Does Publishing Have a Future in Education?

Slimviews:  Commentary on Global Political and Economic Events by Slim Fairview Please also see also http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com  Please do click the follow button for Slimviews--and please email a link to your friends.  Thank you.

Slim

The Future for Publishing in Education.

Quill Pens and Powdered Wigs in Today's Classrooms Corporate Update

On the matter of education. The topic of technology seems to be lost in a quagmire of tradition. I tradition I embrace. However, I am 58 years old, not 8 years old. We need to change. Thus:

Quill Pens and Powdered Wigs in Today's Classrooms

http://www.slideshare.net/slimfairview/quill-pens-and-powdered-wigs-in-todays-classrooms

&

Social Media is the Medium: Greater than the sum of its parts.

http://www.slideshare.net/slimfairview/social-media-is-the-medium

This should do it.
Regards,

Slim


Because, Everyone, my postings are not about cash and prizes.


I post because, as much as I can see what is coming, I am:


a.) naive in believing that the publishing industry will move forward in any way that would be consistent with my having gone to B-school

b.) I believe that what I have posted on these matters is an indicator of what will happen.
"The fact that one cannot predict the future is not a proper rebuff to someone who says, get off the tracks, a train is coming." The Quotations of Slim Fairview (c) 2011 Slim Fairview


I published a comment in a Linkedin discussion about publishing and copy-pasted it into the Notes on my Facebook page.  The Future of Publishing: if it has one.

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?created&&note_id=10150236691940698#!/notes/slim-fairview/the-future-of-publishing-if-it-has-one/10150236691940698


For the Publishing Industry to be a player in the future of education in America and around the world, it must go outside the Publishing Industry for advice.


That is why I have chosen to post on the matters propounded here at HMH. If anyone in the Publishing Industry cares about the future of the Publishing Industry, they may pursue the information.  I will not, however, chase them on the matter of their survival.

Sincerest regards,

Slim

slimfairview@yahoo.com


Thank you for your encouragement.


I went to the Q&A.  I started working as a free-lance website designer 11 years ago.  (I was an elementary education major for a while and taught 7th & 8th grade math briefly.)  I liked your idea.  I voted for it.


The Q&A here is like the Q&A everywhere.  It is a customer service provision.


As I've stated.  If HMH is interested, they will contact me. This is not about gifts and prizes.  The future is going to happen no matter what the Editors at HMH do.  The only question is "Will HMH be a part of it or not?"  Just trying to navigate this website it is intuitively obvious to the casual observer that they will not be part of the future.  

There is no indication that this website functions in the smooth and "user friendly" way other websites function.

Consider the following business blunders:

"That will never get of the ground.  If God wanted me to fly, He'd have given me wings."

"The Motor Car?  Noisy, smelly toy for the rich.  It will never replace the horse."

"Talking pictures?  People don't want to listen to all that chatter, they want to see real acting."

"We are concerned about our youngsters and the future of education in this country.  That is why we are opening up to suggestions from as many people as we can to embrace the potential of the ideas of so many gifted, created, and talented people who have so much to share with us especially in the areas of technology.  We are committed to bringing technology into the classroom because we see this as a powerful tool for helping to educate young people to meet the challenges of tomorrow by giving them a head start in the latest advancements....................."

I think you get the idea.  I have heard no reports, have read no articles, have seen so evidence that the publishing industry (especially in the area of education) is being the least bit pro-active in embracing the reality of what is to come.

If the publishing industry in the field of education, wants to survive, they must take the lead.  This leadership comes from the top.  Not from marketing, not from sales, not from a new business team.  This leadership must come from the top. Leadership is taking initiative.  

If HMH or any other firm wants to survive, they must go outside the firm--not necessarily to me, but certainly to someone like me--they must make the first move, they must initiate the contact, they must want information.



"Some people ask questions seeking information.  Other people ask questions so they can interrupt, argue, and pretend they're right."  From the Quotations of Slim Fairview (c) 2011 Slim Fairview.

I am not going to pursue them if they are going to sit back hoping a good idea comes across the technological "slush pile".

If publishing is to survive, the Publisher is going to have to become involved.

This is not about books.  This is about business. The business of books is business.

Thank you again for your kind comments.

Regards,

Slim

ps.

I have 8 thumbs up and 12 thumbs down.  Right away, I can see that that this project appears to be the "Dancing with the Stars" of the publishing industry. 40% in favour and 60& against.


What I have described is what we will have in our classrooms.  What we already have in some classrooms.  It is a propter hoc system of education reform.


"Education reform:  A government programme based on the fear that someone, somewhere is learning to read."  Slim Fairview from the Quotations of Slim Fairview


Thank you again.

Regard,

Slim

PS.  I am not Paul Harvey.  Still, I am open to becoming a paid blogger, columnist, or commentator.

In the meantime, if anyone finds the monographs on my blog to be especially helpful, please do not hesitate to send me on of those tricked out laptops and few dollars tucked into the envelope with the thank you note.

Sincerely  

Slim

Mail slimfairview@yahoo.com

Copyright (c) 2011 Slim Fairview

You Don't Create Jobs by Selling Blue Paint

You don't create demand by creating jobs.  You create jobs by creating demand.

I explained this in part in a previous monograph.  You may want to review that now, or you may choose to review it later.

http://slimviews.blogspot.com/2011/07/will-1-billion-create-7000-jobs-yes-and.html


This is election season.  You cannot expect much in the way of substance.  If Jonathan Swift were alive today, he would still be writing about small people who bicker over whether to crack open a soft cooked egg at the big end or the small end.

For the purposes of this discussion, we live in Chicago.  We live across the street from one another. 

You pull out of your driveway on your bicycle to announce you are pedaling to New York.  You make a right. 

I call out after you.  "If you want to go to New York, you have to turn left."

You reply, "Your way isn't the only way of doing it, you know?"

A few months later, you return.  You concede that I was right.

I tell you that I am planning to bicycle to New York.  You say, "Don't forget to turn left."

I reply, "If I want to go to New York, I have to turn right."

You become indignant.  "How come when I want to go to New York, I have to pull out of my driveway and turn left; but, when you do it, it's okay for you to turn right?"

That may have brought a smile to your face.  Unfortunately, I've had a similar discussion before.

Every Economist you hear discussing the economy works for somebody.  That should be simple enough to explain why we have not yet solved our economic crisis.  If not, let me say quite simply just this:

If I sell blue paint, I will tell you that if you want to create jobs, you have to paint the walls of your business blue.

There are two Dixie Cups in the freezer.  I take one out, look at it, see it is chocolate, and smile.  I like chocolate ice cream.  You walk into the kitchen, see the Dixie Cup and want to know if there is any more.  I tell you there is one left.  You open the freezer, take out the Dixie Cup and look at it.  You don't smile.  The Dixie Cup is strawberry ice cream.  You like chocolate: you are allergic to strawberry.  Because I am not a politician, I offer to switch.  We both know I am not all too fond of strawberry.  If we switch, we both get to eat ice cream.  If we don't, only I get to eat ice cream.

I suggest the voters watch closely at how Congress and the White House hand out the Dixie Cups.  Oh, yeah, and don't listen to the economists.  They do more than give advice on economics.  They also sell paint.


Regards,


Slim

slimfairview@yahoo.com



Copyright (c) 2011 Slim Fairview