E-books for learning: a certain need, an uncertain solution

Ebooks for learningA certain need, an uncertain future

Paola Dubini – Università BocconiJane Klobas – ASK – Università Bocconi

If Book Then – July 5, 2012

A quite rich setting

Learners

Professiona

ls

Life-long

learners

Researcher

s

Credential

s

Networks

Learning

Employment

Reputation

Peers

Mentors

Mentees

Teachers

Tutors

Trainers

Learning

resources;

Learning

skillsUniversitie

s

Publishers

Certificati

on

But pretty organized

PublishersUniversities Professional Associations

Learners

Authors

University publishing

Academic publishing

Professional publishing

Roles in organizing learning resources

PublishersUniversities Professional Associations

Learners

Authors

Content selectionFunding of publication

ScoutingContent aggregation

Funding of publicationEditing, indexing, tagging

Certification and registrationSupply chain management

PromotionRights management

ScoutingFunding of publicationIntegrity certification

AnnotateSearch other contentComment and review

Learners

Professionals

Life-long

learners

Researchers

Credentials

Networks

Learning

Digitization

Digital content

aggregation

Self

publication

Certification

Open learning

Open access

Ubiquity

Change is in the air

The promise of open access

Readers

Authors PublishersUniversities and Professional Associations Open learning

Open accessScouting

Content aggregationFinancing

Editing, indexing, taggingCertification and registration(Supply chain management)

(Rights management)

Content aggregationEditing, indexing

PromotionFinancing

ReviewingSharing

Commenting, taggingPromotion

Endorsement

Sacrificing content for brand

Changing revenue models

Readers

Authors PublishersUniversities

Self publication

ScoutingContent aggregation

ReviewingCommenting, tagging

CitationPromotion

Endorsement

Content aggregationEditing, indexing

PromotionFinancing

The empowerment of authors and readers

Open journals and repositories

Serving authors / readers communities

Readers

Authors PublishersUniversities and Professional Associations

Digital hubsContent aggregation

Editing, indexingPublication process mgmt

CertificationCross referencing

TaggingMultiple platform publication

CRMCommunity management

Promotion

Enriching the offering

Content aggregation

Cross referencingCommenting

Digital hubs

Digital offerings

What’s in there for publishers?Offering tools

Digital reading

browsing

Interactive learning

An irreversible change?

• An empowered reader• More options• A more active role

• A growth in available content• A pressure towards learning facilitation

• Multimedia content organization• Multiplatform functionality• Graphics and infographics

• A preference for digital vs a preference for print• Browsing • Cross referencing• Searching

• A pressure on prices• Commoditization of content, in sake of brand and service• Differences across disciplines

• Studying • Taking notes• Quick / visual referencing

A new competitive arena

Universities University publishing

Academic publishing

Professional publishing

Not for profit

Venture capital backed digital

ventures

Other digital players

What’s in there for publishers?

• The simultaneous evolution for all players involved: How we teach, how we learn, how we certify, how we publish

• Self learning, self publishing, personalised learning … and the relevance of the editor’s role

• Content bundling, unbundling and rebundling …. and the relevance of the editor’s role

• The need for critical mass: of quality content, of readers, of variety of media, of variety of content …. and the relevance of the editor’s role

• Content configuration by platform and by type of customer/use… and the relevance of the editor’s role

• The joys and sorrows of price discrimination …. An the possibilities for publishers

• The importance of certification … and the possible role for publishers

• The shift in value creation: content vs communities vs brands, vs services and the emergence of multiple partners/competitors

• The resilience / the pressures of other players involved (promotion in the academia,

Thank you!

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