On 05/27/2011,
in change, digital learning, disruption, new business models, publishing, reinvent,
by Daniel Christian
The rise of new e-book business models — from TrendBiz.net by futurist Thomas Frey
Experimenting our way to success – reinventing publishing models
Excerpt:
Futurist Thomas Frey: Amazon revolutionized book reading in 2007 when it introduced its Kindle book reader. Within the past three years, the explosive sale of book readers has caused a massive surge in the sale of e-books, already outpacing the sale of hardcover books, with a prediction by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos that they will outsell paperbacks within the next year.
We are witnessing a major transformation of this industry. Within five years, the vast majority of all books sold will be e-books. Big box retailers like Barnes & Nobel and Borders will have shuttered most of their storefronts. The printing press industry, along with the craftsmen of ages past who have made a fine art of applying ink to paper, will be mothballing their machines. And the media, almost in unison, will begin writing the eulogy for this 500-year old industry.
But before we focus too much on what we’ve lost, we need to pay close attention to the other side of the equation. Digital book publishing will be an exciting new industry with truly amazing potential for growth.
On 05/24/2011,
in 21st century, change, changing business models, digital learning, digital textbooks, disruption, e-readers, new business models, publishing,
by Daniel Christian
Would you like a $49 electronic college textbook with lifetime updates? — from crunchgear.com by Scott Merrill
From DSC:
I was just talking about this idea earlier today at lunch. Why can’t a textbook be like/look like/act like/and be distributed more along the lines of an app from an online app store than a static, physical textbook? Why can’t someone purchase a lifetime stream of updates? Or at least an annual agreement for such a stream of updates for the next 12 months? Alternatively, perhaps after purchasing the original book, a person could opt in for an upgrade at some point (much life software)?
Also see:
- A digital textbook that is better than the physical book — from Education Stormfront
On 05/24/2011,
in Apple, biology, digital learning, emerging technologies, Google, tools, vendors,
by Daniel Christian
Mobile app helps doctors diagnose strokes — from cnn.com by Mark Milian
On 05/24/2011,
in 21st century, A/V -- audio/visual, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, interaction design, interactivity, UK,
by Daniel Christian
oki-ni presents THE GAME — from oko-ni.com
Excerpt:
At oki-ni we make the everyday extraordinary. That’s why, when it came to creating our latest video, we wanted to do something truly remarkable. What we came up with is this, an interactive and fully-shoppable video.
On 05/23/2011,
in 21st century, digital audio, digital learning, education technology, memory, metacognition / metacognitive skills, mobile learning, mobile technologies, productivity / tips and tricks, student teaching/teacher education, student-related, teaching & learning, vendors,
by Daniel Christian
From DSC:
Taking this concept into learning spaces…I would like to see this type of thing in all Smart Classrooms; for example:
Also see:
- Send your Handwritten Notes to Google Docs with Livescribe — from Digital Inspiration by Amit Agarwal
On 05/17/2011,
in active learning, Augmented Reality (AR), corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, digital learning, emerging technologies, engineering, technology (general),
by Daniel Christian
New way to learn with AR — from edlab.tc.columbia.edu by Pengfei Li
Addendum later on 5/17 — also see:
- Augmented reality has potential to reshape our lives — from USAToday.com by Edward Baig
On 05/17/2011,
in 21st century, adjunct faculty, Augmented Reality (AR), Daniel S. Christian, digital learning, digital textbooks, education technology, emerging technologies, faculty/staff, innovation, instructional design, learning ecosystem, learning theories, metacognition / metacognitive skills, new business models, publishing, social learning / networks, student-related, teachers, teaching & learning, using teams, vision/possibilities,
by Daniel Christian
[Concept] The new “textbook”: A multi-layered approach — from Daniel S. Christian
I’ve been thinking recently about new approaches to relaying — and engaging with — content in a “textbook”.
