Chuck,
I have no objections. I do think we've probably overwhelmed Mieke's  
original discussion point.

Personally, I'd be interested in your ideas as I am also designiing  
games/sims for Homeland security to teach about disaster  
preparedeness. Also, an educator and designer of "learning objects"  
for education I am interested in the future of it all.

Along those lines, I don't think it is so much a question of what  
textbooks will look like but what other tools we will be using to  
enhance the learning experience. Per the conversation so far, I don't  
think it is a question of what new ideas will replace old but what  
will add to the educational experience. My children are in love with  
Hayao Miyazaki's films (and Disney for that matter) which use the  
"old-school" film making techniques. They also love long, involved  
stories (e.g., my daughter has had me read The Secret Garden three  
times, Wind In the Willows four times, and The Little Princess twice)  
while also being well-versed in the new jump-cut animation of today.

I think it is less a consideration of changing our total styles to  
fit today's culture as adapting to incorporate the new "quick cut"  
styles into our repertoire. Always recognizing as creators that we  
need to be able to accurately judge what is the appropriate style for  
the subject presented.

Anyway, I would welcome a space to continue this discussion and show  
what we are doing.

-david


On Aug 2, 2008, at 9:46 PM, Charles Carter wrote:

> Anyone have an objection to me starting a MySpace and Facebook page  
> for the group?  Stick our toes into the water so to speak?  The  
> passwords and logins will be made available to anyone in the group  
> to add pictures from your computers or cells and honestly, it could  
> be fun if even a few people contribute.
>
> I feel this discussion is probably better going into another topic  
> as it may be more than Mieke had asked for to start with.  Having  
> my feet both in the game business and science and illustration  
> profession I have some ideas about merging a couple technologies  
> and glimmers of a few ideas that might be transitional - and I'd  
> like to bounce some ideas off the group once in a while if no one  
> minds.
>
> What does something like the future of textbooks sound like?  What  
> will a textbook be like in say, 20 years?  Or will there be  
> something to replace it?
>
> I'm about to do a little consulting on a Homeland security project  
> dealing with interactive means to teach about disaster  
> preparedness.... that and this current discussion has been  
> refreshing and is opening my head to some ideas that would be fun  
> to explore.
>
> Anyway - just a thought.
>
> Chuck
>
>