is: “There have always been scientific concepts our children should experience that are too dangerous, too expensive, or too time-consuming for school. For these…
Marketing departments have tried to control brand identity with years of research and oceans of ink (and pixels). But the concept that a company can control its brand is a myth and it always has been. At best a company can contribute to its brand identity, but in reality that…
Students at Westlake High School in Austin TX are in their second year of creating a virtual Vietnam Memorial to those who died in the war. Carolyn Foote, the Librarian at Westlake, has written movingly about it on her blog. Students are assigned a soldier, conduct research, assemble a presentation,…
In Japan novels are serialized for cell phone delivery and published as dead tree editions only after they are hits. John Rice has a great post on on this at his Educational Games Research blog. While this works because of Japan’s rather unique commuting environment the central point that any…
What do Web 2.0 and Social Networking mean for Education Publishing? On February 7th I was on a panel at the Association of American Publishers (AAP) in Sacramento that tackled this question. Ann Flynn Director of Education Technology at National School Boards Association (NSBA) reviewed the excellent study they released…
Ed Note: Do videogames embody the best in cognitive theory? In Part 2 of his series on educational video games guest blogger NT Etuk explores the work of James Paul Gee. Part 1 is here By NT Etuk – CEO Tabula Digita Why do videogames work? Why are gamers so…
A retired construction worker has solved the mystery of how Stonehenge could have been constructed using wood, sand, and gravity as his only tools. I’m a nerd for this kind of stuff – I think this is so cool. One man, an obscure passion for moving heavy things, and an…
Ed Note: Are video games and simulations essential learning tools for the 21st Century? Guest Blogger NT Etuk responds to my post about Ethics in the first of two posts on this topic. By NT Etuk – CEO and Co-Founder, Tabula Digita. Video games and simulations are among the most…