Shaped

AS CHIEF CONTENT Officer of a learning company, people frequently ask me: “Won’t all of your content eventually be free? After all, when technology enters the market, free is right behind it.”

Few would argue that improving student learning is one of the most important challenges facing us today. The educational landscape is changing as technology promises to revolutionize the way we learn in the same way it has transformed the way we communicate and do business.

We know that relationships are essential to healthy child development. We can observe organic collaborative behaviors even in very young children, who often explore their worlds and gather information while they play independently, but then eventually come together to learn and share experiences with others.

HMH leaders were on the ground at SXSWedu 2015 in Austin this past week, generating social media buzz and connecting with attendees from all corners of the education space.

You’d be hard-pressed to hop on board the education conference junket without coming across a panel or keynote about the need for transformation within our classrooms. And it’s not just the concept of change that we are obsessed with – it’s the solution as well.

In today’s digital age of texting, autocorrect, spell-checking and tweeting, grammar seems to take a backseat. And while digital linguistic conveniences (think LOL, BRB and BFF) are just that – convenient! – grammar is important because it helps us understand how language works.

At the beginning of this year, the Joan Ganz Cooney Center published Ten for 15: Education Reform for a Shared Future, a list of ten takeaways and resolutions designed to give educators inspiration as they plan for a successful 2015.

We tend to think of technology as the inspiration behind the innovations of today, but what if instead, the idea is born before anyone has invented the technology to realize it?

In 1879, President Rutherford B. Hayes signed into law Washington’s Birthday, a day to remember George Washington’s legacy. The holiday at first applied only to federal offices in the District of Columbia, but was expanded to the whole country in 1885.

The annual practice of exchanging Valentine’s Day greetings and gifts with loved ones can be traced back to the 15th century. In fact, the oldest known written valentine still in existence is a poem penned by Charles, Duke of Orleans, who wrote to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1415.

In my role at HMH, I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to see how people approach education around the world.

Just over 30 years ago, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates shared a vision for a society with “a computer on every desk and in every home.” We’ve made great progress since then - over 80% of the American population now has a home computer and more people than ever use the internet.

The more I think about it, the more I love the analogy of a “diet” when considering children’s digital media consumption. Just as calories from the most wholesome foods nourish and strengthen our bodies, the right mix of high quality, engaging digital content can nurture intellectual growth and spark curiosity.

Since its inception in 1942, more than 19 million Americans have passed the GED® high school equivalency exam, which provides a pathway for adult learners to obtain the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in college and careers.

It’s a blizzard out there – and I’m not referring to this week’s return of the polar vortex! I’m referring to the astounding number of new eBooks, apps and websites now available for young children.

Geography is everywhere (literally). We use GPS on our smartphones and in our cars, check weather maps each morning, and read news from around the globe.

How do we define “quality” educational content in the 21st century? If you can download a free lecture on cell structure or algebraic equations from YouTube, or a 99c app on vocabulary, how hard can it be to create effective educational content?

My own love of reading was cultivated in an era with fewer distractions than today. At that time, all of our play was physical and concrete – we played with hands-on toys and games, we rode bicycles and played outside (which held opportunities for all sorts of mischief).