Very interesting news from Pearson this week. Pre-tax profits were up 72%, to $1.8 bn, chiefly due to the increase in digital revenues, which increased by 18% in headline terms to Ā£2bn. This means that sales of digital products now
ELT Publishers: making the most of App and eBook Opportunities?
Increasingly students are turning to apps as a way of enhancing learning, and there is a bewildering variety of language learning apps out there, ranging from complete self-study courses to exam prep and supplementary materials. Some are ānative ā apps
Bono and the Technology of Disruption
As Facebook goes public with an estimated valuation of $100bn, and I was wondering whether to buy stock (Iām not), I thought Iād bone up on how Facebook came to pass, and where their seed money came from. The trail
The Learning Technologies Exhibition, Olympia 2012
Last week I was down at Olympia yet again, this time visiting what is claimed to be āEurope’s leading showcase of technology supported workplace learningā –Ā theĀ Learning TechnologiesĀ exhibition. Aimed primarily at the corporate training market, language learning was much in
Developments in online learning
One of the big problems with studying English, especially for professionals, is the amount of time it takes. Not just the study itself, but the logistics of actually getting to the school. The journey time can easily double the amount
Apple sets its sights on the Textbook industry
Steve Jobs believed that textbook publishing was an “$8 billion a year industry ripe for digital destruction” and with the ever-growing distribution of tablets – particularly, of course, the iPad – into state schools, the time could be fast approaching
BETT 2012
This week I spent several days at the massive BETT show in Olympia; always a good start to the year. Some of the stands were truly awesome in size – and cost. One primary software company I spoke to, with
Music for podcasts
One of the most popular sessions on the PSA Blended Learning courses is on how to make your own podcasts. Recording and editing voice is straightforward. Adding music is also easy to learn. However, the question that arises with music
Change at the top – e-lesson
In case you missed it due to glitches in the blog, Pete’s most recent e-lesson is available here. It’s on the life and times of the man retiring from his position at the top of the British supermarket giant Tesco.
Paper books vs. e-readers
A recent survey suggests that it is faster to read a book on paper than using one of the popular e-readers on the market. The environmental blog TreeHugger was skeptical about this and had a closer look at the research.