Archive for the ‘children’s digital content’ Category

6
Nov

Dust or Magic

   Posted by: rettstatt Tags: , ,

“An idea can turn from dust to magic, depending upon the talent that rubs against it.” Matsu Basho

Tomorrow I’ll be heading to New Jersey to attend the Tenth Annual Children’s New Media Design Institute, otherwise known as Dust or Magic. It’s a 3-day conference (of sorts) created by the folks behind Children’s Technology Review as part of their mission to empower children with technology.

A few folks who are going to be there:

Kathleen Alfano, Director of Child Research, Fisher-Price; Daren Carstens, President, Carstens’ Studios; Barbara Chamberlin, Director, Learning Games Lab, New Mexico State University; Mandeep Singh Dhillon, Co-Founder and CEO, Togetherville; Caroline Hu Flexer, Co-Founder, Duck Duck Moose Design; Claire Green, President, Parents’ Choice Foundation; David Kleeman, President, American Center for Children and Media; Jim Marggraff, President and CEO, Livescribe; Ann McCormick, Founder, The Learning Company; Lane Merrifield, Executive VP, Disney Interactive Media Group and Co-Founder and GM, Club Penguin; Krista Marks, General Manager, Disney Online Kerpoof Studios; Carolyn Handler Miller, Author, Digital Storytelling: A Creator’s Guide to Interactive Entertainment; Robin Raskin, Founder, Living in Digital Times; Jesse Schell, Professor, Carnegie Mellon University and CEO, Schell Games; Bill Shribman, Executive Producer, WGBH; Mark Schlichting, Creator, The Living Books, Author & Designer, Noodleworks; Scott Traylor, President and Founder, 360KID.

When I come out on the other end of this event I expect to be much smarter. So stay tuned for that.

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1
Nov

Highlights and Honesdale

   Posted by: rettstatt

Twins in HonesdaleYou may have heard rumors about me living in some exotic place like Mauritius, the Moons of Neptune, or the People’s Republic of China.

The truth is that I’m living in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, a town of less than 5000 people and home to the editorial offices of Highlights for Children. I recently took at job at Highlights as Director of Children’s Digital Content.

I’ve been interested for a while now in the intersection of children’s publishing and technology. There’s a Pandora’s Box sitting at the center of that intersection. Apart from food, shelter, and love, there’s not much that’s more important in the lives of kids than reading.  The role technology plays in that is completely dependent on the thoughtfulness of the individuals wielding it.

Opening  the box…stay tuned.

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