Scholastic recently released the results of one of its many annual surveys, this one aimed at understanding the reading habits of kids across different age groups. The news was upsetting: there was a significant decrease in the amount of time kids spend reading self-selected texts for fun. The good news, though, is there was a correlation between the amount of time parents … [Read more...] about FarFaria Combats Drop in Children’s Reading
Digital Education News
What Makes Kids Read?
Scholastic, the world's largest publisher of children's content and innovators in kids' digital reading, has released the findings of its Kids & Family Reading Report, the purpose of which is to "explore the reading attitudes and experiences that most influence children’s reading habits, including reading aloud at home, independent reading at school, presence of books in … [Read more...] about What Makes Kids Read?
BiblioTech Digital Library Plans to Expand into a Second Location
The Bibliotech Library in Bexar County was the first library ever to forgo books entirely and embrace digital. The branch celebrated its first year of operation last September. Things are working out so well, that the all digital library is expanding into a second location later this year.During its inaugural year the Bibliotech library has been heralded as a massive … [Read more...] about BiblioTech Digital Library Plans to Expand into a Second Location
Gates Foundation Mandates Research it Funds Must Provide Free Digital Access
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funds thousands of health and research scientists to solve many of the worlds most dire issues. Until this point, the reports and data the foundation funded were sometimes published in magazines, sold online and generally out of reach for the general public. This is set to change.The Gates Foundation has announced that starting in 2017 … [Read more...] about Gates Foundation Mandates Research it Funds Must Provide Free Digital Access
New Survey Looks at Digital Textbook Adoption
Vital Source  and the Ingram Content Group announced the results of its annual survey revealing how students and professors are embracing digital textbooks.The survey talked to 500 students and most are hopelessly addicted to their e-reader, smartphone or tablet. 45% of students said they usually do not go more than 10 minutes without using some form of technology during an … [Read more...] about New Survey Looks at Digital Textbook Adoption
Google Play Textbooks Now Available in Canada
Google has announced that their digital textbook service is now available in Canada. Students will be able to rent or purchase content just in time for the back to school season in September.Google Textbooks offers a wide array of content from well-known publishers like Pearson, Wiley, Macmillan Higher Education, Random House, McGraw-Hill and Cengage Learning.The … [Read more...] about Google Play Textbooks Now Available in Canada
Scholastic to Close Storia eBook Application
Scholastic, the award-winning powerhouse in children's publishing, made a announcement today that their ebook reading app Storia would be closing, making way for a bigger focus on its Storia School Edition subscription reading program. In a cryptically worded graphic on their website, a lot of unanswered questions were alluded to, particularly that the ebooks parents have … [Read more...] about Scholastic to Close Storia eBook Application
Verso App Gives Teachers a Powerful Assessment Tool for Student Engagement
It's the same in every classroom, in every school, in every subject area. Certain students are "getting it" and engaging with the content, while other students are trailing behind, getting more and more lost and less and less likely to admit it. But a new assessment tool that lets students structure their own questions, responses, and discussion points offers teachers the … [Read more...] about Verso App Gives Teachers a Powerful Assessment Tool for Student Engagement
Kobo Adds Catalog of Dr. Seuss Titles
Kids ebooks have been slow to take off, despite the great content coming out from companies like iStoryTime and Scholastic. But Kobo, whose Kobo Kids' Store offers younger readers a catalog of over 100,000 ebook titles, recenlty secured a deal that would add some of the most beloved children's books of all time to its catalog. This week, Kobo announced that it would offer 40 of … [Read more...] about Kobo Adds Catalog of Dr. Seuss Titles
Data Conversion Laboratory Webinar Explores eBooks in the K12 Classroom
One of the last groups to adopt ebooks in a widespread and focused way is the K12 education sphere. While digital textbooks have been painfully slow to reach the public school market, ebooks have been an even slower format when it comes to kids and reading. OverDrive has made ebooks even more accessible, though, along with initiatives like Qlovi and Smashwords' OverDrive … [Read more...] about Data Conversion Laboratory Webinar Explores eBooks in the K12 Classroom
Students Fail to Embrace Digital Textbooks
American students have yet to embrace digital textbooks in considerable numbers. Many of the top universities and colleges have a very slim minority that either use them exclusively or in parallel with print. A recent survey by Hewlett Packard illiminates the role digital is playing in the classroom.HP conducted a survey last winter, talking to 527 students at San Jose … [Read more...] about Students Fail to Embrace Digital Textbooks
Digital Textbooks Get Added Accessibility Support through Vital Source
Ingram Content Group's solutions division Vital Source Technologies, Inc., presented a new interface at the annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind, held last week in Orlando, Florida, that unveiled the new accessibility features of its Vital Source Bookshelf platform. These features will even the playing field for students with greater or different needs from … [Read more...] about Digital Textbooks Get Added Accessibility Support through Vital Source
Global Crackdown on Pirate Textbooks Continues
There is a global crackdown on organized crime manufacturing illegal student textbooks. A few weeks ago police raided a few locations in Madrid and Seville, seizing 10 professional book scanning machines and arresting three. Authorities in Uganda have raided 29 bookstores participating in a scheme that saw unsuspending students buying textbooks worth $686,000 US.Towards … [Read more...] about Global Crackdown on Pirate Textbooks Continues