The Vook Blog Vook: Read it, Watch it.

The other day I introduced you all to Tulip Bubbles. I hope you read my other post and watched the video. After writing that post I got to thinking, and I want to circle back to the idea of enhanced learning. A college graduate myself, I can tell you, students would really appreciate two things: (1) not lugging around heavy books and (2) opportunities for interactive learning that makes even the driest subjects come to life.

In comes Vook. It is no secret that computers are already central to students’ lives. Students use them to find the best price for textbooks, to research papers, and maybe even to watch a streaming version of The Crucible so they don’t have to actually read it. So, why not hit two birds with one stone? Educational vooks would lighten book bags and the combination of text, video and links, all in one place is sure to make homework much more engaging. Moreover, people have different learning styles: some are visual, others auditory and others hands-on. A vook incorporates all three of these. Future educational vooks is the solution to each of these educational issues!

Even institutions recognize the central role technology plays in students lives these days. In one instance, the library at a Boston prep school decided to give up paper all together and move entirely to computers and ereaders.

Now, I’m a bit of a nerd — I love to read. I love to learn. I love school. When I think about the possibilities – how interactive, multimedia textbooks (or really any kind of instructional book) could change the way we learn, I get super excited. But, just imagine!

What textbook or book would you like us to turn into a vook?

For me: biology and sign language. Bio just never quite caught on with me – maybe videos, external (vetted!) resources and people other than just my teacher explaining concepts to me would have helped. And it is really hard to learn a motion (sign language) from a static image. That’s my two cents. What’s yours?!

Related posts:

1. A Potential Future for Vook – Educational Vooks
2. The Sherlock Holmes Experience
3. Publishing catches up