Thursday, May 27, 2010

disruptive changes in learning

How-to books are tools for learning. The tools and processes for learning are undergoing disruptive change.

What does it mean for writers and publishers when the tools for learning change radically?

Old tools ------------------------------->New tools

Mainstream media --------------------> YouTube
Mainstream press (and books) --------> Blogs

My bookshelf is a good example of this change. I have about 70 books on digital video on my bookshelf. But when I need to know something, I automatically search Google, or youtube.

Does this mean that we should think of how-to books as an information package of book, blog, and youtube?

The package might consist of:
- the paper book (for sale on Amazon and elsewhere)
- a downloadable ebook (for sale or for free depending on the type of content)
- a blog with dozens of entries concisely explaining key concepts in the book (with easily findable topics on Google)
- a youtube channel with demonstrations of common procedures in the book (with easily findable topics and keywords on Google)

A blog on disruptive changes in learning (with good links to DIY learning essays) is here:

I don't know what all this means, but I do know that I will write all my future books with this package in mind.