The idea of creating a scavenger hunt that students can use to familiarize themselves with their Student Subscriptions was suggested at a recent back-to-school webinar. We thought it was a super idea. We created an elementary, middle, and high school version that you can use as is or modify to your heart’s content. Elementary Scavenger [...]

If you have seen QR Codes (Quick Response), then you know they are popping up everywhere. Their rise mirrors the widespread use of smart phones equipped with cameras. QR codes present a great opportunity for educators to use technology in a meaningful way. Here are two ways teachers can use QR codes with students along [...]

We are oh-so-excited about a new feature coming to our subscriptions in July: Message Students. This much-requested feature allows teachers to send messages to students (messages go to an entire class) that they read in their Student Subscriptions. It’s a one-way broadcast from teacher to students. We imagine teachers will use the Message Students feature [...]

Among the many fantastic updates coming to Student Subscription in July is the addition of a glossary in all programs. Students using our History Alive! The Ancient World program can look up words like dynasty, democracy and dharma…and that’s just in the Ds! Of course, we’ve kept the in-line definitions in the student text.   [...]

Estelle Shumann is a writer interested in a wide range of educational methods. Having played several instruments and been exposed to many art forms in her childhood, she finds that solving the education puzzle today requires more than simply a large budget. She currently writes and researches about online education.   Decades ago, the term [...]

Can’t you just see that spotless desk gleaming in the corner of your classroom? Nothing but your laptop and maybe a few “World’s Best Teacher” mementos? Okay, so we can’t promise you a paperless classroom overnight, but we hope you’ll discover a dramatic decrease in paper use in your classroom with the introduction of Applying [...]

Flash, you served us well, delivering Reading Challenges for the past several years, but it’s time to bring a new partner into the world of TCI Subscriptions.  Coming this summer, we’re welcoming HTML5. What does this mean for you?   1)    Full iPad compatibility for Student Subscriptions. Reading Challenges, text tools, and all other student features [...]

What makes a digital textbook interactive?  We think it’s more than a fun game or a flashy (not Flash!) banner.  It’s text that is accessible to students. It’s purposeful game-like challenges.  It’s opportunities to demonstrate knowledge.  Because we believe all of these ideas, we’re spending this spring improving our Student Subscriptions to bring students further [...]

Everyone’s talking about Apple’s recent announcement that they want to play in the textbook sandbox. Apple released three free pieces of software and launched iBooks 2 all with the end goal of having kids read content on an iPad or Apple device instead of from a print textbook. When I say everyone’s talking about it, [...]