At SXSW Wedu, Dumbo’s Amplify announced two major initiatives for the 2014-2015 school year: a new hardy tablet and an English Language Arts curriculum built with star studded collaborators.
The tablet: Built with Corning Gorilla Glass, a tethered stylus and a better WI-fi radio, Amplify has toughened up their tablet to withstand the rigors of use in school. They also say it’s battery will last the entire school day. Built in collaboration with Intel, the tablet is available for lease for $199 per year for three years.
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English Language Arts: The company is using digital strategies to make kids more likely to do their reading homework. For example, actress Elizabeth Olsen reads from the beginning of “A Confederate Girl’s Diary” in order to entice students to read the rest. They also use Quests, which are games where students use texts to find facts and build a case on some subject. There are also games and strategies to get students building their own narratives, understand perspective and to increase out of school learning. The curriculum is available for $45 per student per year.
An example of a dramatic reading:
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