Course Technology/Thomson Learning
Book Review

By Dale Farris, Secretary Golden Triangle PC Club January 2004 In the exciting book publishing business, there are various special areas of interest in which many publishers choose to focus. For example, some publishers specialize in children's literature, while other publishers focus on other specialized areas, such as science fiction, romance novels, western novels, etc. One of the many specialized areas in publishing is the important field of textbooks. Textbooks are especially designed to meet the exacting needs of educational instructors and students. Generally, textbooks are designed with classroom instruction in mind, which results in titles that tend to have far more full-color photographs, figures, diagrams, or screenshots, along with extensive, detailed, step-by-step instruction that guides students through the various approaches to using the various features that are coded into today's software. This attention to detail, and to making the book most relevant to the needs of students results in a tendency for textbooks to also be priced higher than books that are designed for the common retail market. While many readers may think the typical retail bookstore shelves are already filled to overflowing with more titles on software of their interest than they could possibly keep up with, nevertheless there are nearly as many titles designed as educational textbooks that cover the same vast array of software that do not usually show up on the retail shelves. This is because textbooks cost much more to produce, as textbook publishers have much higher expectations of their instructors and students to meet than normal retail publishers. You could simplify this difference between retail computer books and computer textbooks as represented by the concentrated focus on standard text in retail books, while textbooks will usually be filled to overflowing with full color screenshots, diagrams, figures, and detailed instructions, all of which results in a more expensive item to produce, which means the textbook will generally sell for more than a corresponding retail market title that covers the same software. In addition, in the textbook business, textbook publishers also know that their textbook titles have a far shorter life than normal retail titles, because the instructors and their educational institution's book review and recommendation process is always quite fickle. In the textbook publishing business, these publishers actually are assuming a great deal more risk of their titles being replaced by other titles, not only because the software is always being upgraded, but also because in the world of educational learning, titles selected for classes will not be used for long before another title is chosen for the same class. This general introduction to the publishing business, especially the highly dynamic textbook publishing business, is provided as additional background to what Course Technology, one of today's most advanced, successful textbook publishers, faces in their highly charged business. As an instructor of computer classes, I am involved in the internal textbook selection process, and I always try to remember the tremendous risks that are taken by textbook publishers. About Course Technology In the textbook publishing world, there are numerous companies that have targeted this special niche in the publishing business, but few can match Course Technology's tremendous variety of titles that cover literally all extant software now on the market. Course Technology is one of the most advanced, exciting companies in the textbook business, and this review deals with the company and its high quality books that will meet the needs of any instructor at any level of training. Since 1989, Course Technology has been publishing innovative texts and creative electronic learning solutions to help educators teach, students learn, and individuals expand their interest in and understanding of emergent and current technologies. The mission of Course Technology is to help people teach and learn about technology. The breadth of their product portfolio, the strength of their technology tools, and the coverage of their distribution is unrivaled throughout the U.S. and abroad. Their goal is to produce dynamic books in all technology-related disciplines, as well as complete instructional resource materials and powerful technology-based assessment and learning solutions that surpass their customer needs and expectations. About Thomson Learning Course Technology is a part of Thomson Learning, which is part of the larger Thomson Corporation. The Thomson Corporation is a leading global provider of integrated information solutions to business and professional customers. Thomson provides must-have information, with technology and applications that help its customers make better decisions, faster. Thomson serves more than 20 million information users in the fields of law, tax, accounting, higher education, reference information, corporate training and assessment, financial services, scientific research, and healthcare. Common Shares of The Thomson Corporation are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:TOC) and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:TOC). Thomson At A Glance • 2002 revenues from continuing operations: US $7.5 billion (5% over prior year) • 56% of revenues derived from electronic products and services • 62% of revenues derived from subscription-based products and services • 43,000 employees • Operations in 46 countries Catalog Variety What genuinely sets apart Course Technology in the huge book publishing world is their commitment to providing a variety of titles on literally all aspects of information technology, and to providing different titles that focus on different levels of experience. Just about any existing software application on the market is addressed by the many different books you can find from Course Technology. In addition to this superb variety of titles that cover varying experience levels, Course Technology succeeds as a preeminent provider of books that are especially designed for use by students in formalized instruction settings. Rather than targeting only the retail, walk-up market, Course Technology goes the extra mile by developing titles that will meet the explicit, unique needs of information technology instructors and students. This places Course Technology in the textbook publishing market, a niche in book publishing that is truly unique. Instead of producing text-only titles that are designed to be read from front to back, in the field of information technology, publishers face the many added expectations of students and instructors for titles that will aid in learning how to use the various applications covered by the Course Technology titles. Learning software applications is a process different from other, more conceptually based