It is not about doing what we have always done in the classroom. It is not about replacing books or televisions or teachers or even parents. It is about adding to a child's basic learning skills. The reasons for selecting a more expensive alternative are related to the world view of college instructors about the teaching-learning process, traditional functions of the university, and an evolutionary process of technology acquisition. Venture capitalists are probing all sectors, but corporate training seems a safe bet.
Online retailers try a new tack.
These professors are at the forefront of an emerging national movement, pushing their students beyond rote learning, often forgotten after the final exam, into deep, long-lasting understanding. While their research may not herald the end of the college lecture, it is creating a body of knowledge about how to engage the minds of students in the digital age. Chunk it into discrete learning bites. Surround it with technology that assesses a learner's needs and delivers the appropriate learning nuggets. Add collaborative tools that allow learners to share information.