For a physical textbook
When opening up a physical textbook to a particular page, QR-like codes would be printed on the physical pages of the textbook. With the advent of augmented reality, such a mechanism would open up some new possibilities to interact with content for that page. For example, some overall characteristics about this new, layered approach:
- Augmented reality could reveal multiple layers of information:
- From the author/subject matter expert as well as the publisher’s instructional design team
- Main points highlighted
- Pointers that may help with metacognition, such as potential mnemonics that might be helpful in moving something into long-term memory
- Studying strategies
- A layer that the professor or teacher could edit
- Main points highlighted
- Pointers that may help with metacognition, such as potential mnemonics that might be helpful in moving something into long-term memory
- Studying strategies
- A layer for the students to comment on/annotate that page
- A layer for other students’ comments
- From the author/subject matter expert as well as the publisher’s instructional design team
For an electronic-based textbook
- The interface would allow for such layers to be visible or not — much like Google’s Body Browser application
- For example, in this graphic, comments from the SME and/or ID are highlighted on top of the normal text:
Advantages of this concept/model:
- Ties physical into virtual world
- We could economically update information (i.e. opens up streams of content)
- Integrates social learning
- Allows SMEs, IDs, faculty members to further comment/add to content as new information becomes available
- Instructors could highlight the key points they want to stress
- Many of the layers could offer items that might help with students’ meta-cognitive processes (i.e. to help them learn the content and move the content into long-term memory)
- One could envision the textbook being converted into something more akin to an app in an online-based store — with notifications of updates that could be constantly pushed out
Addendum (5/26):
- Mobile Augmented Reality: Creating 21st Century Classroom Resources — from k12mobilelearning.com by Johnny Kisso
On 05/13/2011,
in 21st century, digital learning, education, education reform, education technology, engagement / engaging students, game-changing environment, hybrid learning, ideas, K-12 related, leadership, library / librarians, mobile learning, online learning, student teaching/teacher education, teachers,
by Daniel Christian
Excerpt from introduction (emphasis DSC):
Three factors are driving this new interest and enthusiasm for digital learning by educators. First, teachers and administrators are increasingly become technology-enabled themselves, using emerging technologies such as mobile devices, online classes and digital content to improve their own productivity. This development of a personal value proposition with the technology is propelling educators to think creatively about how to leverage these same tools in the classroom. Second, students and increasingly parents are demanding a different kind of learning experience and that is forcing even the most reluctant teachers and administrators to re-evaluate their perspectives about the value of technology within learning. As noted in prior Speak Up national reports, students have a very clear vision for 21st century learning. Their preference is for learning environments that are socially-based, un-tethered and digitally rich. Parents are also supportive of this new learning paradigm and as we noted in our first Speak Up 2010 report (released in April 2011) the emergence of a new trend of parental digital choice is an indication of this unprecedented support level. And schools and districts are waking up to this new trend. Concerns about parents’ capability to, for example, enroll their children in non-district provided online classes are compelling many districts to start virtual schools themselves. The third factor, the economy, and its resulting financial pressures on school and district budgets, has created a sense of urgency to more fully investigate how technologies can help educators meet their instructional goals with less expense.
All three factors converging at the same time has opened up a new window of possibilities for achieving the promise of technology to transform education. Evidence of this shift in perspective and vision by educators is noted in some comparative Speak Up findings over the past few years.
…
This report is the second in a two-part series to document the key national findings from Speak Up 2010.
…
In this companion report, “The New 3E’s of Education: Enabled, Engaged, Empowered – How Today’s Educators are Advancing a New Vision for Teaching and Learning,” we explore how teachers, principals, district administrators, librarians and technology coordinators are addressing the student vision for learning around three key trends. These trends have generated significant interest in the past year at conferences, in policy discussions and within our schools and districts: mobile learning, online and blended learning and digital content.
While each of these trends includes the essential components of the student vision of socially-based, un-tethered and digitally-rich learning, they also provide a unique backdrop for investigating the role of educators to engage, enable and empower students through the use of these emerging technologies.
• Role of Librarians and Technology Coordinators: To enable student use of the emerging technologies through their planning, support and recommendation responsibilities.
• Role of Classroom Teachers: To engage students in rich, compelling learning experiences through the effective use of these technologies in the classroom.
• Role of School and District Administrators: To empower both teachers and students to creatively envision the future of digital learning, and to provide opportunities for exploring the elements of a new shared vision for learning.