courses, such as business or accounting classes, and classes in the liberal arts. While these other classes require students to remember ideas or principles, or the lessons learned from a sequence of events, dates, or names, learning software requires a great deal of hands-on practice by students who need a type of help quite different from help, for example, in remembering lectures for the next history exam. This approach can many times replicate the algorithmic approach to learning medical, clinical responses to what is presented by a patient. Learning software requires students to learn the many features and capabilities of the featured application, how to activate these various features that are coded into the software's menu commands, and how to carry out these functions in accordance with the software's coded requisites. This results in the need for examples of what is going on with the software, examples of what the software looks like when attempting particular functions, and the step-by-step, algorithmic instructions to implementing these various software features. To the rescue to students facing many times a bewildering array of nearly endless functionality comes these super learning titles from Course Technology that are all designed around the principles of how to learn software applications. Sample Titles The following brief synopsis of 3 titles on Dreamweaver MX and Dreamweaver MX 2004 give you an idea of the quality of the many Course Technology titles. Note that not only does Course Technology publish many other titles on Dreamweaver MX 2004 and Dreamweaver MX, the company also publishes many, many other titles on literally all software now on the market. (1) - Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004 Authors: Sherry Bishop and Piyush Patel ISBN: 0-619-18838-3 Pages: 608 Date: December 30, 2003 Features: Tons of screenshots; extensive step-by-step instructions; in-depth explanation of the "why" behind a skill; creative projects for additional practice; explains concepts clearly using full-color visuals; 14 chapters; glossary; index; Web access to extensive student data files used in the text material; durable trade paper with "lay flat" binding Series: This title is one of the many Course Technology titles in their Design Professional Series. The Design Professional Series is your guide to today's hottest multimedia applications. These comprehensive books teach the skills behind the application, and also show you how to apply smart design principles to multimedia products, such as dynamic graphics, animation, Web sites, video, and interactive CD-ROM content. The Series goal is to help you on your way to learning professional graphic design or multimedia skills. A team of multimedia instructors, students, authors and editors worked together to create this series. Their feedback was incorporated into every step of the development process. (2) - Macromedia Dreamweaver MX Authors: Sherry Bishop, Marjorie Hunt, and Piyush Patel ISBN: 0-619-11099-6 Pages: 560 Date: July 2, 2003 Features: Tons of screenshots; extensive step-by-step instructions; in-depth explanation of the "why" behind a skill; creative projects for additional practice; explains concepts clearly using full-color visuals; 14 chapters; glossary; index; Web access to extensive student data files used in the text material; durable trade paper with "lay flat" binding Series: This title is one of the many Course Technology titles in their Design Professional Series. The Design Professional Series is your guide to today's hottest multimedia applications. These comprehensive books teach the skills behind the application, and also show you how to apply smart design principles to multimedia products, such as dynamic graphics, animation, Web sites, video, and interactive CD-ROM content. The Series goal is to help you on your way to learning professional graphic design or multimedia skills. A team of multimedia instructors, students, authors and editors worked together to create this series. Their feedback was incorporated into every step of the development process. (3) - Macromedia Dreamweaver MX - Illustrated Introductory Author: Sherry Bishop ISBN: 0-619-11092-9 Pages: 268 Date: November 15, 2002 Features: Tons of screenshots; Neat 2-page lesson layout; full-color figures with extensive annotations; extensive step-by-step instructions; numerous quick tips; end-of-unit concepts review; review tests; skills review; additional independent challenge exercises; appendix; glossary; index; creative projects for additional practice; 9 chapters; Web access to extensive student data files used in the text material; durable trade paper with "lay flat" binding; 30-day trial version of Macromedia's Dreamweaver MX included on CD ROM disc with text Series: This title is one of the many Course Technology titles in their Illustrated series. The Illustrated series gives students an edge in the classroom with Course Technology's signature, two-page spread format from the Illustrated Series. All the books in this series present lessons in a clean, easy-to follow layout that combines action steps on the left page with colorful, large illustrations on the right page. Course Technology Computer Titles What is common to all 3 titles, as well as all Course Technology titles, is the commitment by the publisher and the authors to providing well organized, fully illustrated textbooks that are designed with the special needs of students in mind. This results in a superb lineup of textbooks that are organized in numerous different series that provide students at all levels and instructors with variously designed books that all cover different software applications with these different levels in mind. This also results in an extensive array of many different titles on the same software application, prepared by different authors and produced for different levels, all of which mean instructors in all high school, college, and university learning environments will certainly find the exact title from Course Technology that will exactly fit the unique needs of their different students and classes. Target Readers The targeted readers of Course Technology titles are students at all levels of skill and ages who are learning various computer software applications. With the company's commitment to publishing many different titles on the same software application, this results in many choices for instructors, and it means that instructors will find exactly the level of instruction from these many options that will meet the needs of their students. From introductory students to higher end users, Course Technology provides marvelous textbooks that will help all students learn the various software applications now on the market. Publisher Contact Jennifer O'Toole Course Technology Thomson Learning 25 Thomson Place Boston, MA 02210 617-757-7900 800-648-7450 jennifer.o'toole@thomson.com www.course.com