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The Next Generation of Ed PublishingThis article is the first in a series recapping the themes and issues most relevant to the future of the educational publishing industry, as told by the slate of expert speakers at the AEP Educational Publishing Summit June 7-9. This installment focuses on the opening day. Integrating new technologies into production, marketing, and distribution plans, and taking a proactive approach to legislative issues will be keys to success for the next generation of educational publishers. This was the message delivered to over 300 publishing professionals at AEP's Educational Publishing Summit, held June 7-9 at the JW Marriott in Washington, DC. The event opened with a keynote address from best-selling author and social critic Steven Berlin Johnson, whose latest book, Everything Bad is Good for You, challenges the perception that pop culture - particularly in the form of television, video games, and social networking websites - has negatively impacted today's youth. He asked the audience to consider the new skill sets this new generation of students and teachers will bring to the schools of tomorrow, calling on publishers to foster these skills by creating more engaging, interactive products. "Part of the problem with schools that are having trouble is that they aren't challenging kids enough, paradoxically," said Johnson. "Game designers all assume that kids are incredibly smart and willing to be challenged and willing to embrace this stuff. It's harder to get the schools to think this way." When asked about the socioeconomic implications of his theory, Johnson acknowledged the existence of a "digital divide" between those who can afford computers and gaming systems and those who cannot. He insisted, however, that this gap is much smaller than it was five years ago as the technology becomes more and more affordable. In the second general session focusing on education policy, AEP's Chief Executive Officer, Charlene Gaynor, and legislative writer, Jennifer Hill, briefed the audience on the top ten issues the association will be tracking in the near future. The highlights of this list were the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the GAO investigation of Reading First, the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS), and securing a discounted postal rate for publishers of educational materials. The three panelists that followed focused primarily on the reauthorization of NCLB. R. Bruce Hunter from the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) predicted the reauthorization process could take up to two years with a final resolution being passed in 2009. He listed four changes that AASA would like to see result from the reauthorization: stable funding; fair and accurate assessment embedded within curricula; disaggregated data to track the effects of Title I funding on disadvantaged students; and transparency in the federal regulatory process. Jim Kohlmoos of the National Education Knowledge Industry Association (NEKIA), another member of the education policy panel, foresees NCLB reauthorization focusing on developing solutions and delivering these solutions to districts, teachers, and students. To this end, he suggested more funding be put toward education research and development and a closer examination of the way this research is utilized in terms of testing and product development. Rounding out the panel was former West Virginia Governor Bob Wise, representing the Alliance for Excellence in Education, who predicted a focus on high school reform resulting from President Bush's recent push for global competitiveness. He discussed the importance of high school literacy and the recent development of the Academic Competitiveness Grant, which awards an additional $750 (on top of federal Pell Grants) to any student who achieves a B average or higher in a high school that is deemed to have a "rigorous curriculum." He applauded the development of this merit-based federal funding and expressed his hope that this may be the start of a discussion about national standards. The final general session of the day was a report on the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS), the most immediate legislative issue on the industry's horizon. Skip Stahl from the Center for Applied Special Technologies (CAST) and project director of the NIMAS Development Center gave a background on the basis for and development of NIMAS and what its implementation means for publishers. For more information on NIMAS, see the Legislation section of this issue, or go to http://www.AEPweb.org/industryinfo/newsletter/legarchives/NIMAS_5-2-06.htm. The opening day ended with a reception at the National Press Club honoring Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE). AEP's Government Relations Committee Chair Dennis Hand presented Castle with the Friend of Education Award in recognition of his strong commitment to improving secondary and elementary education. As Chairman of the House Education Reform Subcommittee Castle helped write the landmark No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation and led the charge to reauthorize both the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Head Start Program. Days two and three of the conference consisted of breakout sessions concentrating on management, editorial, and sales and marketing tips and strategies. Look for recaps on these sessions in future issues of AEP Online.
Questions, ideas, or in need of more information? Please contact Stacey Pusey at 302-295-8349.
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