Book Business asked industry thought leaders to discuss the big ideas that are changing the book industry. We are excited about the future of publishing, and we hope these essays invigorate you with new and illuminating perspectives on that future. View the complete essay collection here.
Open web standards such as XHTML5, CSS3, and EPUB 3 represent the foundations of a new set of publishing tools to develop and deliver next generation content and services that are engaging, interactive, accessible, and responsive. The potential of these new technologies is particularly exciting in the education space, enabling richer learning experiences through audio, video, and interactive elements in formats that are responsive to different learning styles and personal preferences, while supporting assistive technologies for persons with disabilities. These new, more modular learning objects, enhanced with robust metadata, will allow the tracking and analysis of user data (while protecting privacy) to enable adaptive learning and efficacy reporting. This will improve learning outcomes through faster subject mastery and increased retention. This technology will also provide information back to the publisher about the effectiveness and value of the content that will lead to improved products and services.