Hi Brendan, This is an excellent and very informed addition to the discussion and I'm very grateful you've made it! When you say that traditional classroom settings (where tablets have been 'asserted' from on high) are pining for a return to textbooks, that gets me thinking in two directions. One, can anything really work well when it is forced (pushed) rather than invited and embraced (from pull)? Second, (based on the agreement with your point here I've heard from a range of traditional school setting teachers), are the tablets/digital being rushed in willy nilly before the learning context and materials are actually ready for them? Is the cake being spoiled because it's only quarter baked and certain people who don't even do the cooking can't wait to see others apply the brand new baking tray? "Central to the debate that should be carried out are two key questions: how do schools deal with the growing importance of 'informal learning' - how do teachers incorporate this into a formal, assessment-driven syllabus? And, how do we all deal with the re-working of social arrangements that technology usage will probably bring about?" Now we're really getting to the heart of the matter when it comes to these big changes. I tackle and experiment with these very questions as a literacy teacher in an applied learning program. If you don't mind, I'd really like to take these two questions and use them as the core of a new blog post in future, because I think you've really nailed the challenge we're engaged with here. I also like the fact you look at the economic and ethical considerations as well; a timely reminder of another important angle in this very big picture. Thanks Brendan - a brilliant addition to this discussion. Regards, - Jason

Hi Martin and thanks for the very relevant points you make here. I too can remember the reluctance to engage with the tech supplements to coursebook series, and I can't help but think this has to do with a poor overall mix (and/or a sort of 'mixed languages' feel to this sort of packaging). What would be more interesting is for the full Business Result course to be presented in four different packages: fully textbook only, fully digital, coursebook + digital supplement, and digital + paper worksheet supplement, and then see which the students go for and how they then engage with it. This sort of experiment might by slightly expensive to develop, but it's the sort of thing publishers need to invest in if they're really going to get to the bottom of what works and how with current and future generations of learners. Intriguing! - Jason

Now now, Mr. Simpson - enough of that flagrant optimism! :-) - Jason

Hi Wes - thanks for dropping by. What you say certainly seems to be a relevant concern or risk, though (as with anything) I think it depends on what you do with the tool. I see no reason why unit packs with a full sequence of content and integrated learning activities in a contextualised framework can't be developed in app form, and the apps done so far by OUP (for example) show that graded readers can be done in full on apps. But, in another example that perhaps does support your theory, the main apps to emerge from Cambridge so far appear to be the grammar books and quizzes (and dictionaries), which are more the support or supplementary applications along the lines you mention. As with anything in publishing, generally they'll look to produce what the market indicates it is most willing to buy, so I guess this depends on teachers and learners and what they appear to want in app form... Thanks for the comment, - Jason

Hi Lindsay, Always a pleasure and privilege to see your thoughts appear on my blog! I think app 'weight' could certainly be an issue, but I look at the excellent material my son accesses in app form on his iPad and they don't appear to be all that heavy. Admittedly, they don't feature high quality video (just lots of top quality animation and interaction), so perhaps ELT apps would need to look at streaming the video segments or linking out to them. Another option (and this wouldn't be hard to do in the production process) is offer different versions of the apps - lite, with the main content and activities, with embedded streaing or linked out video; and full/heavy, with everything included inside the app. Video compression continues to evolve and improve as well, so maybe it won't be as big an issue in the future. In addition, I think with the new model your apps wouldn't necessarily be full (current) coursebook in length - they would be done in thematic or level-specific clusters. Your book Global, for example, would work well as a series of 2-4 apps per coursebook (including the workbook and supplementary materials). Thanks for popping by! - Jason

Charlotte, I don't think I've ever read a comment on my blog that inspired a reaction of 'gosh, that's EXACTLY what I think too!' to the extent that this one did. I wrote the post very late at night when I wasn't at my most articulate. Thank you very much for expressing precisely what I was trying to say!!! Thanks for dropping by and sharing your thoughts. - Jason

Wow - thanks for that Henrick. It's great to hear your voice all the way from Brazil again mate, and here's to a mighty 2013 for you as well! Cheers, - Jason