6 companies aiming to digitize the textbook industry — from Mashable.com by Sarah Kessler
On 05/11/2011,
in 21st century, A/V -- audio/visual, creativity, digital learning, digital video, human-computer interaction (HCI), innovation, media/film, vision/possibilities, visualizing information,
by Daniel Christian
What happens when sixth sense meets an iPad?–– from labnol.org
Excerpt:
Zach King, a film student from LA, has created this neat video where the iPad screen is projected in the form of a hologram and users can interact with the various apps using natural hand gestures. Futuristic but not impossible.
From DSC:
What a creative way to help people visualize your concept and to help bring your vision to a format that others can understand and work with! Great work on the digital video editing Zach!
On 05/06/2011,
in 21st century, digital audio, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, interactivity, mobile learning, publishing, trends,
by Daniel Christian
Bertelsmann acquires digital media agency Smashing Ideas for Random House, Inc. — from Smashing Ideas (emphasis DSC)
(New York, May 4, 2011)—Bertelsmann AG has acquired cutting-edge digital media agency Smashing Ideas, Inc. for its Random House, Inc. division, the world’s largest English-language trade book publisher. The purchase was announced today by Markus Dohle, Chairman and CEO of Random House and Member of the Executive Board of Bertelsmann AG, and Stephen Jackson, President and CEO of Smashing Ideas, Inc.
The acquisition adds significantly to the set of Random House capabilities and further signals the intention of Random House and its parent company to be leaders in digital content creation, and demonstrates their commitment to expanding revenues from mobile and interactive online products and services.
On 05/05/2011,
in animation, creativity, digital audio, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital video, drama/theater, music, relationships, story,
by Daniel Christian
From DSC:
I found a wonderful animation at “No words. Lots to say” …which points to the animation by Aidan Gibbons, Music by Yann Tiersen which I put into ViewPure at The Piano – Amazing Short – Animation
On 05/04/2011,
in 21st century, 3D, A/V -- audio/visual, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, e-readers, future, human-computer interaction (HCI), innovation, interaction design, interactivity, journalism, multimedia, user experience (UX), user interface design, visualizing information,
by Daniel Christian
Mike Matas: A next-generation digital book (filmed March 2011)
About this talk
Software developer Mike Matas demos the first full-length interactive book for the iPad — with clever, swipeable video and graphics and some very cool data visualizations to play with. The book is “Our Choice,” Al Gore’s sequel to “An Inconvenient Truth.”
About Mike Matas
While at Apple, Mike Matas helped write the user interface for the iPhone and iPad. Now with Push Pop Press, he’s helping to rewrite the electronic book.
On 05/03/2011,
in cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, colleges, community colleges, digital learning, digital video, higher education, internet, multimedia, technology (general), telecommunications,
by Daniel Christian
Why 10 Gig-Ethernet makes sense — from edtechmag.com by Beth Bacheldor
Colleges deploy 10 Gigabit Ethernet to support bandwidth-intensive video applications, university research and mainstream business apps.
Excerpt:
10 Gig-E in a Nutshell
Why are more organizations deploying 10 Gigabit Ethernet in their data centers? They want to deliver bandwidth levels that can support ever-increasing data stores, server virtualization and data center consolidation.
10 Gig-E products are built to support such projects. For example, with virtualization, server utilization goes up. And with this increased utilization comes increased network bandwidth needs.
On the data consolidation front, 10 Gig-E can connect backbone switches and routers between data, storage and server networks. It also increases the bandwidth capacity for the backbone, reducing network latency between switches and routers. And because it’s Ethernet, there’s built-in plug-and-play with existing equipment, reducing administration and operating costs.
Finally, 10 Gig-E gives organizations a clear path to 40 Gig-E and 100 Gig-E, both of which will be vital for meeting the future bandwidth requirements that will likely come with cloud computing.
Also see/related:
Internet2 and Level 3 Team To Deliver 8.8 Terabit to Schools — from by Dian Schaffhauser
Advanced networking consortium Internet2 will be working with Level 3 Communications, which develops fiber-based communications services, to deliver 8.8 terabit capacity to support institutions nationwide, including K-12 schools and community colleges. The network upgrade will allow those users to access advanced applications not possible with the consumer-grade Internet services many of them currently work with.